Plan a romantic weekend getaway to a city near you or fly across the country to visit one of these beautiful art museums where you can stroll through exhibits and admire the genius of human creativity. Our list includes world-famous institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, new museums like PAMM in Miami, as well as smaller museums which house unique art collections that inspire and delight their visitors. Combine a trip to a museum with dining at great restaurants, shopping and relaxing at day spas on your weekend trip.
Washington D.C. – The National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. has a beautiful sculpture garden where you can skate in the winter and listen to outdoor concerts in the summer.
The museum houses paintings by Raphael, Ban Gogh, Rubens, Monet, Picasso, Titian and many other masters. This art museum located in the nation's capital should be on every art lover's list.
6th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20565, Phone: 202-737-4215
New York City – The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most impressive art museums in the world, housing famous paintings, ancient artifacts and modern exhibits. Regardless of your interest, you can spend several days at this museum without seeing the same exhibit twice.
Other stunning museums to visit in New York City include the Guggenheim with its famous spiral facade, MoMA, Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. You should plan to spend at least half a day in each so that you don't feel rushed.
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York city, New York 10028, hone: 212-535-7710
Miami - Perez Art Museum Miami
Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is a modern and contemporary art museum which opened in 2013. Located in a $131-million Art Deco-style building designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the museum houses 20th and 21th century art from around the world.
Visitors enjoy stunning views of Biscayne Bay from the museum gardens and indoor exhibit spaces.
1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, Florida 33132, Phone: 305-375-3000
Raleigh - North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh houses diverse art, dating from ancient Greece through the late 20th century. The permanent collection includes European paintings, American and international art.
The museum is set on 164 acres, complete with beautiful art integrated into the outdoor park. The museum commissions artists to create works of art which fit into the natural surroundings.
You can take a self-guided tour on the paved and unpaved trails which take you though the outdoor exhibit.
2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, Phone: 919-839-6262
Santa Fe – Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico houses over 1,000 pieces of art by O’Keeffe, the world’s largest.
Paintings date from 1901 to 1984 and include flowers, landscapes, cityscapes, abstractions and other subjects.
The museum is also home to nearly two thousand other works of art, including Authur Dove, Ansel Adams and many others.
217 Johnson Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-946-1098
Maine – Colby College Museum of Art
If you are planning a romantic trip to Maine, stop at the Colby Museum of Art in Waterville which features more than 8,000 works of art from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Major artists include Georgia O’Keeffe, John Singleton Copley and Winslow Homer. The museum collection also includes Chinese ceramics, 300 etchings and lithographs by James McNeill Whistler, and nearly 900 Alex Katz workss.
5600 Mayflower Hill Dr, Waterville, Maine 04901, Phone: 207-859-5600
Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located in an easily recognizable building with giant Greek-style columns in Philadelphia. The museum is home to fine art from around the world. You can immerse yourself in Japanese culture if you visit the Japanese ceremonial teahouse, or head to the French cloister to feel like you’ve just traveled to Paris.
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130, Phone: 215-763-8100
Arkansas - Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville is housed in a stunning structure built over the water, surrounded by 120 natural acres. The permanent collection features art from Colonial times through present.
Walk along the trails to view outdoor art, landscaping and The Way of Color, a structure by artist James Turrell with a unique sky viewing chamber. General admission is free.
600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712, Phone: 479-418-5700, Video
Seattle - Frye Art Museum
The Frye Art Museum in Seattle houses a collection of European paintings as well as 19th and 20th century American art. Admission to the museum is free of charge for all visitors, including guided tours, lectures and workshops.
704 Terry Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104, Phone: 206-622-9250
Michigan - Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Located at Michigan State University, the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum exhibits Modern art along with artifacts from the Greek and Roman times, and Renaissance works. The 46,000-square-foot museum features diverse exhibitions which highlight modern life as well as showcase art from around the world.
Go for a romantic walk through the sculpture garden where you can admire the museum’s stunning façade along with contemporary art pieces like Roxy Paine’s Containment and Vestigial Block by Jonathan Prince.
547 E Circle Dr, East Lansing, Minnesota 48824, Phone: 517-884-4800
Houston – The Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts has a unique garden where you can go for a romantic stroll surrounded by Rodin sculptures.
The museum exhibits art from around the world in two colossal buildings.
1001 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77005, Phone: 713-639-7300
Boston - The Museum of Fine Arts
Housed in a beautiful Beaux-Arts building, the The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston lets you admire a diverse collection of art, from the largest collection of Monet works outside of France to American artists, including O’Keefe, Pollock and Cassatt.
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone: 617-267-9300
Chicago - The Art Institute of Chicago
At The Art Institute of Chicago, visitors get to admire a diverse collection of art, from ancient Egyptian history to impressionist paintings.
Once you are done seeing the Monet collection and the Chagall windows, don’t forget to check the current exhibitions.
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Phone: 312-443-3600
Virginia – Chrysler Museum of Art
The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk is famous for its collection of 10,000 glass objects which span 3,000 years, from ancient to modern times.
Permanent exhibits include European and American paintings & sculpture, modern and contemporary art, photography, decorative arts and ancient artifacts. The museum has a newly renovated café which serves dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.
One Memorial Place, Norfolk, Virginia 23510, Phone: 757-664-6200
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is spread out over 20 acres so you will need to plan what to see ahead of time if you only have a day or two in the city.
Visit the modern art collection where you can see works by Matisse, Kline and Kandinsky, or tour one of the ancient history exhibits.
While you are in LA, visit the Getty Center where you can enjoy art as well as stunning views of the city.
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90036, Phone: 323-857-6000
Providence - The Rhode Island School of Design Museum
The The Rhode Island School of Design Museum in Providence has a diverse collection of ancient, Asian, contemporary and decorative art. The Costume and Textiles department is one of the most extensive in the world, housing 26,000 objects which date from 1500 BCE to the present.
The museum has a diverse collection of European and American paintings and sculpture, prints, drawings and photographs. If you live on the East Coast, Providence is a great weekend destination with a choice of accommodations, restaurants and attractions.
224 Benefit Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, Phone: 401-454-6500
San Diego - Mingei International Museum
Mingei International Museum has six galleries where visitors can view folk art and design from around the world. Past and present exhibitions have included works by American artists, architecture, handmade African-American dolls, textiles, ceramics, figures, drawings, furniture, paintings and more.
1439 EL Prado, San Diego, California 92101, Phone: 619-239-0003
El Segundo Museum of Art
El Segundo Museum of Art in California puts a practical twist on art exhibits and calls them “experiences.” Art is presented in a way that tells a story and helps visitors ask and answer questions about the broader, practical implications.
The SPARK experience, on exhibit through May 24, 2015, makes you contemplate how we find inspiration and how ideas evolve to become part of the real world. If you are looking for art to expand your mind, head to this unique museum on the West Coast.
208 Main Street, El Segundo, California 90245, Phone: 424-277-1020
San Francisco - de Young Museum
Featuring a collection of over 27,000 works of art, de Young Museum is the place to see American art of all periods. Artworks include paintings, decorative arts, works on paper, costumes and sculpture.
The museum also has a diverse permanent collection of African and Oceanic art.
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, California 94118, Phone: 415-750-3600
Atlanta - Michael C. Carlos Museum
The Michael C. Carlos Museum is one of the oldest art museums in Georgia, starting its life in 1876 as Emory College Museum. Located in Atlanta’s historic quadrangle of Emory University's main campus, the museum fulfills its goal to provide visitors with an insight into the cultures of the world’s art and history through more than 17,000 art objects from ancient Egypt, the Near East, Africa, Greece, Rome, Asia and the ancient Americas.
The collections are located in a beautiful building designed by the notable architect Michael Graves. The museum's permanent Egyptian collection was enriched in 1999 with the 145 works from Niagara Falls Museum and includes the ancient elaborately decorated coffins and mummies. In addition to exhibitions, permanent and temporary, the Museum offers educational programming, lectures, workshops, symposia, performances and festivals. It operates a conservation center and teaching laboratory and brings history, art and archaeology to Georgia children through Art Odyssey, its outreach program.
571 S Kilgo Cir NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, Phone: 404-727-4282
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC
Spread over 2 separate locations, the Smithsonian American Art Museum preserves and showcases 4 centuries’ of American art and crafts. The art collection is exhibited at the main SAAM museum in 8th Street, while the crafts collection is on display at the Renwick Gallery on 17th Street, near the White House. The collection includes the largest American Sculpture collection in the world as well as a massive photography collection and an excellent collection of art by African Americans and other immigrant artists. If you are planning a romantic getaway to Washington, these two amazing art museums deserve a place on your itinerary. Entrance is free to all.
8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004 Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Ave at 15th Street, Washington, DC 20006, 202 633 1000
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts boasts a remarkable collection of more than 65,000 works, placing it in the top 10 art museums in the country. The institute exists primarily to protect and showcase their collections and to connect the community to the arts via exhibitions, workshops, lectures and more. The Beaux-Arts building that houses the institute has always been called the Temple of Art by locals and is well worth seeing in its own right. There are 100 galleries, a 1,150 seat auditorium and a 380 seat lecture theater, and you can be assured that there is always something interesting on the go.
5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, 313 833 7900
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Your romantic getaway to San Francisco would be incomplete without fitting in a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Set in a striking modern building, the museum is one of the largest museums of contemporary and modern art in America boasting floor after floor of art works from 1900 to the present day. Although some of the special exhibitions require tickets, a large percentage of the works on display can be admired for free on the 1st and 2nd floors and the museum also hosts regular Free Days, when the public has free access to all the wonderful art.
151 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415 357 4000, Video
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Art lovers who are planning a romantic getaway to Cleveland should seriously consider paying a visit to The Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum was established in 1913 and endeavors to fulfill its founding purpose of being “for the benefit to all the people forever”. To this end, everyone is invited to visit the museum and enjoy the art without having to pay for the privilege. The museum hosts several exhibitions each year and if you cannot be in Cleveland when your favorite artists are showcased you can enjoy an on-line virtual tour of all the exhibitions. You can get a taste of what lies in store for you by visiting their website.
11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, 216 421 7350
The Dali Museum
The Dali Museum is an absolute must-see attraction for all art lovers visiting St. Petersburg in Florida. The museum is housed in a striking modern building which is worth a visit in its own right, and the collection of art works by Salvador Dali is breathtaking. The permanent collection includes objects and sculptures, photographs, book illustrations, prints and an entire collection of the artist’s sketches on paper. Then there are the famous paintings, which are a joy to observe in detail. Due to the popularity of The Dali visitors are advised to book advance timed tickets. You can download the Dali Museum App before you arrive.
1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, 727 823 3767