Museum recomendations?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Torsten, It's just what like Mike says, Bro; gotta say where you are going to be. This place is frikkin huge.

I've had that talk with European on-line friends before. I tell them to consider the distance from Lisbon to Moscow. That distance, leaving New York City for LA, gets you just past the Rockies, about 800 miles still to go to LA.

I think the old West Germany was about the size of Oregon, and it's not a really big state.

[Mynok]

ORIGINAL: JWE
And when that's done, it's time to visit Mike in NC, and put it all in context. 'Awadley' kinda has the right of it, because much of the history is captured by the branches and units that took part. US Military bases are indeed open to visitors, and often have interesting stuff that ain't in the official ayllabus. That area was a nexus, but believe me, they will let you in and they will help all they can.

Both Mike's in NC, as I'm down here too and a mere 40 minutes from USS America. We'll treat you right and introduce you to all kinds of good beer and good food. You'll just have to accept the fact that we have more mosquitoes than Yankees (and that's saying something, believe me) and humidity that will have your shoes sloshing and your face melting.

But it's all good when you see those turbines in the USS NC.

[vettim89]

Have to agree with those who are suggesting planning. I was thinking about this and thought about what would be unique to the States. Thinking about things you might have a hard time finding elsewhere

Just a suggested iternary where you might get the most bang for your buck as far as travel.

From Boston

1. USS Constitution (shame on you all for not mentioning it)
2. USS Massachusettes
3. Mystic Sea Port
4. USS Intrepid in NY harbor
5. Ground Zero
6. Valley Forge
7. Washington DC - you could spend your whole time within 150 km of this central point

Smithsonian, Aberdeen, Dozens of ACW Battlesites (Gettysburg, Antietam, etc), Ft McHenry, USNA, and all the rest mentioned here

8. Norfolk, VA - USS Wisconsin here plus a boat tour of the naval base, Cheasapeak Bay Bridge/Tunnel, Eastern shore, etc

There are a lot of other good museums scattered across the country but you will not get the concentration you will in that small space anywhere else

The USAF Museum in Dayton is worth the trip. Yes, there is an Armor Museum at Ft. Knox which is only about a four hour drive from Dayton. U-505 is VERY cool. There is a USN sub in Pittsburg that was used for intel gathering in the cold war - it is in its cold war configuration as a museum but still cool (still has the sub smell no matter how hard they tried to clean it up)

Lastly a non-military stop would be the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[bush]

I am in California and it is quite different here. Can't say I am really a fan.

However, the Midway is now in San Diego and I spent an entire day aboard her. It was great and the docents are very nice as well.

[bush]

Also, not exactly a museum but the Gettysburg battlefield is well kept.

[RUDOLF]

Does it cost money to visit museums in the US?

[The Gnome]

ORIGINAL: RUDOLF

Does it cost money to visit museums in the US?

It depends on the museum, usually there is some small fee involved.

[The Gnome]

Oh, and if you're in Philadelphia, there are some nice naval ships to visit:

1) The battleship USS New Jersey (just across the river in New Jersey)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_New_Jersey_(BB-62)

2) The USS Olympia, oldest steel ship still afloat, and flagship of the Great White Fleet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)

3) USS Becuna a Balao class SS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Becuna_(SS-319)

Plus Philadelphia has a lot of historical sites revolving around the Revolutionary War period.

[racndoc]

If you make it out to the wesy coast, I want to put a 2nd on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum in San Diego. Rent a power boat on the bay and you can see the sub base as well as other carriers and surface ships. When I visited last summer there were 3 CVs in San Diego Bay.

If you make it out to Oahu in Hawaii I recommend the US Army WWII in the Pacific Museum at Fort de Russy, Battery Randolph in Waikiki....covers the entire Army experience in Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific but focuses on the Coastal defense guns at battery Randolph and other CD forts on the south shore of Oahu....pretty cool walking thru the reinforced concrete corridors of a CD fort.....ammo and powder magazines, hoists, 12" gun emplacements, etc.

And 15 minutes away is Pearl Harbor where you can see the new air museum on Ford Island plus BB Arizona Memorial and BB Missouri....advertised as both the beginning and end of WWII in one visit. And there is a Gato class sub to visit there also.

[CaptBeefheart]

Lots of good recommendations in the East and here are some Western ideas: Whenever I find myself on I-10 between LA and Phoenix I like stopping at the Patton Museum. From Google I see the armor museum in Ft. Knox is also called the Patton Museum, which makes sense. Also, if you like airplanes there are some great museums in CA and AZ. The Palm Springs Air Museum has some great WWII warbirds. Also, Pima Air Museum near Tucson, Arizona is great and a lot more compact than the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, which probably has more airplanes parked in the desert than are operational in the world's air forces.

Last time I was in the States I was fortunate to hit up the Dulles Airport Air & Space Museum for the first time, which is a must see if you like airplanes at all and are in the Washington, DC area. Anyway, have a good trip. I'd love to have four free weeks in the U.S.

Edit: I once had some Swedish buddies who bought a car in New York for $500 and sold it in California for probably not much less a couple of months later. Not a bad way to see the place and cheap.

Cheers,
CC

[Historiker]

We'll treat you right and introduce you to all kinds of good beer and good food

I can't wait to see that!

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: JWE

Torsten, It's just what like Mike says, Bro; gotta say where you are going to be. This place is frikkin huge.

I've had that talk with European on-line friends before. I tell them to consider the distance from Lisbon to Moscow. That distance, leaving New York City for LA, gets you just past the Rockies, about 800 miles still to go to LA.

I think the old West Germany was about the size of Oregon, and it's not a really big state.

Hey, you can't say that we (Germans) didn't try... [;)]

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: The Gnome

Oh, and if you're in Philadelphia, there are some nice naval ships to visit:

1) The battleship USS New Jersey (just across the river in New Jersey)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_New_Jersey_(BB-62)

2) The USS Olympia, oldest steel ship still afloat, and flagship of the Great White Fleet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)

3) USS Becuna a Balao class SS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Becuna_(SS-319)

Plus Philadelphia has a lot of historical sites revolving around the Revolutionary War period.

Thank you, that sounds good.
When you all mention the civil war sites: what is there? What can be seen on the battlefields? Are there museums, what is in them...

[dukewacoan]

Civil War battlefields are a variety. Some you can really see due to their nature (wooded). Shiloh, for example, is well preserved but you can only best see from a helicopter

Gettysburg, Sharpsburg and Harpers Ferry are exceptions. The layout, topography and lack of major dense woods throughout mean you can really see the fields. Gettysburg is also undergone an effort to cut back post-battlefield growth to historic treelines, etc. Museum is also very good there.

[LST Express]

There will be a display of 300 war paintings done by servicemen and women at philadelphia's national constitution center starting sept. 24.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: JWE

Torsten, It's just what like Mike says, Bro; gotta say where you are going to be. This place is frikkin huge.

I've had that talk with European on-line friends before. I tell them to consider the distance from Lisbon to Moscow. That distance, leaving New York City for LA, gets you just past the Rockies, about 800 miles still to go to LA.

I think the old West Germany was about the size of Oregon, and it's not a really big state.

Hey, you can't say that we (Germans) didn't try... [;)]

Oh, my mistake. I meant Oregon isn't a big US state. Compare to California, Texas, Alaska, Montana.

There's an old joke from the 1960s. A Texan is complaining to an Alaskan (made a state in 1959) that Texas isn't the biggest state anymore. The Alaskan says, "Quit bellyaching, or we'll split into two and you'll be number three."

[Historiker]

Where's that?

ORIGINAL: vettim89
3. Mystic Sea Port

What can I see at the ACW-sites? Are there just plain fields, or is there something more specific to watch?

[Historiker]

A first marking on the map, the exact route still has to be planned

[crsutton]

The Washington Navy Yard and museum-just blocks from the national capital. A secret gem. Small but nice. And they let your kids climb on stuff...

[John Lansford]

Don't forget the Tank Museum in Danville, Virginia.  It's privately owned but has one of the few remaining WWII MkIV tanks in the world, along with a lot of other AFV's from WWI up to modern days.