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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, , the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Washington, D.C. on as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#21. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

- Rating: 2.9/5 (21 reviews)
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#20. American Red Cross Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (21 reviews)
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#19. Octagon Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (36 reviews)
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#18. National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
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#17. The George Washington University Museum - The Textile Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (67 reviews)
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#16. United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center

- Rating: 4.2/5 (205 reviews)
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#15. National Museum of African Art

- Rating: 4.3/5 (248 reviews)
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#14. Petersen Boarding House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (201 reviews)
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#13. Artechouse DC

- Rating: 3.7/5 (224 reviews)
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#12. The President Woodrow Wilson House

- Rating: 4.6/5 (230 reviews)
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#11. Rock Creek Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (289 reviews)
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#10. National Law Enforcement Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (170 reviews)
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#9. National Museum of Women in the Arts

- Rating: 4.5/5 (375 reviews)
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#8. President Lincoln's Cottage

- Rating: 4.4/5 (576 reviews)
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#7. National Museum of the American Indian

- Rating: 3.9/5 (2,475 reviews)
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#6. Planet Word

- Rating: 4.8/5 (91 reviews)
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#5. Smithsonian Institution Building

- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,553 reviews)
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#4. Museum Of The Bible

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,262 reviews)
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#3. The National Archives Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,617 reviews)
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#2. International Spy Museum

- Rating: 4.0/5 (5,761 reviews)
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#1. National Air and Space Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (23,671 reviews)
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.