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Best Free Museum

By Readers' Choice On 1/30/25 at 12:08 PM EST

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Even if you love and appreciate the culture that museums preserve, visiting them often or with a large family can get expensive quickly, so we've found some of the best free museums in the country. Feed your inner artists at museums that display a wide range of art from master painters like Matisse to folk artists from the Southeast. Consider yourself a history aficionado? Explore historic sites like presidential homes, and learn more about daily life for soldiers at war. You can keep your kids happy, too, with plenty of hands-on exhibits at many of these museums.

These 10 free museums were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.

1. Saint Louis Science Center | St. Louis, MO

Saint Louis Science Center

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At the Saint Louis Science Center, little astronauts can see full-scale replicas of a Mars rover, young architects can build their own skyscrapers and future scientists can get some hands-on experience in a lab. Have a child more interested in becoming a professional gamer? They'll love the GameXPloration exhibit, which has table games, interactive video games and an area with classic arcade games.

2. Baltimore Museum of Art | Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Museum of Art

Photo courtesy of Baltimore Museum of Art Photo courtesy of Baltimore Museum of Art

Baltimore Museum of Art holds an astounding 1,200-plus works by Henri Matisse and features pieces by Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh. But if modern art isn't your favorite period, you can explore floor mosaics from the ancient city of Antioch, Oceanic artwork in Hawaiian jewelry and a vast collection of Chinese ceramics. Prefer to visit during the evening? On Thursdays, the galleries stay open until 9 p.m.

3. Taubman Museum of Art | Roanoke, VA

Taubman Museum of Art

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Designed by architect Randall Stout to mirror the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains that surround Roanoke, the Taubman Museum of Art features a stunning 77-foot glass peak in the atrium. Under this roof, visitors find 11 galleries that host up to 20 exhibitions each year. Past featured artists include Kehinde Wiley, Sally Mann and Norman Rockwell.

4. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts | Richmond, VA

Man in art museum

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Open 365 days a year, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts makes it easy to take advantage of seeing its collection of nearly 50,000 works of art. The museum is home to pieces from around the globe, featuring beadwork from Indigenous American artists, sculptures from South Asia and ritual objects from Africa. VMFA also has the largest collection of Fabergé and Russian decorative arts in an American museum.

5. Detroit Institute of Arts | Detroit, Michigan

Detroit Institute of Arts

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Spend your day meandering through the Detroit Institute of Arts, located in Midtown, which offers more than 65,000 works of ancient to contemporary art. The centerpiece of the museum, though, is the massive Diego Rivera murals spanning the Rivera Court in the Central Wing. Also of note is the institute's Center for African American Art, one of the first of its kind at a major fine arts museum.

6. Anne Frank Center at USC | Columbia, SC

Anne Frank Center

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As the only North American partner site of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, this center is a must-see for history buffs enthralled with the World War II era. Guests receive a guided tour through the center with photos, videos and original artifacts that provide a deeper understanding of what life was like for the Frank family as they hid in the Secret Annex.

7. Eisenhower National Historic Site | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Eisenhower National Historic Site

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Curious about how presidents live outside of the White House? Plan a visit to the Eisenhower National Historic Site during the spring, summer or fall to tour the private farmhouse of America's 34th president. Families with young kids appreciate the Junior Ranger activity booklet that keeps them engaged in the experience, and the expansive grounds with a bank barn, milk house, garage and pastures keep little feet moving.

8. Frye Art Museum | Seattle, Washington

Man in art museum

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While its founding collection of American and European paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries is reason enough to visit the Frye Art Museum, it's also constantly incorporating new sculptures, photographs and installations into its exhibitions. Tip: On Fridays at 1 p.m., the museum provides a free 45-minute guided tour that starts in the Rotunda.

9. National Museum of Mexican Art | Chicago, IL

Man in an art museum

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With 12,000 physical pieces and 6,000 digital works, the National Museum of Mexican Art houses the country's most extensive collection of Mexican artwork. Experience the culture of Mexico through paintings, textiles, photographs and 3D installations. When you've finished perusing the galleries, pop into the museum's gift shop, Tienda Tzintzuntzán, to discover beautiful pieces made by artisans from places like Oaxaca, Jalisco and Mexico City.

10. U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center | Carlisle, Pennsylvania

U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center

Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center

Start your tour of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center inside the Soldier Experience Gallery to see what life was like for the men and women who served during times of war. Then, journey outside to the Army Heritage Trail for an immersive experience with aircraft, artillery and full-scale reconstructions from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II.

About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Kathleen Walls

Kathleen Walls, former reporter for the Union Sentinel in Blairsville, Georgia, publishes and writes American Roads and Global Highways. When it comes to United States destinations, she quotes the Johnny Cash song, "I've Been Everywhere." She's the author of Georgia's Ghostly Getaways, Finding Florida's Phantoms, Hosts With Ghosts, and the Wild About Florida series. Her articles have appeared in Family RVing Magazine; Food, Wine & Travel; Extended Weekend Getaways; Florida Traveler; Salon; Deep South; World Footprints; Big Blend Magazine; Travel Awaits; SheBuysTravel; Global Travel and others. She's been featured on Big Blend Radio and written content for marketing organizations.

Jo Clark

Jo Clark is a traveler, travel writer and an award-winning photographer. Her favorite topics are travel, history, food, wine and nature. She is the editor and a contributing writer of RecipesTravelCulture.com. She hosts Jo Goes Everywhere, a monthly podcast, and her written work appears in digital and print publications. Jo is an expert travel and wine contributor for Big Blend Radio and a member of IFWTWA. She often says, "I love food, and I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me!" Jo invites you to follow her travels on her website, HaveGlassWillTravel, on Facebook and Instagram.

Karon Warren

For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has traveled the globe, searching for adventure, unique personalities and a new perspective on the world to share in her travel content. Her work appears in USA Today's 10Best, Family Vacation Critic, US News & World Report and many more outlets. Karon also is the author of 100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die from Reedy Press. Karon lives near Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains with her family, where they enjoy such outdoor recreation as hiking, geocaching and biking. You can follow her on Instagram at @karonwarren.

Joelle Machia

Joelle Machia is a travel writer, photographer and co-owner of the Wanderers Compass Travel Blog. With a mission to inspire wanderlust, Joelle encourages readers to explore the world through authentic, independent travel. The blog offers a mix of storytelling, destination insights, off-the-beaten-path finds, photography and practical travel tips. Joelle aims to help readers turn their travel dreams into a beautiful reality. She is a proud member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA).