Southwest USA Museums and Culture

    Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona

  2021 North Kinney Road - Tucson, AZ           
A world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place! Exhibits re-create the natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region so realistically you find yourself eye-to-eye with mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, and more. Within the Museum grounds, you will see more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. There are almost 2 miles of paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert.
    Grammy Museum, California
  800 W. Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles, CA            
In celebration of the life and work of Michael Jackson, The GRAMMY Museum is sharing a collection of Jackson's most iconic wardrobe pieces (including the suit he wore on the cover of Thriller). Starting today (Friday, June 26, 2009), these will be exhibited on the Museum's third floor alongside video of some of Jackson's most exciting GRAMMY performances. We hope this exhibit will serve as a fitting tribute to one of the most significant entertainers in music history. The Museum will open to the public on Friday at 11:30am.
For thousands of years, royalty has called attention to itself with extravagant clothing and other finery. Jewels, fine fabrics, and elaborate accessories can complete the transformation of a person into a brightly-shining star that holds its audience spellbound.
As the self-anointed "King of Pop," Michael Jackson has fully embraced this royal tradition. And like his album HIStory, this exhibit gathers together some of his greatest hits — pieces that are uniquely and unmistakably his.
    Lyman Museum, Hawaii
  276 Haili Street - Hilo, HI           
Originally built for New England missionaries David and Sarah Lyman in 1839. Nearly 100 eventful years later, in 1931, the Museum was established by their descendents. Today, the restored Mission House is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and may be visited by guided tour.
The Lyman Museum building, next door to the Mission House, houses a superb collection of artifacts, fine art, and natural history exhibits as well as an archives, special exhibitions and a gift shop. Visitors touring the two facilities can see the old Mission House and life as it was 150 years ago, as well as state-of-the-art exhibits on many aspects of Hawaiian natural history and culture…a rare and well-rounded view of the real Hawai`i, as it was, as it is today, and where it may be in years to come.
    Museum of Man, California
  1350 El Prado - Balboa Park - San Diego, CA            
The San Diego Museum of Man is a cultural and physical anthropology museum, collecting, preserving, interpreting, and communicating evidence of human development, creativity, and artistic expression.
    Contemporary Jewish Museum, California
  736 Mission Street - San Francisco, CA            
Since its founding in 1984, the Contemporary Jewish Museum has engaged audiences of all ages and backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. Throughout its history, the Museum has distinguished itself as a welcoming place where visitors can connect with one another through dialogue and shared experiences with the arts.
    ferrari, California
   - Beverly Hills, CA
          
this is a nice museum.
    T Rex Museum, Arizona
  3861 N. Oracle Road - Tucson, AZ           
The T Rex Museum Gift & Activity Center has fossils, replicas, science, art, astronomy, and hands on exhibits that take you through 13.7 billion years of history including 570 Million years of interesting prehistoric life in only 10 minutes with a real paleontologist guide. Bring all your questions for a real professional answer! And one of the largest selection of dinosaur related gifts, books, and such in America.
Every child has the chance to dig up real fossils, gems, minerals, semi-precious stones, arrowheads, and even real gold in our Dig Pit or Fossil Sluice. And they get to keep what they find!
During a visit to the T Rex Museum Activity Center kids get an education in science, history, and art while having so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning.
    Molly Brown House Museum, Colorado
  1340 Pennsylvania St - Denver, CO           
As more and more historic properties were demolished in the 1960s, a group of preservation-minded Denver citizens joined efforts in 1970 to rescue the home of Titanic survivor Margaret Tobin Brown. The group incorporated as Historic Denver, Inc. and began major restoration efforts in order to return the home’s interior and exterior to its early 20th century grandeur. Since opening the Museum, Historic Denver has worked to save countless other Denver landmarks and increase public awareness of Denver’s unique historic structures.
    Laupahoehoe Train Museum, Hawaii
  P.O. Box 358 - Laupahoehoe, HI           
A small, community-run museum located on the beautiful Hamakua Heritage Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i. Honoring the colorful history of the Hilo Railroad, which began in 1899 and lasted to 1946, when railroad tracks and facilities were irreparably damaged by a devastating tidal wave. The museum is located in an old railway company home, which is furnished as it would have been in the 1930s.
    The Contemporary Museum, Hawaii
  2411 Makiki Heights Drive - Honolulu, HI            
The only museum in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to contemporary art. TCM provides an accessible forum for provocative, dynamic forms of visual art, offering interaction with art and artists in a unique Island environment. TCM presents its innovative exhibition and educational programs at two venues: in residential Honolulu at the historic Cooke-Spalding house, and downtown at First Hawaiian Center.
    Forney Transportation Museum, Colorado
  4303 Brighton Boulevard - Denver, CO           
The Forney Transportation Museum is a one-of-a-kind collection of over 500 exhibits relating to historical transportation. It began with antique cars, but soon expanded to include vehicles of all kinds. Some of these are familiar, while others spark the imagination.
    Mission Houses Museum, Hawaii
  553 South King Street - Honolulu, HI            
The Mission Houses Museum, a National Historic Landmark, is the primary program of the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, a non-profit educational institution and genealogical society. The Museum interprets the "missionary period" of Hawaiian history, 1820-1863, which is fundamental to an understanding of contemporary Hawaii.
    Denver Firefighters Museum, Colorado
  1326 Tremont Place - Denver, CO            
The mission of the Denver Firefighters Museum is to preserve the history of the Denver Fire Department and firefighting through the collection and preservation of artifacts, documents and photographs. The purpose of the Museum is to educate the public about fire safety and the history of firefighting in Denver from its inception to the present. This is accomplished through interpretive exhibits, educational programming and scholarly research.
    Colorado Historical Society, Colorado
  1300 Broadway - Denver, CO            
Founded in 1879, History Colorado, the Colorado Historical Society brings the unique character of Colorado's past to more than a million people each year through historical museums and highway markers, exhibitions, manuscript and photograph collections, popular and scholarly publications, historical and archaeological preservation services, and educational programs for children and adults. In short, the Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Colorado for present and future generations.
    International Wildlife Museum, Arizona
  4800 W Gates Pass Road - Tucson, AZ           
The International Wildlife Museum is dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of the diverse wildlife of the world as well as explaining the role of wildlife management in conservation.
Founded in 1988, the museum highlights over 400 species of insects, mammals and birds from around the globe. Some of the collections are more than 100 years old and all the animals found at the museum were donated by various government agencies, wildlife rehabilitation centers, captive breeding programs, zoos and individuals.
    Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, Arizona
  140 North Main Avenue - Tucson, AZ           
The Tucson Museum of Art connects art to life, inspiring discovery, creativity, and cultural understanding through meaningful, engaging experiences.
    Utah Museum of Natural History, Utah
  1390 E. Presidents Circle - Salt Lake City, UT             
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The design for the new Natural History Museum, created by Polshek Partnership (now Ennead Architects), embodies the Museum's educational and scientific mission to inspire wonder and discovery of the natural world and the place of humans in it.
    The Children's Museum, Utah
  840 North 300 West - SLC, UT             
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    Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, New Mexico
  PO Box 2087 - Santa Fe, NM            
Inspiring appreciation for and knowledge of the diverse native arts, histories, languages, and cultures of the Greater Southwest.
    New Mexico Museum of Space History, New Mexico
  PO Box 5430 - Alamogordo, NM           
The mission of the museum is to educate the people of New Mexico and visitors from around the world in the history, science, and technology of space. The museum stresses the significant role that the state of New Mexico has played in the development of the U.S. Space Program through collecting, preserving, and interpreting significant artifacts relevant to the history of space.
    Sparks Heritage Museum, Nevada
  814 Victorian Avenue - Sparks, NV           
A trip to the Sparks Heritage Museum is a fun filled learning adventure, focused on the culture and history of Sparks and the Truckee Meadows. Designed with the entire family in mind, several interactive and lifelike displays compliment the collections. The diverse artifacts range from arrowheads, quilts, and antique furniture to agricultural implements, mining tools, railroad items, and casino paraphernalia. Over 3,000 vintage photographs are currently digitized. Photographic copies are available for purchase. The research library contains collections of family memoirs, oral histories and local area reference materials.
    Nevada Museum of Art, Nevada
  160 West Liberty Street - Reno, NV             
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The Nevada Museum of Art is the only accredited art museum in the state of Nevada. Recognized for following best practices as outlined by the American Association of Museums, the Museum is committed to continuous institutional improvement and change. With accreditation, the Museum joins the ranks of other significant institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just 5% of all museums in the US earn AAM accreditation
    Dinosaur Museum, Utah
  754 South 200 West - Blanding, UT           
    Nevada Discovery Museum, Nevada
  490 S. Center Street - Reno, NV           
As northern Nevada continues to grow, the region's cultural and educational offerings must also expand in order to keep young minds thriving. The Nevada Discovery Museum is designed not just to meet this need, but to raise the bar for fun, family-based learning throughout our community. The museum also aims to provoke new aspirations and collaborations among children, parents and educators. The Nevada Discovery Museum is a place of open eyes, open minds and open horizons. A place where tomorrow's dreams win their wings.
Located in the former Reno City Hall, the Nevada Discovery Museum will be one of the centerpieces of Reno’s downtown renaissance.
    National Automotive Museum, Nevada
  10 South Lake Street - Reno, NV           
The mission of the National Automotive Museum is to collect and preserve the automobile for future generations, with an emphasis on items collected by William "Bill" Fisk Harrah, to tell the story of the impact of the automobile on American society, and to perpetuate the legacy of Mr. Hannah as a renowned collector.
    Museum of Southwestern Biology Division of Fishes, New Mexico
  University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, NM           
The long-term goal of the MSB Division of Fishes is to maintain, in perpetuity, the collection of fishes and supporting documents by using sound curatorial techniques and archiving the collections in optimal storage conditions. We strive to ensure that these collections will be available to future generations of ichthyologists and members of the scientific community.