10 Amazing Midwest Museums To Vist This Summer

Summer may be for meant for family road trips but that doesn't mean learning has to stop because school is out of session. Here are ten wonderful museums in the midwest that are fun for all ages and worthy of including in your travel plans.

1. American Sign Museum

One of Cincinnati's most underrated attractions offers an incredible look at the history of signs in America. From gigantic neon marquees to historic hand-painted wooden signs - the American Sign Museum is a must-see midwest attraction.

Along with a fun Main Street streetscape that's sure to wow every member of your family, you'll see rare pieces like a towering 1963 McDonald's sign with the original "Speedee" mascot and a nostalgic throwback to the Howard Johnson motel chain.

2. Buffalo Bill's Home and Historical Park Museum

Did you know that you can walk through the home of historic Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody? His house and ranch in North Platte, Nebraska was where he lived during the peak of his fame in the late 1880s. He not only lived here in-between shows with his family but also managed a 4,000 acre working ranch.

The 18-room victorian style house is open for tours along with the rest of the original Scout's Rest Ranch property. You'll see family belongings inside the home along with rare Wild West Show promotional materials. In the barn next door, you'll see antique vehicles and farm equipment.

3. Volo Museum

One of the most unique museums in Illinois is located about an hour northwest of Chicago. The Volo Museum has an enormous collection of rare vehicles and cars featured in famous films and TV shows like Grease, Knight Rider, Back to the Future, and Ghostbusters.

In addition to cars - the Volo Museum has a mind boggling collection of odds and ends that includes artifacts from the Titanic,, arcade games, and even a working 1980s Rockafire Explosion animatronic band from ShowBiz Pizza Place.

4. Wonders of Wildlife Museum

Named as one of the best tourist attractions in America, Wonders of Wildlife features an insanely cool 1.5 million gallon aquarium. Having visited most of the major aquariums in the U.S. - this one is without a doubt my favorite and the most impressive.

Not only is there a massive aquarium inside this 350,000 square feet attraction - there's a wildlife museum that immerses you in realistic wildlife dioramas. The museum is located in Springfield, Missouri right next to the original Bass Pro Shop.

5. Old Cowtown Museum

Wichita, Kansas is home to one of the most impressive outdoor history museums in the country. Walking through Old Cowtown you'll see more than 50 reconstructed historic buildings including homes, a saloon, and old-time pharmacy. Depending on the time of year, you'll enjoy actors strolling through the property to give you an authentic look at the 1800s in rural Kansas.

Old Cowtown is featured in my book 100 Things To Do in America Before You Die!

6. Super Museum

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's the Superman Museum in Metropolis, Illinois! As if the world's largest Superman statue wasn't enough - the Super Museum has a wonderful collection of Superman artifacts and collectibles that will thrill even the most fair-weather comic book fan.

Around town you'll find a statue of Lois Lane, Superman murals, and plenty of Instagram worthy photo ops to share with your friends.

7. Air Force Museum

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world. Bring your comfortable shoes and plan to spend an entire day to barely scratch the surface of this free attraction near Dayton, Ohio.

As mentioned in my book Presidential Road Trips - the museum features an entire hangar full of presidential aircraft. See a retired Air Force One along with planes used by Eisenhower and Roosevelt.

8. Children's Museum of Indianapolis

I've been a big fan of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis for many years and always recommend it to friends who want to road trip with their kids. While the five floor mega-museum is definitely designed for kids, that doesn't mean adults won't love it as well.

You'll find life-size dinosaur skeletons, an immersive space station exhibit, a gigantic Transformer character in the museum lobby, tributes to pop culture, a 1917 carousel, and a playscape for the youngest of children. The best part - the outdoor sports exhibit that gives kids a chance to play a wide variety of sports on authentic looking "mini" professional fields and courts.

9. City Museum

Your family will do more hiding and sliding than learning - but it's still a must-see in St. Louis. The City Museum is located inside a repurposed shoe factory and includes quirky highlights like a school bus and ferris wheel on the roof!

The museum first opened in 1997 and was the creation of artist of Bob Cassilly. Everything is built from recycled materials - from the underground tunnels and caves to rope bridges and slides from one floor to the next.

10. Arabia Steamboat Museum

One of the most unusual museums in the midwest is centered around a shipwreck on the Missouri River in 1856. The Steamboat Arabia and its contents were discovered in 1988 buried 45 feet under a farm field in Kansas. Thousands of items were preserved in mud and now sit on display in Kansas City.

You'll see clothing, tools, dishes and even food that was recovered from the site. The entire experience offers a surreal glimpse into the mission of the Hawley family that studied maps and eventually tracked down the sunken steamboat.

Be sure to see it soon as it's scheduled to close for relocation in November 2026.