GREAT NORTH AMERICAN MUSEUMS

Baseball is more than just a game. It’s a family experience that connects generations. It’s an American tradition that holds a special place in the hearts and minds of fans, young and old. It’s the feelings and emotion behind the memories. It’s everyone who has made the pilgrimage to New York’s Cooperstown to honor the All-Time Greats who are enshrined in the Hall of Fame. It’s the relationships forged, stories shared, cherished memories created – the game connects us all. That’s baseball – and that’s what the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is all about. Once inside the Museum, your cherished memories and moments will come flooding back – whether you are 10 years old or 70 years old, a casual fan or a fanatic. Opened in 1939, the Hall of Fame’s collections contain more than 40,000 3D artifacts — think bats, balls, gloves and uniforms — donated by players and fans who want to see history preserved. The Museum itself encompasses five buildings connected via several renovation and expansion programs. Today, the legendary museum can easily accommodate more than 3,000 baseball fans per day. (baseballhall.org)

Sometimes referred to as the “Forgotten Founder,” George Mason often gets overshadowed by his neighbor, George Washington. An architect of the American Revolution and a leading proponent of both limiting government tyranny and protecting citizens’ rights, Mason (1725-1792) was the author of the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights and considered one of the main authors of the Virginia Constitution. He was also a leader in the constitutional convention and subsequent ratification debates. And, yes, he was a friend of the other George, George Washington, as well as Thomas Jefferson and other early American founding fathers.

At the Fairfax County, Virginia plantation home of Mason and his family, the story of this bold thinker is front and center. Built between 1755-1759, Gunston Hall is a magnificent 18thcentury Georgian home surrounded by some 550+ (at one time it included 5,500 acres) of grounds along the Potomac River and is dedicated to preserving the story of those who lived there.

Highly regarded for its elegant interiors, including a number of architectural elements from Palladian, Gothic, Rococo, Classical and Chinoiserie styles, Gunston Hall was designed by indentured servant William Buckland. (gunstonhall.org)

Fort Belvoir, VA

Located on a publicly accessible space at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the United States Army is a state-of-the-art, all-ages destination that proudly tells the story of America’s oldest military service. Situated on an 84-acre campus, the museum includes outdoor event spaces, onsite dining, flight and tank simulators, shopping, and the Experiential Learning Center, which engages individuals and groups in G-STEM activities.

Included in the museum’s permanent exhibits are the Fighting for the Nation Galleries, which include “Founding the Nation” (which explores the origins and formation of the Continental Army), “Preserving the Nation” (which documents the Army’s role in the Civil War and America’s westward expansion) and the “Global War Gallery” (which portrays the Army’s role in the Allied victory during World War II).

The “Army and Society” gallery tells the history of the intersection between the Army and the nation, including the Army’s role in advancing the fields of medicine, engineering, space exploration and flight. Special group offers can be found at ArmyHistory.org/group-ticketing/.