Museum recomendations?

[Historiker]

I'm going to be 4 weeks in the states and want to visit some museums. Can anyone recommend military museums in the US?

[USSAmerica]

USS North Carolina, in Wilmington, NC.  [;)]

[awadley]

US Marine Corps Museum, Quantico, VA
 
Just south of Washington DC

[lazydawg]

The National Air & Space Museum annex at Dulles Airport in the Washington D.C. area is also worth a visit. It's not a military museum; however, it has a lot of warbirds on display.
Here is their website:

http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/udvarhazy/

[awadley]

US Air Force Museum at Dayton, Ohio
I think the largest WWII aircraft display

[USSAmerica]

My favorite, Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station, Pensacola.  [:)]

Historiker, it might help us make recommendations if you tell us what part of the country you will be in for most of the trip.

[ckk]

ORIGINAL: USS America

My favorite, Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station, Pensacola.  [:)]

Historiker, it might help us make recommendations if you tell us what part of the country you will be in for most of the trip.

And if you go at the right time, usually Tuesday and Weds, you can see the Blue Angels practice[;)]

[bspeer]

National WWII Museum-New Orleans-no doubt about it!

WWII Museum

[Historiker]

She was already on my list... [;)]

ORIGINAL: USS America

USS North Carolina, in Wilmington, NC.  [;)]

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: USS America

My favorite, Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station, Pensacola.  [:)]

Historiker, it might help us make recommendations if you tell us what part of the country you will be in for most of the trip.

I guess mainly the east coast, but I want to see USS Texas, too. It also depends on the museums. I'm a huge tank enthusiast, and if the best tank display is in the west, I might also turn there...

[USSAmerica]

Ok, one of you US Army pukes needs to pipe up, but there MUST be a good tank museum at Fort Knox, Kentucky.  [:)]

[tc464]

The Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. It's right outside Baltimore.
http://www.goordnance.apg.army.mil/site ... Museum.htm

[JWE]

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

If I may - suggest you hang in the East Coast metroplex. I might get a sweet (and much cheaper) hotel on the Maryland shore. Totally convenient to everything but oh, so much more picturesque, and the food !! Crabs, and pone, and oysters, it will turn your North German butt Bavarian.

It's also central to perhaps 99% of what you may wish to see. That region contains those places that define our history. From there, you may easily reach Yorktown, Monmouth, Mannassas, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and yes, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Appomatox. An intellectual feast.

For War-II stuff, I might suggest the journey begin at the Smithsonian in DC. After that, there are literally pooploads of places within an hours drive. There's Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania (bei Gettysburg) that has a library. And it has librarians, any one of which I would put up against a thousand whining AE soldiers.

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.

If I may - suggest you screw the stupid big tourist hotels. Better beds, better food, better prices, better ambience, where real people live. Talk to brother Mike. In any case, hope you have a happy visit to my country.

Your friend, John

[topeverest]

Here are a few army/marines and airforce items...

1. +1 on US Marine Corps Museum, Quantico, VA
2. If you are in Pennsylvania, head out to Gettysburg military park. Its about 90 minutes north of Baltimore. Other major battleparks of American Civil war in that area include Chancellorsville / Spotslvania / Fredericksburg, Bull run 1&2, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Harpers Ferry (has living history), The 7 days battles (seperate parks), and Antietam (Sharpsburg)
3. Fort McHenry, baltimore harbor, MD (War of 1812)
4. Army ordinance museum Aberdeen Prooving Grounds, MD
5. Dover, delaware AFB Aircraft Museum.
6. Warner Robbins AFB Aircraft Museum, Near Macon Georgia.
7. Ground Zero sept 11 New York City
8. Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer National Park) - small battle, big impact on American War Psyche. Southern Montana.
9. Battle of San Jacinto (texas war of independence 1836) SE Texas. Can see the Alamo too if you are in the general area, which is small but interesting. The Alamo Again a small battle high in the American War Psyche.
10. Flying leatherneck museum, San Diego CA

[dukewacoan]

Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, TX is a two day affair. Basically the national Pacific War museum. Very impassive.

There is also a WWII museum at Ft Hood, TX. Battleship Texas in Houston and USS Lexington in Corpus are also good.

D-Day Museum is good as well.

[Historiker]

Hey John,

sounds nice, and I didn't plan to do the typical tourist style - or would a tourist visit such places? [;)]
I guess I gotta make a good plan to see as much as possible without being overwhelmed and thus not being able to enjoy. What would you recommend for travel? Flights, rail, car, motorcycle, cycle ([;)])?
With that plan, I might get hard to visit you in California, but I'm prepared to fly to Tahiti in some years [;)]

Thank you all for the recommendations, I really gotta start planning...
Is there any big event I have to see between mid august and mid september at the east coast?

[Historiker]

Do we have any USNA teacher here in the forum? I'd love to visit that place, too...

[Q-Ball]

If you make it to Chicago, check out the U-505, the only Type IX U-Boat still in existence. The tour takes you through a fully-restored interior. It's at the Museum of Science and Industry.

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: Historiker
Hey John,

sounds nice, and I didn't plan to do the typical tourist style - or would a tourist visit such places? [;)]
I guess I gotta make a good plan to see as much as possible without being overwhelmed and thus not being able to enjoy. What would you recommend for travel? Flights, rail, car, motorcycle, cycle ([;)])?
With that plan, I might get hard to visit you in California, but I'm prepared to fly to Tahiti in some years [;)]

Thank you all for the recommendations, I really gotta start planning...
Is there any big event I have to see between mid august and mid september at the east coast?

Four weeks isn't enough to really do even the East Coast. Cali is another trip entirely. A different country, almost. I would recommend a car, and rail here and there. Brother Mike would be most helpful, here. Definitely make a plan. Forget the tourist doo doo, you will find you can easily go to places you never thought possible.

Do the Eastern shore. I really think you will like it.

Ciao. John

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Cali is another trip entirely. A different country, almost.

"almost"??? [:'(]

[;)]