When it comes to state breakdowns, California has the most museums, with nearly 3,000. Any day is good to visit a museum, but an excursion on Monday has additional meaning. For nearly four decades, May 18 has been International Museum Day, a celebration of the world's cultural and historical institutions. Washingtonians can go to the Smithsonian, New Yorkers to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and those in Southern California can visit the Getty.
But if you're looking for a great place to explore on International Museum Day or any other day of the year, Vermont is your best bet. With 48 museums per 100,000 residents – more than any other state – you'll be sure to find something that piques your interest. Vermont is the best state per capita for museum lovers. There is the New England Maple Museum, in Pittsford, which pays homage to the tree and its delicious produce. The American Precision Museum, in Windsor, houses “the largest collection of historically important machine tools in the country.
And the American Fly Fishing Museum, in Manchester, has “the world's largest collection of items related to fishing and angling”; visitors have the opportunity to “capture and release the spirit of fly fishing”. In total, there are about 300 options in the Green Mountain State. According to a recent census by the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the United States is brimming with opportunities for those who want to explore its cultural and historical heritage. The 50 states and the District are home to more than 35,000 museums and related institutions, including aquariums, arboretums, botanical gardens, historic homes and sites, nature centers, planetariums, science and technology centers, and zoos. California surpasses all states when it comes to the number of museums and related institutions per square mile. And no other state comes close to the absolute number (more than 2,900) of those that California is home to.
But in per capita terms, Vermont outperforms them all. If you're looking for a great place to explore on International Museum Day or any other day of the year, Vermont is your best bet. With 48 museums per 100,000 residents – more than any other state – you'll be sure to find something that piques your interest.
