You love culture—sure—who doesn’t? But honestly, you’ve seen the permanent exhibits at the Smithsonian so many times that you are often mistaken for a curator. And, you can’t imagine waiting in the massive, freezing line outside the Met for another of their much-talked-about exhibit. It is high time you got your history and culture fix in one of these highly underrated museums that come sans wait, high prices and a commercial feel.
From quirky collections to one-of-a-kind artifacts, these are the seven coolest American museums you’ve never heard of.
1. The Delta Flight Museum, Atlanta, Georgia
Until 2014, the Delta Flight Museum (pictured above) was only accessible to Delta employees and their guests, and we can see why. The space, which takes up two hangars of Delta’s Atlanta Headquarters, showcases aircraft artifacts and exclusive exhibits that will make visitors feel like they have snuck into an “employees only” area. From the cockpit of the first Convair 880-22 to a flight deck simulator that was used to train Delta 737-200 pilots, this is a traveler’s dream museum.
2. Apothecary Museum, Alexandria, Virginia
If George and Martha Washington shopped there, it’s worth stopping by. The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was founded by a Quaker pharmacist in 1792 and is one of the oldest pharmacies in the country. Patrons included the Washington’s and Robert E. Lee. A visit to what is now a museum that houses original pill rollers, mortars and pestles, drug mills, carboys and medical glassware will shed light on how they treated and cured illnesses and how the medical industry functioned in the 1800s and early 1900s.
3. The Bunny Museum, Los Angeles, California
What resembles the home of a hoarder (and very well might be) is actually the “world’s largest bunny collection.” Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski have over 30,000 rabbit-themed collectibles in their home and have opened up their stock to the public. Lucky us. The Bunny Museum will make your childhood assortment of stuffed animals look pathetic.
4. City Reliquary Museum, New York, New York
While New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art house some of the greatest pieces in the world, you cannot learn about the magnificent city they call home if you are stuck inside these institutions all day. The City Reliquary is a not-for-profit community museum in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The small but mighty establishment will show you how New York City has changed over the years through rotating exhibits like Mazel Tough: The Jewish Gangsters of New York and their permanent collection which showcases NYC relics, including an original subway turnstile.
5. National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee
