The Best Museums of the South

One of the best ways to explore art, history, traditions and innovations is through touring museums, and no vacation is complete without a visit to one of the many renowned institutions that lie within the South’s hospitable borders.  No matter what your interests are, you are sure to find a museum you love! 

 Colonial Williamsburg | Williamsburg, VA 

What better way to explore Williamsburg than as a living-history museum? With over 300 acres, two art museums, hands-on experiences and guided tours, this historic area offers something for everyone. Explore dozens of buildings from as early as the 17th century as well as British ceramics, antique instruments, textiles, firearms, clothing and more. Be sure to check out their Grand Illuminations event where they illuminate the sky with fireworks in celebration on December 6, 2020.  
colonialwilliamsburg.org 

Edmondston-Alston House | Charleston, SC 

Charleston is well known for their many fine house museums, but the Edmondston-Alston House is the only one that boasts a spectacular view of Charleston Harbor. Established in 1825, the house is renowned for its vast collection of silver, artwork, furniture and Greek Revival Architecture. As an interesting historical tidbit, the now-museum also served as the perfect vantage point from which General P.G.T. Beauregard could observe the fierce bombardment of Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, signaling the start of the Civil War.
edmondstonalston.org 

The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, LA 

Discover the most impactful event of the 20th century and the legacy of the WWII generation in thought-provoking exhibits and explore the American experience in the war that changed the world at the National WWII Museum. The museum also hosts the International Conference on WWII annually, where authors, scholars, and historians discuss events that took place during the war.  
nationalww2museum.org 

Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences | Savannah, GA 

The oldest public art museum in the South and the first museum in the United States founded by a woman is the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. First opened in 1886, there are three architecturally significant buildings that house a permanent collection of approximately 4,000 works of art from America and Europe, dating back to the 18th century; and exciting exhibitions. 
Telfair.org 

U.S. Space & Rocket Center | Huntsville, AL 

Huntsville, Alabama is home to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a museum operated by the state of Alabama, showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. With more than 1,500 permanent rocketry and space exploration artifacts, as well as many rotating rocketry and space-related exhibits the center offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about spaceflight and aviation. 
Rocketcenter.com 

Walter Anderson Museum of Art | Ocean Springs, MS 

Displaying Walter Anderson’s monumental 3,000 square foot murals, sculptures, writings and drawings the Walter Anderson Museum of Art embodies his vision for societies in harmony with their environments. The museum also offers ART+, an initiative that makes art experiences accessible digitally to a variety of fields of study including art history, science, social studies, and language arts. 
walterandersonmuseum.org 

Birmingham Museum of Art | Birmingham, AL 

The world-class offerings at the BMA include paintings, furniture, and objects ranging over a 4,000-year period. The museum boasts an extensive Asian art collection, as well as the largest Wedgwood collection outside England. Also don’t miss the 1865 Albert Bierstadt masterpiece Looking Down Yosemite Valley or the well-tended outdoor sculpture garden.  
artsbma.org 

High Museum of Art | Atlanta, GA 

The High, one of the largest art museums in the South, has more than 15,000 objects in its permanent collection. Inside, marvel at works by the Georgia folk artist Howard Finster from his famous Paradise Garden. Outside, enjoy sculptures by Rodin and Lichtenstein. Spend $19.50 for admission, and then spend hours savoring the experience. 
high.org 

Columbia Museum of Art | Columbia, SC 

Once a general museum with a natural history collection, through the seventies and eighties the Columbia Museum of Art narrowed its focus to the fine and decorative arts. With a collection of more than 7,000 objects, from Duncan Phyfe furniture to Dale Chihuly glass, there’s more than enough to keep you engaged. 
columbiamuseum.org 
 

Discovery Place | Charlotte, NC 

Budding scientists will revel in this Charlotte science center. KidScience is a must-visit section made for kids ages 0 to 7 and their grown-ups to build with giant foam blocks and Duplos, create race tracks, play in a huge water table and — if they're under 3 — pretend-play in a sweet playhouse. Check out a short film in the 3D Theatre, and keep your eye on the calendar for a slew of events, such as music concerts and family science workshops. 
 

Scott Family Amazeum | Bentonville, AR 

At the Scott Family Amazeum, come ignite the imaginations of your little ones with interactive Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math activities and experiences that allow for hands-on exploration and discovery. Interactive exhibits engage visitors with the land, industries and people who built the Arkansas culture and sustain it today. Exhibitions include the 3M Tinkering Hub; General Mills Lift, Load and Haul; Market Sponsored by Walmart; Nature Valley Water Amazements; Nickelodeon Play Lab; Hershey's Lab and more. Tickets are currently available for two-hour windows to limit the spread, in addition to the implementation of enhanced cleaning procedures as well as a mask requirement for guests over the age of 10. 
amazeum.org 

 
Creative Discovery Museum | Chattanooga, TN

With Over 200,000 visitors each year, Chattanooga’s premier children’s museum inspires children to explore, innovate, create, and play in its many fascination hand’s on experiences. Permanent exhibits include RiverPlay, The Little Yellow House, Arts Alley, Excavation Station, Inventors' Clubhouse, Rooftop Fun Factory,  and The Lookout Tower. Stop by Science Theater, where science comes to life with spectacular demonstrations of physical and chemical phenomena. Check the website for seasonal offerings, including day camps, workshops and ArtsLive performances. 
cdmfun.org 

Biltmore | Asheville, NC 

Visit Biltmore, where America's Largest Home has captured the imagination of millions with its sheer size, featuring a 250-room historic building, a winery, and 8,000 acres of gardens, managed farmland, and forest! Built in 1895, George Vanderbilt’s chateau is as remarkable today as it was more than a century ago, when it was a warm and welcoming home where a family lived and a little girl grew up.Don’t miss Christmas at Biltmore, where the entire estate is magically adorned for the holidays.
Biltmore.com 
 

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens | Nashville, TN 

Originally built in 1932, the Estate and Gardens was home to Leslie and Mabel Cheek, and their two children. Leslie Cheek commissioned renowned architect Bryan Fleming who had designed homes for the likes of Andrew Carnegie, William E. Scripps and others. The 36-room house was filled with antique furniture, fine art that filled over five train cars. Today, you can explore the extraordinary fine arts collection, as well as the impressive gardens all year long. Offering many seasonal events, there is no perfect time to visit Cheekwood. Celebrate the autumnal season at Cheekwood! We’re set to celebrate all things fall during  Cheekwood Harvest, part of our year-round lineup of signature seasonal festivals. The changing of the leaves are one of many garden highlights you’ll find as oaks, maples, dogwoods, and other trees greet you with their fall colors. Don’t miss the Chulily Exhibit, now through January 2021. You can experience the large-scale installations during the day in the gardens and estate, or even more spectactulary during Chulily Nights, Thursday through Sunday. Check the website for ticket times, as well as temporary measures and procedures. 
cheekwood.org 

National Civil Rights Museum | Memphis, TN

Partially housed in the historic Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was infamously assassinated, the museum offers 260 artifacts, more than 40 new films, oral histories, interactive media and external listening posts that guide visitors through five centuries of history — from the beginning of the resistance during slavery, through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the rise of Jim Crow, and the seminal events of the late 20th century that inspired people around the world to stand up for equality. With the historic Lorraine Motel façade in tact, this is the building in which visitors can see Room 306 where Dr. King spent his final hours. Don’t miss the upcoming exhibit on The Negro Motorists’ Green Book and American story, highlighting the guidebook that identified establishments that welcomed black travelers when Jim Crow restrictions offered limited options for services and lodging, beginning in September 2020. 
civilrightsmuseum.org 

Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience | Meridian, MS  

Visit this interactive museum, whose goal is to inspire another generation of artists by showcasing Mississippi's arts and entertainment legacy and  honoring their creative legends. The MAX, as its known by patrons, is easy to find, conveniently located in downtown Meridian. The immersive exhibits at The MAX take you behind the scenes at the birthplace of the stars. Discover their cultural influences, glimpse their earliest forms of creative expression, and see the raw creative process behind the polished work you know and love. You can even take action immediately on your inspiration in The Max’s state-of-the-art Governor’s Recording Studio. Visit their website for booking info, temporary Covid measures, tickets and more.  
msarts.org 

More Museums of the South