Amazing Art Museums to Visit Across the US

Aug 3, 2025

Today we’re sharing some picks for great museums to visit across the US. If you’re looking to plan your next road trip or last summer vacation escape, let these gorgeous art museums and galleries be the inspiration! Plan a trip around these iconic art museums and you’ll have a truly memorable, one-of-a-kind vacation experience.

Dia Beacon museum in Beacon is run by the Dia Art Foundation and hosts a collection of works from the 1960s to the present situated along the banks of the Hudson River. This unique museum is housed on the site of a former NABISCO box-printing factory, fully devoted to contemporary art and modern works. Many of the installations play with space and light and texture, taking advantage of the large open space with 16-foot high ceilings. Works on display include artists like Andy Warhol, Dan Flavin, and Richard Serra. You’ll find everything from abstract expressionism to minimalism to conceptual pieces and pop art.

The Museum of Art in Toledo has a collection of 30,000+ pieces of artwork from all around the globe. It’s also the “birthplace” of the Studio Glass Movement, and as a result holds one of the most expansive and comprehensive collections of glass objects in the world; make sure that you catch one of the highlighted daily glassblowing demonstrations for an unforgettable experience. There is also an outstanding Sculpture garden featuring works from Ellsworth Kelly, Jaume Plensa, Alexander Calder, Deborah Butterfield, and more.

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho is a premier arts facility in Idaho Falls. It features 5 different galleries each showcasing a wide variety of art forms and styles from local and emerging artists as well as international. It’s not the biggest museum on our list, but we can guarantee you’ll find quite a lot of stunning artworks in both their current permanent and rotating collections.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art is located in the Fort Wayne Arts District, and has a beautiful collection of more nearly 5,000 pieces of art primarily from 19th century artists to present day, as well as a specialty dedicated Print and Drawing Study Center. The museum presents more than 20 exhibitions and rotating exhibits each year, aimed at driving excitement for the arts and art history. You can easily spend a half an hour to an hour also exploring the sculpture found in and around the grounds for even more creative inspiration. Current exhibitions include: “Sam Gilliam: His Art of Printmaking”; “Rowland Ricketts: Invisible Forces”; “The Glass Wing at FWMoA”; “From Their Indiana Home: Artists of the Hoosier Salon”.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville is situated on 120 acres of land in the Ozarks, and marries the artwork with the natural world inspiring it! The Art Trail features beautiful sculptures, native plants, and waterways and connects the museum’s south entrance to the Crystal Bridges Trail. The East Terrace Switchback features a sculpture by Celeste Roberge and a zig-zagging trail through wildflowers, flowering shrubbery, and beautiful trees. It’s a certified and accredited arboretum, focusing on native plants and natural landscaping. The rest of the museum itself showcases American Artworks and Artists from all different time periods. And you won’t want to miss The Frank Lloyd Write “Bachman-Wilson House”.

Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona is the largest museum in the southwestern US, and is home to more than 20,000 objects on display. The Museum’s collection includes American and Western American artworks, Latin American art, Asian Art, European art, modern and contemporary art, a collection of fashion designs, photography, and more. Not only does the museum host a gallery to peruse but they also have numerous community events and programming inviting the public to immerse themselves in the arts directly.

The Art Institute of Chicago is of course a must-see stop to include on this list. Its collections are world renowned, and include the largest collection of Monet’s works outside of Paris itself. With more than 300,000 works of art across 11 departments, it’s rife with opportunity to learn about all sorts of art since it’s the third largest collection of art in the US. You’ll want to block off at least a day if not more to explore all that it has to offer.

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is one of the world’s largest venues housing contemporary art. You can view some of the most spectacular works by living artists today. It’s an innovative collection and center featuring permanent and rotating exhibits of cutting-edge creativity from 1945 through today. Visitors will appreciate a wide variety of media including paintings, sculptures, photography, performance art, and even video and film installations.

The Art of our Storytellers Exhibit at the DuSable Museum is a stunning collection of art from the Johnson Publishing Company. This special exhibit features artwork from diverse African-American artists as well as African art. You’ll find unique sculptures, lithographs, prints, drawings, paintings, and more. Additionally, the museum also has a permanent collection of 15,000+ art and historical materials and archives in art and history!

Looking to experience some art in your own backyard? Here are some wonderful local events and galleries to explore just a short ways away from Classic’s dealerships and service center. Peruse the exhibits and enjoy an opening night event, attend a workshop or guest lecture, or participate in a DIY/Create your Own class. However you choose to partake, there are so many opportunities to enjoy art right in our own backyard in the Lake County region: