50 Midwest Museums We Love

Dearborn, Michigan: The Henry Ford

This world-class destination in Henry Ford's hometown includes the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village (pictured) and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour. The museum showcases remarkable artifacts, such as the bus in which Rosa Parks refused to relinquish her seat for a white man. Ride a Model T through Greenfield Village's seven living-history districts, and watch the assembly of Ford F-150s at the Ford Rouge Factory. Admission charged. thehenryford.org

Cleveland: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Cleveland's Rock Hall continues to energize the Lake Erie shoreline after more than 20 years. Rock fans make pilgrimages to this I.M. Pei-designed museum to spend a day learning about the genre's evolution and the artists' spirits, sounds and antiestablishment points of view. Boatloads of memorabilia, film clips and music fill airy galleries. Admission charged. rockhall.com

Kansas City, Missouri: Nelson-Atkins Museum

Recognized as one of the leading art museums in America, this cultural powerhouse packs in more than 34,000 works of art. Asian and African art, European masterpieces, American classics, photography, sculpture-whatever your interest, you'll find something to admire. For an in-depth experience, grab an MP3 player and headset in the lobby for a free audio tour about the collections, architecture and sculpture garden. Free. nelson-atkins.org

Chicago: The Field Museum

Located in the city's sprawling Museum Campus, this treasure trove of science and anthropology is home to Sue, the world's largest T. rex skeleton, plus the stunning Grainger Hall of Gems. Thanks to reciprocity agreements, you might score free admission if you show a membership card from another science museum. fieldmuseum.org

Minneapolis: Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Established in 1927, the Walker was the first public art gallery in the upper Midwest. Today, it's a top destination for viewing contemporary art and media. Next to the center is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, one of the largest urban sculpture parks in the country, with art including the iconic Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen Spoonbridge and Cherry. walkerart.org

Omaha: The Durham Museum

There's a definite wow factor as you enter Omaha's grand former Union Station, an Art Deco beauty with 65-foot-tall ceilings, copper-and-glass chandeliers and patterned terrazzo floor. Life-size sculptures of passengers deliver a recorded history of the station, and kids have a blast climbing aboard an old streetcar and passenger trains. Cap off the visit with a phosphate or malt at the soda fountain and candy shop. Admission charged. durhammuseum.org

Des Moines: Des Moines Art Center and John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

An outstanding collection at the art center features modernist works by Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol and others. Large, airy exhibit spaces reflect the styles of three architects: Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei and Richard Meier. Venture downtown to see more than two dozen oversize sculptures at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park (pictured). Free. desmoinesartcenter.org

Cincinnati: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Situated along the Ohio River (a former dividing line between freedom and slavery for African-Americans) this multilevel museum captures the history of slavery and the struggle for freedom. One of the most powerful of the state-of-the-art exhibits is a slave pen moved here from a Kentucky farm. The sobering messages aren't easy to hear, but they are lessons to remember. Admission charged. freedomcenter.org

Detroit: Motown Museum

The unassuming house that gave birth to the Motown sound preserves the relics of that era. The basement recording studio remains intact, complete with the original piano, drums and microphones. Displays showcase original costumes, photos and record sleeves; a film by Motown founder Berry Gordy relates how his $800 investment became $20 million in just seven years. Admission charged. motownmuseum.org

St. Louis: City Museum

The word "eclectic" doesn't begin to describe the zany world inside a former shoe factory. Kids and adults navigate their way through an Enchanted Caves area built into the factory's spiral conveyor tunnel system. Some of the spirals have been transformed into giant slides-one that's 10 stories tall. Other attractions include an aquarium, a rooftop Ferris wheel and an interactive sculpture called MonstroCity where kids crawl, jump and climb through a maze of materials. Tip: Wear long pants to avoid scrapes and bruises. Admission charged. citymuseum.org

Bismarck, North Dakota: North Dakota Heritage Center

This recently expanded center traces state history from dinosaur days to the present. Exhibits include fossils and sea creatures that lived in the area 80 million years ago, along with artifacts used by Native Americans who inhabited North Dakota from 13,000 years ago to the 1860s. Don't miss the 20-foot-long hand-painted mural depicting an Indian Village in 1550. Free. history.nd.gov

Chicago: Museum of Science and Industry

You'll need a full day to cover this massive museum. Get a quick hit of education and entertainment at Science Storms, where 50 interactive stations offer hands-on chances to control a 40-foot tornado and create a tsunami in a 30-foot wave tank. Other attractions include a ride into a coal mine and a tour aboard a real German U-boat. Admission charged. msichicago.org

Wichita, Kansas: Old Cowtown Museum

Experience the rowdy spirit of Wichita's early days, when longhorns were herded to Chisholm Trail railheads. The museum preserves the 1870s lifestyle with a history museum, working farm and a business district that includes a blacksmith's shop, a newspaper press, and spring and summer gunfight shows. Admission charged. oldcowtown.org

Minneapolis: Mill City Museum

This eight-story former flour mill is home to an interactive journey through the industry that fueled the growth of Minneapolis. A fire in 1991 ravaged the building, leaving behind an open courtyard framed by original brickwork and limestone walls. Inside, ride a freight elevator up and down the Flour Tower for an engaging multimedia look at milling history. Admission charged. millcitymuseum.org

Pontiac, Illinois: Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum

Museums like this one in an old firehouse are the watercoolers of the road, the place to meet fellow travelers and pick up tips on what to see along the Mother Road. View thousands of artifacts and memorabilia, and don't miss the largest Route 66 shield in the world, painted on the back of the building. Free. il66assoc.org

Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts

With more than 60,000 works, Detroit's art museum is one of the finest in the country. Among the museum's best-known pieces is Detroit Industry, a series of murals done by Mexican artist Diego Rivera in the 1930s (pictured). dia.org

Kansas City, Missouri: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Films, photos and artifacts tell the story of the Negro National leagues that started in a YMCA in Kansas City in 1920 and spread throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America through the 1960s. It's designed like an old brick baseball stadium, complete with antique turnstiles. Highlights include 12 life-size bronze sculptures of Negro League players, 11 of whom have been honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Admission charged. nlbm.com

Milwaukee: Harley-Davidson Museum

It's perfectly fine to let the kids don some biker duds, swing up on a motorcycle and pretend to rev away in The Experience Gallery. If you can tear them off the Evel Knievel video game, that is. Elsewhere in the museum, the bikes on display range from hulking World War II-Era machines to sleek modern cruisers; check out the "exploded" bike in the Engine Room for a 3-D look at how all the parts fit together. Guided tours are available. Admission charged. h-dmuseum.com

Indianapolis: The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art

Most people don't come to Indy with Native American and Western art in mind, but this jewel in White River State Park is worth a visit. The collections here include ancient and modern art. Plan to visit in June during the annual Indian Market and Festival, where 130 Native American artists, storytellers, dancers and singers converge. Admission charged. eiteljorg.org

Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art

A $350-million expansion and renovation has made this world-class museum better than ever. An airy atrium, an increase of 33 percent in gallery space and updates throughout show off the stellar collection of more than 46,000 pieces. Featured artists include Claude Monet, Georgia O'Keeffe and Grant Wood. clevelandart.org

Kansas City, Missouri: National World War I Museum

Inside the front doors, 9,000 silk poppies each represent 1,000 lives lost during World War I. The moving experience continues with interactive exhibits and recorded testimonies that share the war experience from the viewpoint of soldiers, their families and the civilians living in affected countries. Take an elevator followed by 45 stairs to the top of 217-foot-tall Liberty Memorial Tower for sweeping views of downtown. Admission charged. theworldwar.org

Canton, Ohio: Pro Football Hall of Fame

This shrine to the game is one of those places that die-hard football fans put on their bucket lists. The Hall of Fame Gallery (pictured) shows off bronze-sculpted busts of the men who have become legends in this game, and touch screens in the Lamar Hunt Super Bowl Gallery let visitors design a Super Bowl ring. Football's biggest prize-the Vince Lombardi Trophy-is also on display. Admission charged. profootballhof.com

Wabasha, Minnesota: National Eagle Center

Most people come here to watch eagles from the two-story windows overlooking the Mississippi River. But leave time for the programs about resident eagles, too. The "eagle ambassadors" spread their wings from their perch on the arms of naturalists as you learn about eating and nesting habits. Admission charged. nationaleaglecenter.org

Ashland, Nebraska: Strategic Air and Space Museum

Anyone fascinated by space, flight and the military will enjoy this museum located off I-80 near Lincoln. Walk among more than 30 sleek aircraft, including a B-17 Flying Fortress and a MiG-21 fighter jet. Exhibits highlight Nebraska contributions to flight, and a Vietnam Memorial Wall packs an emotional punch. Kids love the planetarium, motion simulator ride and space shuttle slide. Admission charged. sasmuseum.com

Branson, Missouri: Titanic Museum

Beyond the fake iceberg puncturing the bow of the ship-shape building lies a sober story of history's most famous disaster. Visitors get up-close looks at a deck chair, menu card, life jacket and other salvaged items. Re-created rooms show the glory of the central staircase, a first-class cabin and the tilt of the sinking ship's deck. Admission charged. titanicbranson.com

Indianapolis: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Dinosaurs guarding the entrance and peeking into the windows are just the beginning of the playful exhibits at the world's largest children's museum. Board an airplane and soar over the Great Wall and the Forbidden City in the Take Me There: China exhibit, or opt for more low-flying fun on a beautifully restored 1917 carousel. Admission charged. childrensmuseum.org

Medora, North Dakota: North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame

This downtown Medora museum provides a thoughtful tribute to the way of life in North Dakota's wide-open spaces. Visitors start with a film then wind their way through an exhibit space that includes clothing worn by cowboys and Native Americans, beautiful saddles preserved under glass and fine art celebrating cowboy culture. Admission charged. northdakotacowboy.com

Hannibal, Missouri: Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

See the buildings Mark Twain made famous in his books. Just a stone's throw from the Mississippi, the complex consists of eight buildings, including the Mark Twain Boyhood Home, Huckleberry Finn House and Becky Thatcher House as well as the Museum Gallery, which houses 15 paintings Norman Rockwell created for special editions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Wander the riverfront to see life-size statue of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Admission charged. marktwainmuseum.org

Springfield, Illinois: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Plan to spend three to four hours to see it all. A re-creation of the one-room cabin Lincoln lived in (with eight family members, no less) is fascinating. Mrs. Lincoln's Attic, filled with dress-up clothes, thrills kids. Expect emotional moments in the Gettysburg Address room and alongside the casket. Admission charged. alplm.org

Dubuque, Iowa: National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium

The experience at the riverfront museum includes a touch tank of Mississippi snails, the chance to tour a 1934 steamer and views into six big aquariums full of river creatures. An indoor waterfall greets visitors to The Diamond Jo National River Center, a space celebrating all of America's great waterways. Admission charged. mississippirivermuseum.com

Manhattan, Kansas: Flint Hills Discovery Center

Visitors get knee-deep in grassland heritage and beauty at this interactive experience. The Tallgrass Prairie: Tides of Time film sends gusts through the theater during windswept scenes. An Underground Forest goes beneath the prairie to show the grasses' root systems and the critters burrowed there. Admission charged. flinthillsdiscovery.org

Vermillion, South Dakota: National Music Museum

Currently closed for renovation and expansion, the museum is expected to reopen in summer 2022. Check the website for details. A Stradivarius violin, a 16th-century Italian harp and enough vintage brass to equip a parade of marching bands are among nearly 15,000 instruments at this museum on the campus of the University of South Dakota. Frequent concerts and recording sessions in the museum's concert hall provide opportunities to interact with musicians and scholars from around the world. Admission charged. orgs.usd.edu

Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago

Architecture, medieval armor, photography, European sculptures and Impressionist art are just a few of the collections inside the eight-building complex in the heart of the city. Renovated older galleries span 5,000 years, while the Modern Wing showcases 20th- and 21st-century art. Download the museum's free app to get the most out of your visit. Admission charged. artic.edu

Kalamazoo, Michigan: Air Zoo

You don't have to love airplanes to be thrilled by this collection of more than 50 old and new aircraft. Retired pilots serve as docents and love to share their knowledge of the World War II-Era fighters and bombers. Kids race to a collection of amusement rides, commanding the joystick on circling biplanes and soaring through the sky inside flight simulators. Admission charged. airzoo.org

Jamestown, North Dakota: National Buffalo Museum

A giant bison sculpture greets you outside this museum; exhibits focus on the history and significance of bison in the Plains culture. The museum is part of the Frontier Village complex of historical buildings in Jamestown. Admission charged. buffalomuseum.com

Brookings, South Dakota: Children's Museum of South Dakota

Visitors can splash through a stream, dodge a roaring T. rex and fish for trout in the outdoor prairie play area in Brookings. And there's more to do at the cool indoor exhibits: Climb through clouds, make pretend ice cream cones or anchor a TV show. The best part? The interactive exhibits are as much fun for the adults as they are for the little ones. Admission charged. prairieplay.org

Paradise, Michigan: Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

The bell from the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald draws most people to this museum, located on the shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Whitefish Point Light station also contains accounts of shipwrecks and the restored keepers' quarters. Outside, walk the shoreline where native Ojibwa and the first Europeans gathered nearly 400 years ago. Admission charged. shipwreckmuseum.com

Lawrence, Kansas: Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics

Sights at the institute's Visitors Hall include a soaring stained-glass American flag, two 11-foot columns salvaged from the World Trade Center and exhibits about the senator's life and career. The visual spectacle continues outdoors with towering limestone walls and a 32,000-square-foot reflecting pool. Free. doleinstitute.org

Ely, Minnesota: International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center

Watch the resident pack up close at northern Minnesota's International Wolf Center (pictured). Observation windows allow visitors to look into a spacious enclosure that serves as the wolf pack's home. Admission charged. wolf.org

If you're visiting the nearby North American Bear Center in winter, the bears will be hibernating, but you can still explore the interactive displays that cover myths and truths about the animal. Admission charged. bear.org

Columbus, Ohio: Center of Science and Industry (COSI)

With interactive exhibits covering themes like space, energy and the oceans, there's a world of activity for the whole family here. Standout experiences include a Mars Rover simulator and a high-wire unicycle that lets even the most unbalanced rider pedal across an 84-foot-long cable. Don't miss a documentary on the National Geographic Giant Screen. Admission charged. cosi.org

Indianapolis: Indiana State Museum

This family-friendly museum inspires a fresh appreciation for Indiana and its history. The first floor of exhibits focuses on Indiana's environmental and geographical history; the second floor highlights the history of Indiana's people. Take a whiff of spices used by pioneer women and learn about the railroads' impacts on the region. Admission charged. indianamuseum.org

Kearney, Nebraska: The Archway

Soaring three stories above Interstate-80 just east of Kearney, the massive Archway catches visitors' attention with its log towers, huge steel girders and glittering winged sculptures. Inside, a two-level museum with interactive exhibits and dioramas chronicles the Platte River Valley's rich history as the gateway to the West. Admission charged. archway.org

Green Bay, Wisconsin: National Railroad Museum

One of the largest rail museums in the nation chugs back in time with its collection of trains and railroad memorabilia. An indoor hall houses gems like the train General Dwight D. Eisenhower used to travel through Europe and Wisconsin's Gratitude Train car, a gift from France to every U.S. state after World War II. From May–October, hop aboard a full-size vintage train car for a 25-minute tour of the museum grounds. Admission charged. nationalrrmuseum.org

Elkhart, Indiana: Midwest Museum of American Art

Notable American works, including 45 Norman Rockwell-signed lithographs, put this museum on the map. More national treasures inside the neoclassical-style bank building: Western art, American Impressionist paintings, pottery and Pop Art by Andy Warhol. Admission charged. midwestmuseum.us

Cedar Rapids, Iowa: National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

An imposing 1,000-piece chandelier hangs in the entryway of this expanded museum, which was restored and moved uphill in 2012 after eight feet of water flooded the riverfront location in 2008. An extensive textile collection includes beautiful Czech and Slovak folk costumes, and outside, visitors tour a restored 1889 immigrant home. Admission charged. ncsml.org

Middleton, Wisconsin: National Mustard Museum

A well-curated ode to one of America's most popular condiments, this quirky museum isn't just for mustard mavens. The Great Wall of Mustard displays an impressive and diverse variety of mustards, and a collection of antique mustard pots shows the condiment's sophisticated side. Visitors can watch a video explaining the history of ketchup's counterpart and pick up cheeky merchandise in the museum store. Free. mustardmuseum.com

Saint Paul: Minnesota Children's Museum

Exhibits like Super Awesome Adventures, with a green-screen climbing wall and laser maze, delight kids at the recently renovated and expanded. Admission charged. mcm.org

Milwaukee: Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear

Get a fascinating peek at classic Americana with vignettes and displays that include a turn-of-the-century grocery store, a 1920s-era doctor's office and an old-timey movie palace at this low-cost museum. The re-created Union Train Depot incorporates audio clips for a you-are-there vibe, and a speakeasy setup gives guests an idea of what life was like in Milwaukee during Prohibition years. Admission charged. chudnowmuseum.org

Chamberlain, South Dakota: Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center

On the grounds of St. Joseph Indian School in Chamberlain, quilts, beadwork, paintings and sculptures by contemporary Native American artists mingle with trade goods, weapons and other artifacts that help tell the story of the people who once ruled the lands along the Missouri River. Free. aktalakota.stjo.org

Houghton, Michigan: A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum

A 19-ton mass of copper and regional gems like agates star among the 4,000 items on display at Michigan Tech's museum. museum.mtu.edu