Best Museums in the United States for a Rainy Day

Weather is an unacceptable excuse to not do something — especially when some of the best places to visit across the country are indoors. Grab your umbrella, zip up your raincoat and make the most of your time.

Harvard Museum of Natural History
Visit three museums in one: a comparative zoology museum, a herbaria museum and a mineralogical and geological museum at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. You’ll see various natural phenomena from around the world, including large whale skeletons, a 1,642-pound amethyst geode and meteorites from outer space. Admission for adults is $12, while tickets for children 3–18 are $8.

The Charleston Museum
The first stop on any tour of museums in Charleston should be The Charleston Museum. Founded in 1773, it is commonly regarded as America’s First Museum. It offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the natural and cultural history of the South Carolina Lowcountry,  from its founders to present day. Admission tickets for adults are sold based on sites. If you wish to tour one site, either The Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House or the Joseph Manigault House, it’s $12, while a two-site ticket is $25.

National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel
Memphis is known for two Kings: The King of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley, and Martin Luther King, Jr. King is memorialized in the place of his tragic assassination, the Lorraine Motel. It’s not a museum housing attractive works of art, or flashy multimedia displays. There are educational panels tracing the narrative of the Civil Rights Movement, from pre-Civil War days to the Birmingham public transport strike sparked by Rosa Parks. There is one portion of the museum encased in Room 306, where King stayed April 4,1968 — the day of his assassination on the motel balcony. The room was immediately enshrined as Dr. King left it, and visitors can listen to the sounds of Mahalia Jackson sing King’s favorite hymn, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” Admission for adults is $15.

Grammy Museum at L.A. Live
To coincide with the 50^th anniversary of the Grammy Awards in 2008, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences celebrated another institutional milestone: the grand opening of Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. The modern, hyper-organized space is a must-see for any musician and music lover. The 30,000-square-foot museum showcases an array of rare music-related artifacts, and invites visitors to experience the exhibitions firsthand with its interactive, high-tech installations. When an outdoor concert isn’t feasible, a visit to the Grammy Museum is a viable option.