I love museums. I feel so lucky to have raised my kids in DC where they are (mostly) free. I taught them to love museums by taking them to all the museums in DC a little at a time. It was never grueling or imposed. We would just pop in and then pop out. That is such a luxury. Now as teens/young adults they go to and enjoy museums on their own.
They're definitely not the only thing to experience when travelling but I do enjoy them!

The Smithsonian has spoiled me too.

But it does depend. It depends though. I think that because I get to have free museums here, it's fine to spend money on other ones I'm interested in in other cities.

But if you aren't interested, there is no requirement to go.

Also, art museums in other cities have amazing works that I can't see here. For me, being in, say, Amsterdam, and not going to see the Night Watch would be like visiting Tusayan, AZ and not bothering to see the Grand Canyon.

Sounds like OP's not that interested in art. And that's fine!

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris I go to museums. In Denver I don’t.

+1. British Museum is a must see, tea party museum not so much.

Different people have different priorities, OP. It sounds like you prioritize nature over art and that's fine, but it doesn't mean that museums are bad and boring and terrible. It just means we like different things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris I go to museums. In Denver I don’t.

+1

No selfies in museums, that si the general "rule". Don't get me started on selfies of those that park themselves in/around overseas landmarks, and keep everyone else from taking family portraits. We get it, Instagram is important to you, but some of us want to actually move on and live our lives, not for Instagram. While we are at it, what is with the grown adults in matching instagram outfits?

Wait, so taking up all that space with your 'family portrait' at the monument or whatever is okay, but someone taking a selfie isn't? How so? The selfie taker is quick, while the family portrait people are annoying because they take up so much space and take their sweet time.

Selfie is one thing but the posed IG shots are really something. They will just sit there with someone taking picture after picture until everything is just right.

In a new country or city I enjoy museums that let me learn something about the place. And, with young kids, science/natural history/children's museums are always a good way to spend an afternoon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris I go to museums. In Denver I don’t.

+1

No selfies in museums, that si the general "rule". Don't get me started on selfies of those that park themselves in/around overseas landmarks, and keep everyone else from taking family portraits. We get it, Instagram is important to you, but some of us want to actually move on and live our lives, not for Instagram. While we are at it, what is with the grown adults in matching instagram outfits?

Wait, so taking up all that space with your 'family portrait' at the monument or whatever is okay, but someone taking a selfie isn't? How so? The selfie taker is quick, while the family portrait people are annoying because they take up so much space and take their sweet time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I never skip museums. But I like museums even when I'm just here, home in DC.

The problem here is they are crowded with the unwashed masses. Every time a visitor wants to go, I cry a little inside. We are at Natural History today and it’s horrific.

Yes, well, this is a terrible time to go. Everyone is there with their holiday out-of-towner guests.

Any day that schools kids are out is bad, and I’m not pulling my kids to go to Smithsonian so it pretty much always sucks.

+1 any rainy day is a mob scene at natural history. Excellent museum that it's impossible to enjoy any more.

We even took our preschooler on a random school day and it was still packed with school field trips.

I try to visit museums after 2pm to avoid field trips

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris I go to museums. In Denver I don’t.

Denver has an amazing art museum!

Their nature and science museum is great too and has a very good children’s section.

Anonymous wrote:Also grew up here not realizing museums are not typically free.

That said, I love them. But whatever floats your boat!

But not all museums are free even in the D.C. area—e.g. Spy museum, Children’s Museum, Science Center, etc.

Also grew up here not realizing museums are not typically free.

That said, I love them. But whatever floats your boat!

I’m curious why people feel something like 20$ is a hefty fee to support a non profit that offers so much (education , culture and caring for the artifacts of natural or human creativity) and often offer free admission or programs for schools etc. yet same people don’t blink an eye at movie tickets costing 20$ to enrich Hollywood studios or fake museums (museum of ice cream or color factory) costing 40$? Not to mention a Starbucks drink for 9$?! Or going to an amusement park? I recently look kids to nyc and they wanted to go see the view from the edge (skyscraper), it was like 40$ to look at a skyline. The view from the Whitney is just as great and so much to see…

.Admission fees make up a very small part of the overall operating budget for almost all museums, they operate at a loss and need to fundraise to function . Memberships to museums can also be hugely worth it and reduce your per cost visit.


If you don’t like museums fine. But complaining about admission fees for incredible non profits seems silly. Why should that be annoying when there are so many for profit entertainment venues that charge more and offer less?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I never skip museums. But I like museums even when I'm just here, home in DC.

The problem here is they are crowded with the unwashed masses. Every time a visitor wants to go, I cry a little inside. We are at Natural History today and it’s horrific.

Yes, well, this is a terrible time to go. Everyone is there with their holiday out-of-towner guests.

Any day that schools kids are out is bad, and I’m not pulling my kids to go to Smithsonian so it pretty much always sucks.

+1 any rainy day is a mob scene at natural history. Excellent museum that it's impossible to enjoy any more.

We even took our preschooler on a random school day and it was still packed with school field trips.

Anonymous wrote:It depends. In Paris I go to museums. In Denver I don’t.

Denver has an amazing art museum!