Delight at the Museum

Depending how long you’ve been in the group tour game, you’ve maybe lost count of the number of museums you’ve been to. The variety of their collections is endless, but you generally know what your group is going to get out of a museum. The best ones have some interaction to them, but in general museums are places to go and see and learn. But have you ever thought about what the word “museum” even means?

The word is Greek, as you might expect. And “muse” is right there at the front, offering a clue as to what these places originally were: shrines or temples to the muses that inspired and influenced Ancient Greek society. Museums, then, aren’t simply places to learn. They are places to be inspired.

The Northeast, as the region where the United States began, presents a rich history to fill its museums. It’s also a region with some of the most-visited cities on the planet, making it a destination for some truly world-class exhibits you won’t find anywhere else. You’re sure to find one or several that will inspire your tourgoers.

OF REVOLUTION & RENAISSANCE MEN

When you think of the Northeast, you likely think of Revolutionary War sites, and you’ll find no shortage of museums dedicated to those subjects. One of the most iconic events leading up to Revolution was the Boston Tea Party in 1773, and while the exact location of that historic protest is uncertain, your group can get as close as possible at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. Located on the Congress Street Bridge over the Fort Point Channel, this museum even allows your tourgoers to toss a few crates of tea into the water themselves.

Groups hear from costumed actors representing historical figures like Samuel Adams and board replica ships akin to the ones floating in Boston Harbor in 1773. Visitors also can see authentic artifacts from the era, including the only known tea chest to survive 250 years later. The on-site Abigail’s Tea Room, named after First Lady Abigail Adams, seats up to 120.

Benjamin Franklin was of course a massive figure in the American Revolution. But the museum that bears his name in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated more to the scientific pursuits for which he was also famous. The Franklin Institute opened its doors more than 200 years ago and today is the most-visited museum in Philadelphia.

The institute presents an array of interactive and immersive exhibits, such as a massive model of the human heart that guests can walk through. The Fels Planetarium is one of the oldest in the country, allowing visitors to travel virtually to the stars. It’s all designed to inspire the same curiosity of the natural world that inspired Franklin.

“We hope guests leave with the feeling that science is exciting, accessible, and part of our daily lives,” says Chris Rizzo, vice president of business operations. “Through interactive exhibits, live science demonstrations, and planetarium shows, visitors are invited to explore, ask questions, and see how discovery shapes the world around them.”

SEA & SKY

Maritime history is of vital importance in the Northeast, and the largest maritime museum in the entire country can be found in Mystic, Connecticut. Mystic Seaport Museum is a “combination of history, hands-on learning, and living exhibits,” says Group Sales Manager Aisha Jones, making “a unique and unforgettable destination for groups.”

The museum is home to four vessels with National Historic Landmark status, such as the Charles W. Morgan, the last known wooden whaling ship in the world. “The first time I visited the museum, I actually gasped when I saw it,” shares Jones. And the museum’s collection isn’t just static; there are ships actively undergoing restoration by skilled craftsmen at the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard, and groups can observe this fascinating process. Some ships even still sail, bringing objects from maritime history into the present day.

From a distance, New York City’s Intrepid Museum might look like another maritime museum, as it is housed within and upon the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. You can also spot the submarine USS Growler peeking out above the water next to the pier. But the Intrepid Museum is truly a sea, air, and space museum with historic air and spacecraft on display on Intrepid’s deck and Pier 86 beside it.

“The Intrepid Museum is one of a kind,” says Jason Sullivan, senior manager of group sales, “the only place in the world where visitors can explore 28 historic aircraft, including a World War II Corsair, supersonic spy plane, and the record-setting Concorde; the space shuttle Enterprise; and Growler, a nuclear missile-carrying submarine, all set against the backdrop of the legendary aircraft carrier, Intrepid.”

Perhaps the best-known museum dedicated to flight is the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Groups visiting the nation’s capital can see some of the most iconic air and spacecraft in history, from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the Apollo 11 Command Module “Columbia” which carried astronauts to the moon and back in 1969. Another unique museum to consider in D.C. is the International Spy Museum, with 25,000 square feet of fascinating exhibits telling stranger-than-fiction stories of real-life espionage.

NATURAL HISTORY & BEYOND

For groups that have caught World Cup fever with the tournament coming to North America this summer, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has just the thing. “For the Win” opened on May 15 and includes some iconic displays from the world of soccer, such as a gold medal from the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Major League Soccer championship trophy. The exhibit includes many other artifacts from the broader sports world, such as one of Jesse Owens’ gold medals from the 1936 Summer Olympics.

“‘For The Win’ brings together an extraordinary collection of objects that commemorate the defining moment of victory in sports, meticulously crafted from spectacular gems and minerals, and explores how athletics can resonate far beyond the field of play,” says the museum’s President Sean M. Decatur, in a prepared statement. “With the excitement of the World Cup building, the exhibition also will mark the launch of a series of fun, interactive experiences at the museum that enable visitors to engage with the science, global community, and culture of sports.”

Up in Rhode Island at the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Providence, groups experience a classic natural history museum set within a beloved urban park. The museum offers a robust collection with a more personal, laid-back atmosphere relative to larger metropolitan museums. And the planetarium, available as an add-on experience, takes visitors to another dimension.

“The Museum of Natural History and Planetarium offers groups an engaging blend of science and natural history in a welcoming, historic setting,” says a museum spokesperson. “The museum encourages guests to reflect on humanity’s place in nature, appreciate biodiversity and environmental stewardship, [and] experience a sense of wonder about space and scientific discovery.”

The compact geography of the Northeast makes it easy to hit several of these museums at once alongside other items on your itinerary. And the region’s unique history and diversity of experiences make it easy to add variety as well. You’re sure to find at least one museum to leave an impression lasting long after the tour has concluded.

By Todd Kortemeier

Main Image: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, Boston, Massachusetts; Credit: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum/Michael Blanchard Photography