10 Museum and Gallery History Tours in the USA Worth Booking

1.New York City: American Museum of Natural History Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15,447 reviews · 1 day · from $37Our pick

Spend a full day exploring 40-plus halls at the American Museum of Natural History beside Central Park. Your ticket covers permanent exhibits and the Gilder Center, while selected options add shows such as Invisible Worlds, the butterfly vivarium, or the Hayden Planetarium Space Show. Use the free Explorer App for maps, quizzes, and exhibit stories.

“It was great and definitely worth a visit. The exhibits were fascinating. I highly recommend booking tickets beforehand and having the barcode ready as it makes entry quick and easy. The map we received at the beginning was a bit confusing but I think that was probably just us. Overall a fantastic experience that I would strongly recommend”

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2.American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,931 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $37

Visit the American Museum of Natural History on Manhattan’s Upper West Side with general admission access to more than 40 permanent galleries, the Rose Center, and the Richard Gilder Center. Allow at least three hours, and plan carefully because special exhibits, films, and the planetarium cost extra.

“Great museum with impressive exhibits. Particularly loved how big the gemology and dinosaur exhibits were. Location is ideal to do central park related activities as well”

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3.Guided African American History Tour with Reserved Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,180 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89

This 3.5-hour Washington DC tour links Black Lives Matter Plaza, the Lincoln and MLK memorials, Lincoln Park, and the African American Civil War Memorial. Guides such as Dre, Elvis, and Jeff lead the route by bus and on foot, ending with reserved entry to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“Our tour guide was very informative, knowledgeable and awesome about the history of black African American . Driving was very safe. His name is Dre. We learned a lot! I really enjoyed it! Thank you”

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4.Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History Ticket or VIP Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 717 reviews · 1 day · from $29Best value

Choose a one-day Field Museum visit with general admission, a Discovery Pass, an All-Access Pass, or an Early Access VIP Tour. See Sue the T. rex, Maximo the Titanosaur, ancient artifacts, gems, Chinese jade, and the Lions of Tsavo. The VIP option includes a one-hour English tour for groups of up to 20 before opening.

“Love Fields, one of the best Natural history museum, if not the best, in the world!”

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5.Field Museum of Natural History Admission Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 489 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $29

Spend about four hours exploring Chicago’s Field Museum, from 23 Egyptian mummies and Inca temples to SUE, the most complete T. rex ever found. Admission includes general and ticketed exhibits, plus free daily docent-led tours. Add a 3D movie for an extra charge, and arrive early if you want a preferred showing.

“Loved the live reptile exhibit and the underground exhibit. Visiting SUE is always a +. We visited mid week the last week of August so the museum was less crowded.”

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6.Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – Exclusive Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $89Top rated

Spend two focused hours at Washington DC’s National Museum of Natural History with a private English-speaking guide. Expect the Hope Diamond, Dom Pedro Aquamarine, mummies, Henry the elephant, dinosaurs, Megalodon, and Ocean Hall. Guides such as Leigh, Meghan, Christopher, Rebecca, and Amanda have led engaging family and couple-friendly visits.

“Meghan was very informative and truly knows her job. She is funny and very creative and entertaining in delivering information. She fully focused on just us even when people were asking questions. She made us feel special and showed us that we are her priority. She engaged in our questions even if it’s outside the realm of the tour. I highly recommend her”

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7.African American History Tour with Museum of African American History Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Spend 3.5 hours with guide Kenny visiting key African American sites in Washington DC, from the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial to Frederick Douglass’s home and LeDroit Park. The tour ends with same-day admission to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you may stay until closing.

“This was a great tour. Our guide was very pleasant and informative. The van was comfortable. We were able to see many sites both around the mall and in the city itself. The museum itself was outstanding. Definitely recommended this tour.”

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8.Washington, DC: African American History Tour & Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 312 reviews · 210 minutes - 4 hours · from $89

Spend 3.5 to 4 hours tracing African American history across Washington, DC, with guides such as Dre or Elvis Pate. Ride an air-conditioned bus to the Lincoln Memorial, Howard University, U Street, and other key sites, then enter the National Museum of African American History and Culture on your own with timed admission.

“Our guide Dre is very knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. Highly recommend this tour.”

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9.Washington DC: African American History Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · 2 hours

Meet your English-speaking guide at the National Museum of African American History and Culture for a two-hour private visit. Your guide connects the museum to the National Mall and African American history, then focuses on key exhibits at a pace suited to your family. Guides such as Nur Ali Gray, Koura, and Michael have been praised for keeping children and adults engaged.

“Nur Ali Gray was a great tour guide—-very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about history! My teens loved him.”

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10.NYC: Central Park Pedicab Tour and Natural History Access

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 52 reviews · 1 hour · from $50

Start near Central Park South for a private one-hour pedicab ride with an English- or French-speaking guide. Hear Central Park history, movie trivia, and local stories while stopping at Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Cherry Hill, and Strawberry Fields. Upgrade for museum entry and direct drop-off at the American Museum of Natural History.

“Brilliant i was there with my ten year old son and our guide Max, was really fun and informative,shared a lot of good information, and really made the trip fun for both of us, he explained so well all the attractions around the movies so this is definitely one of the highlights for us. Thank you Max :)”

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