***** (5 stars)
Excellent museum for adults and children that clearly tells its chronological story. Lots of buttons to push and things to climb on for the kids, and a deeper level that's easy for adults to absorb through just the right amount of signage. At Coventry Garden for tourist shopping and food, but I recommend walking over to St Martin's Lane for much better dining options.
London Transport Museum
Covent Garden Piazza
London WC2E 7BB
United Kingdom
***** (5 stars)
One of the most fun things we did on our road trip! Informative and exciting. Well worth the stop.
Strataca – Kansas Underground Salt Museum
3650 E Ave G
Hutchinson, KS 67501
https://www.yelp.com/biz/strataca-kansas-underground-salt-museum-hutchinson-2
***** (5 stars)
One of the best museums I've been to, this incorporates a new facility with extensive exhibits featuring great audio video performances of actors in character that bring the history to life. Then there is a walking tour that takes you through many historic buildings and displays, including actors working in the businesses serving drinks and selling merchandise. Fun for all ages.
Boot Hill Museum
500 W Wyatt Earp Blvd
Dodge City, KS 67801
***** (5 stars)
Simply amazing. Not only did Michael Garmin capture the people, animals, buildings, and interiors perfectly, but he also created stories you can discern simply from examining the details of each scene.
Many of the rooms incorporate Pepper's Ghost effects to change from one scene to another (hence the "magic") and carefully positioned mirrors extend alleys into the distance.
It would take hours to fully enjoy every detail, but even a brief visit is definitely worth the stop!.
Magic Town
2418 W Colorado Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
*** (3 stars)
I guess I was hoping for more pop culture. There are the remnants of the music museum, and a good LGBT exhibit, and a small SciFi area, but little else.
For more pop culture visit Branson's World's Largest Toy Museum.
Museum of Pop Culture
325 5th Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
***** (5 stars)
This is a terrific museum dedicated to a disaster that has largely been forgotten, lost in the aftermath of the Civil War. There is a great introductory film, and then several rooms of artifacts and interpretive material about this event, the largest maritime loss of life in American history. The passionate and deeply knowledgeable guide made our visit very special.
Highly recommended.
Sultana Disaster Museum
104 Washington Ave
Marion, AR 72364
***** (5 stars)
Very interesting museum with an excellent introductory film about Casey Jones, and extensive memorabilia. Also includes a visit to his carefully preserved house, a chance to climb on a locomotive, and a model railroad shop. Lots to interest all ages.
Casey Jones Museum
30 Casey Jones Ln
Jackson, TN 38305
***** (5 stars)
Expansive visitor center with tons of great Coke history and collectibles. The new aroma exhibit is interesting. I always like to taste the international brands, all of which are tastier than the US varieties. Great shop as you exit.
World of Coca-Cola
121 Baker St NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
***** (5 stars)
Cracker Country is my favorite part of the Florida State Fair. It's more like visiting a historic area, such as Colonial Williamsburg, where characters in period costumes introduce you to the traditional way of doing things. Very different from the rest of the fair experience!
Cracker Country
4800 Hwy 301 N
Tampa, FL 33610
(813) 627-4225
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cracker-country-tampa
***** (5 stars)
I’m a huge fan of BRC Imagination Arts, the designers of this experience. Bob Rogers is a master storyteller, and this facility demonstrates the power of storytelling like few others I’ve encountered.
It’s amazing how much information you can retain when it is presented in a meaningful and moving context, and that’s what the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is all about.
Both of the automated shows are real blockbusters, with amazing effects and immersive narration that really draws you in.
The “Holovision” show Ghosts of the Library uses a live performer and many of the effects developed for BRC’s famous Expo ’86 Spirit Lodge Show (and Knott’s Berry Farm’s Mystery Lodge), plus some new effects that will delight even jaded theme park goers like me.
The Lincoln’s Eyes show uses multiple screens and a lot of moving scrims and impressive theatrical sound to very effectively tell Lincoln’s story in an unconventional way.
Don’t let these elaborate shows fool you into thinking this is shallow theme park-like entertainment. You’ll leave them with a truly deep knowledge of history, having learned many things you never knew you didn’t know about a seemingly familiar story.
Equally impressive to me was the way that Lincoln’s childhood and presidency were presented in two separate walkthrough exhibits. Signage didn’t overwhelm, but was just enough to invite reading and interpreting each stop. I wish all museum curators would learn how to do this.
Similarly, the displays of artifacts were perfectly interpreted, with just enough information to draw us in without overwhelming us with verbiage, yet with plenty of hard information that was easy to absorb. I certainly learned ten times as much as I expected to.
This museum is a delightful place to spend as little as a couple of hours, or as much as a full day. Highly recommended.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
212 N 6th St
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 558-8934
http://www.yelp.com/biz/abraham-lincoln-presidential-library-and-museum-springfield