The European and American paintings, sculpture, works on paper and decorative arts of the illustrious Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute were gathered by Robert Sterling Clark and his wife, Francine, during the years between World War I and 19..

One of the country's leading museums, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) contains a comprehensive collection of more than 350,000 artworks organized in eight departments-Art of the Americas; Art of Europe; Contemporary Art; Art of Asia, Oceania an..

Located at the mouth of the Mystic River, this 17-acre complex pays homage to America's 19C maritime past. More than 60 buildings in the village house functioning workshops found in a 19C seaport, where visitors can watch demonstrations of crafts rel..

America's most visited historic estate, Mount Vernon sits on a grassy, shaded slope overlooking the Potomac River. Here, George Washington escaped the rigors of public office and enjoyed the life of a successful Virginia planter. The estate's main bu..

Even for those inured to the Elvis myth, a visit to Graceland is by far the best way to begin to understand the exuberant cross-cultural heritage of country, blues, gospel, soul and rock that put Memphis and its favorite son on the world's musical ma..

Overlooking the calm blue waters of Biscayne Bay, this ornate Italian Renaissance-style villa and its formal gardens embody the fantasy winter retreat of their builder, Illinois entrepreneur James Deering. Vizcaya took 1,000 workers more than two yea..

Housed in a glass-fronted pavilion on Independence Mall, the Liberty Bell was crafted in London's Whitechapel Foundry in 1751, but developed a crack soon after its arrival in Philadelphia and had to be recast by local metalsmiths John Pass and John S..

Occupying the lower tip of the peninsula formed by the Ashley and Cooper rivers-named for Anthony Ashley Cooper, one of the English Lords Proprietor-Charleston's historic district encompasses the area specified in the original 17C city plan, called t..

This expansive, mega-entertainment complex on the Cumberland River about 9mi northeast of downtown Nashville encompasses the world's longest-running live radio show, the Grand Ole Opry. After occupying the Ryman auditorium for nearly 30 years, the Op..

Named for the snow that blankets the area during most of the year, these massifs, dominated by Mt. Washington (6,288ft) of the Presidential Range, are characterized by rounded summits and deep, U-shaped notches. Scenic roads, including the magnificen..

Virginia's 18C colonial capital has been painstakingly re-created on this 173-acre town site that includes 88 original shops, houses, and public buildings and hundreds of reconstructed colonial structures on their original sites. The restoration proj..

Renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt used 500,000 cubic feet of American, African and Italian marble in the lavish 1892 "cottage" that he designed for millionaire yachtsman William K. Vanderbilt. The classical portico is supported by four..

The Breakers is an opulent 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palace (1895), designed by Richard Morris Hunt. Outfitted with French and Italian stone, marble and bronze, red alabaster and gilded plaster, it was used as a summer retreat for the family ..

Built in 1723, "Old North" earned its place in history during the Revolution. Here, on the evening of April 18, 1775, the sexton displayed two lanterns in the steeple to signal the departure of the British from Boston to Lexington by boat, ..

This is one of the most significant art museums in the US. Its roots trace back to the late 19C, when the state legislature called for the building of a permanent structure to serve as an art gallery during the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Today the m..

Hard by Lake Michigan, the Shedd is the world's largest indoor aquarium. It houses some 8,000 aquatic animals comprising 650 species from around the globe—from tiny, jewel-like spiny lobsters to 1,500-pound beluga whales. The Shedd's exhibits and pro..

Muscular and monumental, nothing represents Chicago ("the city of big shoulders") more than this 1,127ft skyscraper (1969). It's the third-tallest building in Chicago, the fourth-tallest in the US and, because of its huge cross-bracing stel..

This Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house is renowned for its size, complexity and 250 art-glass windows and doors.

Tallest building in the world for over 20 years, this 110-story feat of engineering cuts an unmistakable profile on the city's skyline. Though its formal name changed from the Sears Tower to Willis Tower in 2009, the structure still holds the title..

The popular 2.5mi walk, beginning at the 50-acre park, Boston Common, and ending at Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, includes most of the urban sites related to Boston's 18C and 19C history, particularly those that played major roles in the Revol..