If you’re a pet owner with a love for history, you’ll be pleased to know that there are many pet-friendly museums in historical towns across the country. These museums are the perfect destination for you and your furry travel companion to explore together. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best pet-friendly museums in various states, so you can plan your next vacation accordingly.

Why Visit a Museum with Your Pet?

Visiting a museum with your pet can be a rewarding experience for both of you. While you immerse yourself in the exhibits and learn about the history of the place, your dog can enjoy a new environment and work on their training. It’s an opportunity for your pet to socialize, get exercise, and explore new scents. Plus, it’s a chance for you to bond and do more together.

Which Museums Are Pet-Friendly?

Not all museums are pet-friendly, especially those with delicate and breakable artifacts. However, we have found that many museums with outdoor exhibits are happy to welcome pets. These pet-friendly museums can be found in a variety of settings, including neighborhood historic districts, sculpture gardens, ghost towns, transportation museums, historic estates, living history sites, state parks with historic sites, maritime museums, and educational farms.

Here is a list of some of the pet-friendly museums you can visit:

Arizona

• Pima Air & Space Museum – Tucson, AZ
• Pioneer Living History Museum – Phoenix, AZ
• Quartzsite Museum – Quartzsite, AZ

Arkansas

• Ozark Folk Center – Mountain View, AR

California

• Bodie State Historic Park – Bridgeport, CA
• California State Railroad Museum – Sacramento, CA
• Calico Ghost Town – Yermo, CA
• Columbia State Historic Park – Columbia, CA
• El Pueblo de Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
• Empire Mine State Historic Park – Grass Valley, CA
• La Purísima Mission State Historic Park – Lompoc, CA
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park – Placerville, CA
• Old Sacramento State Historic Park – Sacramento, CA
• Palm Springs Air Museum – Palm Springs, CA
• Railtown 1897 State Historic Park – Jamestown, CA
• San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park – San Francisco, CA
• Santa Cruz Surfing Museum – Santa Cruz, CA
• Traveltown Museum – Los Angeles, CA
• Western Railway Museum – Suisun City, CA
• Will Rogers State Historic Park – Pacific Palisades, CA

Colorado

• Benson Sculpture Garden – Loveland, CO
• Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site – La Junta, CO
• Chapungu Sculpture Park – Loveland, CO
• Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings – Manitou Springs, CO
• Miramont Castle – Manitou Springs, CO
• Ouray County Ranch History Museum – Ridgway, CO
• Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site – Colorado Springs, CO
• South Park City – Fairplay, CO

Connecticut

• Mystic Seaport – Mystic, CT

Florida

• Apalachicola Maritime Museum – Appalachiola, FL
• Spanish Military Hospital Museum – St. Augustine, FL
• Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park – Cross Creek, FL

Illinois

• Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park – University Park, IL

Indiana

• Mid-America Windmill Museum – Kendallville, IN
• RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum – Elkhart, IN

Iowa

• Living History Farms – Urbandale, IA

Kansas

• Brown County Agriculture Museum – Hiawatha, KS

Kentucky

• Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill – Harrodsburg, KY

Maine

• Seashore Trolley Museum – Kennebunkport, ME

Maryland

• Annapolis Maritime Museum – Annapolis, MD
• AnnMarie Sculpture Garden – Solomons, MD
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum – St. Michael’s, MD
• Historic London Town & Garden – Edgewater, MD
• Historic St. Mary’s City – St. Mary’s City, MD

Massachusetts

• deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum – Lincoln, MA
• Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm – Newbury, MA
• Waters Farm – Sutton, MA

Michigan

• Crossroad’s Village & Huckleberry Railroad – Flint, MI

Minnesota

• Historic Forestville – Forestville, MN
• Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – Minneapolis, MN

Missouri

• Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park – Kansas City, MO
• Laumier Sculpture Park – St. Louis, MO
• National WWI Museum And Memorial – Kansas City, MO
• Sculpture Park – Nelson-Atkins Museum – Kansas City, MO

Montana

• Montana Grizzly Encounter – Bozeman, MT

Nebraska

• Scotts Bluff National Monument – Gering, NE
• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer – Grand Island, NE

New Jersey

• Historic Cold Spring Village – Cape May, NJ
• Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum – Cape May, NJ

New Mexico

• International UFO Museum & Research Center – Roswell, NM
• Kit Carson Home & Museum – Taos, NM
• The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History – Albuquerque, NM

New York

• Finger Lakes Boating Museum – Hammondsport, NY
• Saunders Finger Lakes Museum – Branchport, NY

North Carolina

• Artivity on the Green – Winston-Salem, NC
• Bethabara Historic District – Winston-Salem, NC
• Biltmore Estate – Asheville, NC
• Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site – Flat Rock, NC
• Cradle of Forestry in America – Brevard, NC
• Historic Latta Plantation – Huntersville, NC
• Holmes Educational State Forest – Hendersonville, NC
• Jordan Lake Educational State Forest – Apex, NC
• North Carolina Museum of Art – Raleigh, NC
• Old Salem Museums & Gardens – Winston-Salem, NC
• Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest – Purlear, NC
• Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest – Elizabethtown, NC
• Tuttle Educational State Forest – Lenoir, NC
• Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park – Wilson, NC

North Dakota

• Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site – Williston, ND
• Knife River Indian Villages – Stanton, ND

Ohio

• Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village – Waynesville, OH
• Gorman Heritage Farm – Evendale, OH
• Historic Roscoe Village – Coshocton, OH
• Malabar Farm State Park – Lucas, OH

Oklahoma

• Gardens at the Gilcrease Museum – Tulsa, OK

Oregon

• Dorris Ranch Living History Farm – Springfield, OR

Pennsylvania

• Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation – Newtown Square, PA
• Conrad Weiser Homestead – Womelsdorf, PA
• Daniel Boone Homestead – Birdsboro, PA
• Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site – Elverson, PA
• Old Bedford Village – Bedford, PA

Rhode Island

• South County Museum – Narragansett, RI

South Carolina

• Living History Farm at Kings Mountain State Park – Blacksburg, SC

Tennessee

• National Bird Dog Museum – Grand Junction, TN
• Homeplace 1850s Working Farm – Dover, TN

Texas

• Texas Transportation Museum – San Antonio, TX

Utah

• Wheeler Historic Farm – Murray, UT

Virginia

• Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum – Surry, VA
• Colonial Williamsburg – Williamsburg, VA
• Frontier Culture Museum – Staunton, VA
• Henricus Historical Park – Chester, VA
• Historic Jamestowne – Jamestown, VA
• McCallum More Museum & Gardens – Chase City, VA
• McCormick’s Farm & Workshop – Raphine, VA
• Mount Vernon – Mount Vernon, VA

Washington

• Olympic Sculpture Park – Seattle, WA
• San Juan Islands Sculpture Park – San Juan Island, WA
• Seattle Center – Seattle, WA
• Shafer Historical Museum – Winthrop, WA
• The Center For Wooden Boats – Seattle, WA

Wisconsin

• Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park – Danbury, WI

Washington DC

• The National Mall

Rules for Pet-Friendly Museums

While most pet-friendly museums allow pets on their grounds and outdoor exhibits, pets are generally not allowed inside the buildings. However, there are a few exceptions where pets are allowed inside certain buildings that do not have carpets. It is important to leash your pet and clean up after them at all times. Additionally, it is recommended not to leave your pet unattended, so plan your trip with a human friend and take turns exploring the buildings and taking care of your pets.

Service dogs are always allowed to accompany their owners in museums, regardless of the museum’s pet policy.

Conclusion

Pet-friendly museums are a great way to explore historical towns and attractions with your furry travel companion. From outdoor exhibits to scenic gardens, there are plenty of opportunities for you and your pet to learn and have fun together. Remember to follow the rules and be considerate of other visitors during your visit. Enjoy your trip to these historical towns and make some lasting memories with your pet.