Plan now to see these impressive institutions across the U.S.
by Robert Annis
Museum fans take note: Several impressive institutions are on schedule to open in the near future. And some dramatic renovations are also in the works (hint: History buffs will be happy).
The following options cover a range of interests, but all promise to offer an experience to remember. It’s a good idea to start planning now, but double-check on the progress before you book.
1. Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, New York City
Opening June 2024
Commemorating the spot that served as a turning point for the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, NYC’s Stonewall National Monument will open a new visitor center in June.
If you’re not familiar with the history of the site, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular hangout for the gay community, in 1969. Such raids were commonplace then. However, riots broke out as police and Stonewall patrons scuffled. The civil unrest lasted six days and sparked a fight for LGBTQ+ equality that continues today. Stonewall National Monument is the first National Park Service site dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights.
In addition to telling the story of the police raid and the aftermath, the 3,700-square-foot Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center will host tours as well as lectures and exhibitions about LGBTQ+ history and culture. Art installations by LGBTQ+ artists also will be on display.
Stay: The Gansevoort Meatpacking hotel boasts stylish, newly renovated rooms, a heated rooftop pool and bar, and two full-service restaurants, all within about a half-mile of the visitor center.
JAMIE PHAM / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
2. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles
Opening in 2024
While not a new opening per se, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will complete its metamorphosis in 2024. The $75 million NHM Commons update will add 60,000 square feet of new construction, sustainable landscaping and museum space. The new construction includes a theater with 400 retractable seats as well as a massive glass entrance and adjacent outdoor plaza. The focal point of the new welcome center? A 70-foot-long long-neck dinosaur skeleton nicknamed Gnatalie.
Elsewhere in the museum, Barbara Carrasco’s 80-foot mural, L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective, will be on permanent display more than 40 years after its initial creation.
Stay: The Freehand Los Angeles is a modern boutique hotel housed in a historic building less than 5 miles from the museum. The property has a two-bedroom suite, if you’re traveling with family or another couple.
3. Astronomy Discovery Center at Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona
Opening November 2024
The newest addition to the nearly 130-year-old Lowell Observatory, the more-than $53 million Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center, will be a place where amateur astronomers, stargazers and people who just like looking up at the stars can learn about the cosmos. When the four-story, 40,000-square-foot facility opens, visitors can explore the wonders of space through the interactive children’s science museum, a rooftop amphitheater and the ultramodern Lowell Universe Theater.
A massive 165-degree curved LED screen will wrap around the 180-person Lowell Universe Theater, which also will host live presentations from noted astrophysicists and other scientists. Sitting in slanted heated seats, visitors will be able to look at the stars from the open-air Dark Sky Planetarium in total comfort.
Stay: Stay close to the action — less than 2 miles from Lowell Observatory — at the Weatherford Hotel. The hotel was constructed in the 1890s, just like the observatory, and has received numerous updates over the decades.
PHOTO BY GUS CHAN/CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
4. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland
Opening late 2024
Originally built in 1920, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s $150 million facelift will bring it fully into the new millennium.
And visitors are already seeing the changes: The new Visitor Hall showcasing a fossilized sauropod skeleton nicknamed “Happy” and an actual moon rock on long-term loan from NASA opened in October. But the remainder of the renovations — the Dynamic Earth Wing detailing Earth’s origins and the Evolving Life Wing focusing on how living things adapt and change over time — will be unveiled late next year.
Stay: The Tudor Arms Hotel Cleveland has a free shuttle to several nearby attractions, including the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
5. National Medal of Honor Museum, Arlington, Texas
Opening March 2025
The highest honor awarded to military soldiers, the Medal of Honor, symbolizes the courage, sacrifice and integrity shown through their tremendous acts of bravery. Of the 40 million Americans who have served in the armed forces, only 3,517 have earned this distinction since the Civil War.
The National Medal of Honor Museum’s design subtly informs visitors about what they can find inside. Five columns — each representing a branch of the military — recede to a smaller point, symbolizing the Medal of Honor recipients’ individual acts of courage. More than 31,000 square feet of exhibit space will showcase inspiring stories about these heroes, while the state-of-the-art Education Center and ceremonial outdoor amphitheater round out the facility.
Stay: The Live! by Loews hotel, located in Arlington’s Entertainment District about a half-mile from the museum, offers some notable amenities, including a terrace pool overlooking AT&T Stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play.
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