New England has the best open-air and maritime museums in America, according to USA Today readers

Travel

Three Massachusetts museums were recognized for their excellence.

By Kristi Palma

February 19, 2026 | 11:53 AM

1 minute to read

New England is full of history and two museums are portraying it best, according to USA Today readers.

The publication released a list of the best museums in America on Wednesday, part of its 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and named Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, Mass. the No. 1 open-air museum and Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine the the No. 1 maritime museum in the country.

At Plimoth Patuxet Museums, visitors explore reproductions of the early Plymouth Colony and Mayflower II and learn about the Wampanoag culture.

“Visitors can immerse themselves in living history while interacting with interpreters who portray Pilgrims at the 17th-century English Village,” wrote the publication.

Another Massachusetts museum, Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass., ranked No. 3 on the list of best open-air museums. The picturesque museum full of historic buildings, working farms, and costumed historians recreates the New England town from the 1830s.

At the indoor-outdoor Maine Maritime Museum, located near the renowned Bath Iron Works shipyard, guests can visit historic buildings, view exhibits, and learn about historic wooden ships.

“With its picturesque location, the museum’s riverside campus offers a memorable introduction to New England maritime culture,” wrote the publication.

Another regional maritime museum, Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Conn., ranked No. 3 on the list of best maritime museums. The museum includes a working shipyard, recreated coastal village, and historic vessels that include the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan.

Concord Museum in Concord, Mass. was also named the No. 2 small town museum in America, second only to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pa. Concord played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, and the museum’s collection includes paintings, furniture, maps, tools, and clothing, some of them centuries old.

For the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards lists, USA Today travel experts select 20 nominees in topics from food to lodging, destinations to things to do. Then the publication asks readers to cast votes to determine the top 10.

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.