Seeing is Believing

My taste in museums runs the gamut. 

I have wandered the halls of the Smithsonian. I have made pilgrimages to exhibits honoring our presidents. I have even considered, although still unsuccessfully, the paint splashes and eclectic motifs of contemporary art. 

So if your list of New Year's resolutions include visiting more museums, let me offer a few hiding in plain sight. 

The Neon Museum, located at the end of the Las Vegas strip, has gathered vintage signs from the heyday of the Rat Pack era into a fascinating boneyard. Now restored, their glow makes you feel like you're right back in the 1950's.

In a city bursting with options, the New York Historical Society is a hidden gem. With a new 35 million dollar grant in hand, NYHS will be the city's first dedicated to LGBTQ+ culture and history.

Something a bit more sporty perhaps? How about the International Tennis Museum in Newport, Rhode Island. Alongside the accoutrements of your favorite players is a grass court used for tournament play and the occasional forehand of mere pedestrians. 

If wacky is more your mojo, then run don't walk to the SPAM Museum. Minnesota's own, this homage to the luncheon meat of my youth is just too good (or too bad) to miss!

"The modern museum has multiple purposes - to curate and preserve, to research, and to reach out to the public. Museums challenge our assumptions about the past and the world around us." - Kate Williams