USA TODAY 10Best
National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center named Best Free Museum
Best Free Museum (2020)
Some of the nation’s most captivating, enriching and enlightening museums have something in common — admission is free.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Free Museum are as follows:
- Smithsonian Institution - Washington, D.C.
- Cincinnati Art Museum - Cincinnati
- Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology - New York
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - Kansas City
- Saint Louis Art Museum - St. Louis
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - Bentonville, Ark.
- The Walters Art Museum - Baltimore
- Baltimore Museum of Art - Baltimore
- National Museum of Mexican Art - Chicago
- National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center - Columbus, Ga.
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Institution
No. 10:
The world’s largest museum complex comprises 17 museums in the greater Washington, DC area, all of them completely free to the public. Highlights include the Air and Space Museum, American Art Museum, Natural History Museum and the Portrait Gallery.
Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Art Museum
No. 9:
This art museum in Cincinnati’s Eden Park displays works from its collection of 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years of art history. Admission is always free to the two floors of gallery space. A new outdoor art installation leading up to the museum entrance, called Art Climb, is slated to debut this spring.
Photo courtesy of Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology
No. 8:
While smallish, the museum at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology packs a big punch. The self-proclaimed "most fashionable museum in New York" comprises three galleries displaying a rotating selection of garments from the 50,000-piece permanent collection, as well as accessories dating back to the eighteenth century. Exhibits change every six months, making it a great free option for return visitors.
Photo courtesy of Don Ipock / Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
No. 7:
Established in 1933, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is among America's premier art institutions, boasting a variety of prestigious works dating from antiquity to the present. The Atkins is renowned for its magnificent collection of rare European, American and Asian art, and the 17-acre Sculpture Park features the largest stateside collection of bronzes by British sculptor Henry Moore.
Photo courtesy of Explore St. Louis / Dan Donovan
No. 6:
Housed in the "Fine Arts Palace" of the famous 1904 World's Fair, the Saint Louis Art Museum regales visitors with an outstanding collection of Impressionist paintings, Asian works, Renaissance pieces and American art. Visitors enjoying this free collection can spot works by Monet, van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso and Degas.
Photo courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
No. 5:
The free Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art celebrates the American spirit through its collection of five centuries worth of American art. Pieces span history from the Colonial period to the modern day, and include masterworks by Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Photo courtesy of The Walters Art Museum
No. 4:
Open to the public since 1934, the Walters Art Museum houses works from the third millennium BC to the present. Within the walls of this world class art museum, visitors can view works in many mediums, including ceramics and sculpture, in addition to unique pieces such as medieval armor and jeweled Faberge eggs. The Byzantine, Ethiopian and Egyptian sections are particularly striking.
Photo courtesy of Mitro Hood / Baltimore Museum of Art
No. 3:
The Baltimore Museum of Art is home to the Cone Collection, the largest Matisse collection in the world. In addition to the works within the walls that span centuries of prints and paintings, the grounds offer a sculpture garden with fountains and 34 sculptures. On Sundays the museum hosts hands-on workshops and tours for families.
Photo courtesy of Graham Chapman / Choose Chicago
No. 2:
The National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood is home to more than 10,000 objects, and its permanent collection is one of the largest of Mexican art in the country. The accredited museum is dedicated to preserving and facilitating knowledge about Latino life and history. Exhibits focus on Mexican culture as it's representated in the US and in Mexico, and the permanent collection includes folk art, ephemera, sculpture, textiles and drawings.
Photo courtesy of Jay Rosenblatt / National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center
No. 1:
Free immersive exhibits at the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus take visitors through 240 years of U.S. history through the lens of what it means to be a U.S. soldier. It's one of the world's top military museums and one of the top rated attractions in Columbus.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning free museums!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Brett Barest
Brett Barest is a freelance writer in Greenville,... Read More
Brett Barest is a freelance writer in Greenville, South Carolina that has watched the city grow from cow pastures and boarded up buildings to the tourist destination it has become today. He loves telling the stories of the people that have brought great food, drink, and live music to the city through a variety of local and regional publications.
Brett Barest
Brett Barest is a freelance writer in Greenville, South Carolina that has watched the city grow from cow pastures and boarded up buildings to the tourist destination it has become today. He loves telling the stories of the people that have brought great food, drink, and live music to the city through a variety of local and regional publications.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she... Read More
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Ilene Jacobs
As a perpetual wanderer, foodie freak and wannabe... Read More
As a perpetual wanderer, foodie freak and wannabe chef, Ilene is always on the lookout for the best places to see, eat, drink and sleep. When she's not writing about the latest happenings in her hometown of Dallas, she's hanging out in Paris and road tripping around Europe. You can find Ilene's articles about her favorite hot spots and foodie finds at 10Best.com, CBSDFW.com and in TravelAge West magazine. You can also follow Ilene on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Ilene Jacobs
As a perpetual wanderer, foodie freak and wannabe chef, Ilene is always on the lookout for the best places to see, eat, drink and sleep. When she's not writing about the latest happenings in her hometown of Dallas, she's hanging out in Paris and road tripping around Europe. You can find Ilene's articles about her favorite hot spots and foodie finds at 10Best.com, CBSDFW.com and in TravelAge West magazine. You can also follow Ilene on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Karon Warren
For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has traveled... Read More
For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has traveled the globe, searching for adventure, unique personalities and a new perspective on the world. Whenever possible, she brings along her husband and two children, ages 18 and 14. Karon has been published in a variety of media, including FamilyVacationCritic.com, USA Today, Best Life's Travelicious, CruiseCritic.com, Trivago, and AAA Carolina's GO. Karon also is the author of "100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die." Karon lives in North Georgia with her family, where they enjoy such outdoor recreation as hiking and geocaching.
Karon Warren
For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has traveled the globe, searching for adventure, unique personalities and a new perspective on the world. Whenever possible, she brings along her husband and two children, ages 18 and 14. Karon has been published in a variety of media, including FamilyVacationCritic.com, USA Today, Best Life's Travelicious, CruiseCritic.com, Trivago, and AAA Carolina's GO. Karon also is the author of "100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die." Karon lives in North Georgia with her family, where they enjoy such outdoor recreation as hiking and geocaching.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music... Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
