When it comes to creating interesting new designs to unleash on the world, whether they be art, architecture, photography, or even digital, it’s always important to have a great understanding of the creations that came before. After all, if the goal is to create something original, you first have to know how it differs from everything else. Yet also, it can be equally empowering from a designing point of view to realize that most creative pieces that seem totally one-offs, were actually inspired heavily by those around them.
One of the best ways to further this knowledge, and to gather research for your own creative opportunities, is to visit various museums and galleries. Thankfully, there are many fascinating design museums located around the USA, that allow you to submerge yourself fully into the creative process. Just remember to take your sketchbooks, so you can take detailed notes of everything that catches your eye.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum – New York
The Big Apple is a place that is overflowing with creativity, including these 10 beautifully creative water towers you should visit in New York. It’s also home to many amazing galleries, and museums, though our pick for the one where every design fan should go, is the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Located on the Upper East Side’s Museum Mile in Manhattan, it’s interestingly the only museum in the country that is entirely dedicated to both historical and contemporary design.
The many collections on show will mesmerize visitors, as the halls are filled with around 240 years worth of design aesthetics that are sure to get the creativity fired up. It really feels like a travel back through time, as you get to sample different periods through both the items that were used everyday, such as chairs or cutlery, and also get to view amazing works of specialized art.
The Neon Museum – Las Vegas
If you’re lucky enough to be in Sin City, then this is a must-visit for anyone who has even a passing interest in the art and design of signage. There’s no better examples of beautifully crafted signs that pique thousands of passing people’s interests, than the ones that stand loud and proud on the front of glamorous hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. The Neon Museum understood before anyone else that these gigantic flashing signs were works of art, and saw how culturally important preserving them was, not just for the city of Vegas, but also for the entire country.
Located on Las Vegas Boulevard, walking around the massive museum is a glorious look back at exactly what legions of graphic designers dreamt up to captivate the crowds. It’s a great way to kick your imagination into gear when it comes to which images are most visually arresting, paired with which typography you would like to incorporate into your own work. You could say that a visit to this place will definitely make a neon lightbulb flash over your head.
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Chicago Athenaeum – Galena
The Chicago Athenaeum is an International Museum of Architecture and Design, making it a great draw for those who are deeply interested in everything that these subjects have to offer. Despite its name, it is actually located in the small city of Galena, Illinois, on South Prospect Street. The museum first opened in 1988, and since then has been delivering stunning examples of structural artistry and design.
A great reason for visiting this place is that they don’t just showcase how visually pleasing its design and architectural examples are, they also delve into great detail, explaining exactly how these two fields reflect on the world around them, and can have an impact on the quality of life for the citizens that regularly come into contact with them. It really leaves you thinking about the impression that your own designs can leave on the society that surrounds you.