Best Open-Air Museum (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of Hagley Museum and Library No. 10: Hagley Museum and Library - Wilmington, Delaware
Situated on the site of the original du Pont family gunpowder works, the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware, showcases the early industrial history of America, focusing on the development of the du Pont company and its impact on industry and innovation. Preserving and interpreting the remnants of the early industrial complex, the museum includes the original powder yards, mills, workers' communities, and historic buildings.
Photo courtesy of Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation No. 9: Jamestown Settlement - Williamsburg, Virginia
Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Virginia, commemorates the founding of the first permanent English settlement in North America, as well as the convergence of European, Indigenous, and West Central African cultures in the 17th century. This museum features replicas of three ships that brought settlers to Virginia in 1607, a full-scale reconstructed fort and Native American town, and immersive, living history exhibits about the daily lives of those who inhabited 17th-century Virginia.
Photo courtesy of Brian Newson, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation No. 8: Colonial Williamsburg - Williamsburg, Virginia
Billed as the largest U.S. history museum in the world, Colonial Williamsburg meticulously preserves and recreates the 18th-century colonial capital of Virginia, offering an immersive experience of life during that era. The architecture, landscapes, and building interiors reflect historical accuracy, and interpreters and historical actors portray tradespeople, artisans, politicians, and enslaved individuals, bringing history to life through interactive demonstrations, performances, and storytelling.
Photo courtesy of David J. Murray/ClearEyePhoto.com No. 7: Strawbery Banke Museum - Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Showcasing the evolution of a New England community from the late 17th to the mid-20th century, Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, preserves a neighborhood that spans nearly four centuries of American history. Featuring dozens of meticulously restored historic buildings, visitors can explore homes, shops, gardens, and taverns, and engage with costumed interpreters to gain a glimpse into the lives of past residents.
Photo courtesy of Conner Prairie No. 6: Conner Prairie - Fishers, Indiana
Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana, is a unique, open-air museum that features an 1816 Lenape Indian camp, a recreated 1836 prairie town, and one of Indiana's oldest brick homes, the William Conner house. Skilled interpreters bring these settings to life by engaging with visitors about the lifestyles, traditions, and challenges faced by this area's occupants over time.
Photo courtesy of The National Museum of Transportation Archives No. 5: National Museum of Transportation - St. Louis, Missouri
Boasting an extensive collection of transportation-related artifacts, including historic automobiles, locomotives, aircraft, trolleys, and buses, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri, showcases the evolution of transportation in the United States. Visitors can explore the artifacts and engage in interactive exhibits that highlight milestones, innovations, and technological advancements in the realm of transportation across different eras.
Photo courtesy of helivideo / iStock Via Getty Images Plus No. 4: Bodie State Historic Park - Bridgeport, California
Not just an open-air museum, Bodie State Historic Park is also one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the country. Visitors are transported to what was once a booming mining town during the California Gold Rush. The town has been intentionally left in a state of 'arrested decay' with some buildings' interiors still stocked with goods.
Photo courtesy of Cherokee Historical Association / The Creative Raven No. 3: Oconaluftee Indian Village - Cherokee, North Carolina
With a focus on accuracy and respect, the Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee, North Carolina, offers an authentic representation of Cherokee life in the 18th century. Showcasing traditional Cherokee dwellings and tools, visitors can experience a living history tour guided by Cherokee cultural interpreters who demonstrate traditional crafts while sharing stories and insights into Cherokee history and traditions.
Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport Museum No. 2: Mystic Seaport Museum - Mystic, Connecticut
Featuring a unique collection of historic ships, including tall ships, schooners, and a whaling ship, the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, preserves and celebrates America's maritime heritage. Visitors can explore the vessels as well as the museum's recreated 19th-century coastal village while interacting with historical interpreters and enjoying demonstrations of shipbuilding, rope making, sailmaking, and blacksmithing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Local middle schooler following his father's lead in news reporting
VERMILLION COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A South Vermillion 8th grader is following in his father's footsteps, as he currently serves as a 'Junior Reporter' for a local Wabash Valley newspaper. Vermillion-Parke On The Level (VPOTL) is a digital newspaper providing coverage in Vermillion and Parke counties daily. The newspaper was launched in June 2024, as a response to the discontinuation of The Clintonian, formerly known as the Daily Clintonian. Eric Jones, served as an editor for the local papers since 2003. With more than 22 years of experience, he created VPOTL to continue to cover local events, town halls, athletics, and meetings for the two counties in west central Indiana. 'Having local news, people reporting and telling people what's going on is a necessary aspect of a functioning community,' said Jones. 'If you do not have that local news, have that coverage, and have people keeping the public in the loop of what's going on, there are a lot of things that just don't work the way they should.' In recent years, Eric's son, Ethan has taken an interest in what his father does day in and day out. 'As a dad, it makes you really proud to see your kid stepping up, taking an interest in what you're doing, and wanting to be involved in things and involved in the community,' said Eric Jones. The 13-year-old first sparked a passion for photography, which gradually evolved his love for writing and journalism. Rightfully so, Ethan's favorite subject in school is English, and writing class. 'I feel like anyone who wants to do journalism should just go for the opportunity because as the world becomes more tech-involved, journalism is becoming less and less of a thing. You don't see as many newspapers running anymore, and its mainly going online,' said Ethan Jones. '(VPOTL) covers everything that happens in Parke and Vermillion County. And it is helpful for the community for us to cover those and keep the community informed.' When he's not busy with school, band practice, or theater performances, Ethan is out in the community covering stories, continuing to learn and grow his skills. 'I have a lot of things that happened during the school year. Over the summer, most of the stuff dies down, and so sometimes I don't get to cover things with dad. But, when I have the opportunity to, I go cover things with my dad mainly to get more experience with covering things, so that things go better with me writing,' said South Vermillion 8th grader. With that, Ethan's father explains how independent his son has grown to be over the years. Ethan is not only growing to be a young man but has now grown to be a reliable 'junior reporter'. 'It's not him following along behind me anymore. He's off doing things and I'm off doing things, and he handles his own side of things very well,' said Eric Jones, Editor for VPOTL. 'The writing side of it take a little bit more time, a little more practice to learn and he is getting into that. I always talk about the importance of taking complicated stuff and make it make sense to people that don't know anything about it.' With a few more years ahead, Ethan is focused on one day taking over Vermillion-Parke On The Level. The 13-year-old has aspirations to attend college and study Journalism, before returning to the newspaper his father launched and created. 'It's not always going to be me, I'm not going to be able to do this forever,' said Mr. Jones. 'I love the idea that he can learn from everything I've learned over the last 22 years. Somewhere along the way he would be able to pick up where I leave off. If not him, I hope that there will be someone willing to do that because I believe it is a necessity.' Looking ahead, the reporting duo looks forward to covering the upcoming 2025 Vermillion County Fair together that kicks off Saturday, June 14th and runs through Saturday, June 21st. 'I love working with my dad even when we make each other frustrated,' Ethan said laughing. 'Only sometimes.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rare hazel dormice released to create Leicestershire's only known population
Conservationists have released 20 rare hazel dormice into a secret woodland location in Leicestershire to create the county's only known population. The tiny mammals were reintroduced this week to an undisclosed area of the Bradgate Park Trust estate by wildlife charity People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and its partners. It comes as part of national efforts to help the endangered species come back from the brink of extinction. The native dormouse, immortalised as the sleepy guest at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland, has suffered declines of 70% nationally since 2000 and has vanished from 20 English counties. Annual dormouse reintroductions began in 1993 and have been managed by PTES since 2000, with 1,142 being released into 26 different woodlands in 13 counties, including six English counties where they had previously been lost. The reintroduction in Leicestershire follows the successful reintroduction of 38 dormice to the National Forest from the National Trust's Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. The conservationists say this secondary reintroduction is a vital step forward for dormouse recovery nationally and regionally. The hope is that these two populations of dormice will one day form part of a wider population spanning the whole forest. Bradgate Park Trust, which is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and part of a national nature reserve, was chosen with the help of local wildlife groups to ensure the woodland is suitable for dormice now and in the future. Ian White, PTES dormouse and training officer, said: 'Despite once being a common part of Britain's woodlands and hedgerows, hazel dormice have experienced a historic and catastrophic decline due to habitat loss, degradation and poor management of woodlands and hedgerows, compounded by a changing climate. 'PTES's reintroductions, alongside habitat management, landscape projects and monitoring, are paramount to their long-term survival.' James Dymond, director of Bradgate Park Trust, said: 'As a small charity, we are proud to be entrusted with the care of these rare and charming creatures. 'This reintroduction is a testament to the past woodland management efforts on the estate, and we are committed to ensuring this special habitat continues to thrive—not only for the dormice, but for a wide range of other rare species that call it home too.' Ben Devine, head of nature recovery at the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, added: 'This release is an exciting first step in helping dormice not only locally, but nationally too. 'Ensuring the right landscape and habitat is in place is key to ensuring continued nature recovery, and we will continue to monitor the dormice to ensure that Leicestershire's only known population thrives and one day expands beyond Bradgate Park estate.' The dormice are bred in captivity and undergo an eight-week quarantine with regular health checks before their release, to ensure only healthy animals are put into the wild. They have been released into their woodland habitat, which has been selected to make sure it meets their needs, in large wire mesh cages with food and water. Local volunteers from Bradgate Park Trust and the Leicestershire and Rutland Mammal Group will regularly check the cages and top up their food and water before the doors are opened after 10 days to allow them to start to explore their new home.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Government should auto-enrol eligible pupils for free school meals
The Government should go further and introduce a national auto-enrolment system for all children eligible for free school meals to reduce 'inequalities', a think tank has said. There is variation in free school meal registration practices across England, research by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has suggested. It comes after ministers set out plans to expand free school meals to all pupils in England from families on universal credit. Currently, households in England on universal credit must earn below £7,400 a year (after tax and not including benefits) to qualify for free school meals. The expansion of free school meals to all pupils in families on universal credit from September 2026 will make 500,000 more children eligible for free lunches, the Government has said. Parents currently have to apply for their children to receive free school meals and eligible children are not automatically enrolled. The paper, funded by The Nuffield Foundation, calls on the Government to introduce a national auto-enrolment scheme to ensure all eligible families are registered for free school meals. It said: 'Despite this expansion in FSM (free school meals) eligibility, without further action from the Government, children may continue to miss out on the free meals they are entitled to. 'The barriers to registration and differences in registration practices across LAs means children still face inequalities in access to free meals.' The report added: 'In terms of barriers families face in applying to FSM – including English as an additional language, stigma, confusion about eligibility – auto-enrolment would largely eradicate these issues.' Despite efforts to boost registration, language barriers and a lack of digital access are preventing the meals reaching children that need them, it said. An additional 77,700 children became eligible for free school meals in the past year, according to recent data published by the Department for Education. More than one in four (25.7%) pupils in England were eligible for free school meals in January, the equivalent of 2.17 million children – up from 24.6%, or 2.09 million, in January 2024. But the report from EPI – which is based on surveys and interviews with local authorities and multi-academy trusts in 2024 and early 2025 – found where a child lives or goes to school determines how hard it is for families to register for free school meals. In some local authorities, parents are required to make their own application while facing significant barriers and if found ineligible at the time must reapply when circumstances change. While in others, they use local auto-enrolment to proactively identify entitled children without relying on parents sharing details or making an application. The report also found that some children who attend maintained nurseries before and after lunch are missing out on free meals to which they are entitled. Dr Kerris Cooper, senior researcher for early years and inequalities at EPI, said: 'Our research shows that while the extension of free school meal eligibility is a very positive step, more needs to be done to ensure that all children entitled to free meals can actually access them. 'First, there are still significant barriers for families to register for FSM, and where a child lives plays too big a role in their chances of being registered. 'Second, the youngest children, who face the highest risk of poverty, will not benefit from this expansion in eligibility unless all children attending early education are also included and settings are supported to deliver this. 'Introducing national auto-enrolment and including children in early education would enable this expansion in FSM eligibility to more meaningfully extend access to more children in poverty.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The expansion of free school meals, to include all children in households on universal credit, is a positive move that recognises there are children living in poverty who have been missing out. 'Moving to a national system of auto-enrolment would be the next logical step to ensure that everyone who is now eligible under the new criteria will actually receive a meal and the intended benefits.' He added: 'We see no reason why a national system of auto-enrolment cannot be established relatively straightforwardly. 'This is something that would make a big difference to vulnerable families.' Last week, education minister Stephen Morgan told MPs in the Commons that the Government would be working to make it easier for people to apply. He said the announcement on expanding free school meals was a 'significant, straightforward process for parents to know whether they are eligible'. A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'Through our Plan for Change, this government has taken a historic step to tackle the stain of child poverty and spread opportunity – extending free school meal eligibility to all children in households on Universal Credit. 'This means over half a million more children will be able to access free meals from the 2026 school year, lifting 100,000 children completely out of poverty – and we will launch an upgraded eligibility checking tool next year to make it simpler than ever for parents to see if they can benefit. 'This forms part of our wider plan to put money back in the pockets of working families – with parents also set to benefit from our free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cost cap, helping them save up to £500 a year.'
