Museums

A Further Look Into Museums

What is a Museum?

Museums are unique places that can most often be equated to a three-dimensional text book. Regardless what the topic, there is a museum that showcases information and memorabilia about that specific subject. For example, a science museum houses information on famous scientists, allows you to go behind the scenes with scientific experiments, and fully understand the principles behind certain scientific theories. On the other hand, a movie museum is filled with costumes, scripts, backdrops, and props from some of your favorite movies. Today’s museum is quickly becoming more technologically advanced, incorporating hands on activities and computer programs into the typical items usually found within its walls. There are countless types of museums all over the world from the famous to the infamous to the barely known. Each one of these institutions is an incredibly important way to make learning and education about a certain topic fun and exciting.

What is in a Museum?

Museums are filled with a wide variety of materials for their exhibits. From first edition books to scientific equipment to photographs to videos to skeletons, anything and everything can be found in a museum. The Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. houses an astonishing collection of gowns worn by the First Ladies of the United States. Next door, the Natural History Museum is home to the eye-popping and supposedly cursed Hope Diamond. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City contains masterpieces and rare paintings from all over the world, while the Spam Museum in Minnesota is dedicated to America’s favorite canned meat. San Francisco is home to the Cable Car museum, which tells the storied history of the city’s famous form of public transportation and displays a huge coil of thick cable. On the other side of the country is the World of Coca Cola, which features the modest glass bottle that first contained the world’s favorite soft drink.

Why Go to a Museum?

There are countless reasons to why to visit a museum. The main reason to visit a museum is to learn more about the museum’s subject. This educational aspect is often why you see so many school groups flock to these venerable buildings. If you are currently in school or just want to educate your children bout a specific topic, then a trip to the museum is the best way to go.

Another reason to visit a museum is to begin a new hobby. Choose a museum that is dedicated to a hobby, activity, or sport so that you can adopt something new in your life. For example, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York is the perfect stop for anyone looking to begin or expand their play on the baseball diamond. Also, the American Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky is often a destination for budding quilters.

Regardless why you choose to visit museums, do so on a frequent basis. Strive to include visiting these places of interest and education on your vacations, as there are countless destinations in every corner of the globe.