Archaeological Open-Air Museum

Plimoth Plantation is a living museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA, that re-creates the original settlement of Plymouth Colony established in 1620 by the English Colonists, known as Pilgrims. The 17th-Century English Village consists of Pilgrim houses and outbuildings built in front of the public using traditional timberframing technology, and is staffed by interpreters playing the roles of colonists who lived in Plymouth in 1627.

Offering visitors a glimpse into the lives of a 19th-century farm family. Originally part of a Revolutionary War land grant, comprised of 16 original and restored log structures. Living history events are held throughout the year. Located in the Tennessee portion of Land Between The Lakes, a 170,000-acre peninsula nestled between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Open March - November.

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm is located in Olathe, KS, about 20 minutes southeast of downtown Kansas City. The original 1865 limestone historic house served as an official stagecoach stop on the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails until the train arrived in Olathe in 1869. 

Old Shawnee Town is an outdoor museum recreating a Kansas prairie town dating from the 1840s to the early 1920s. The site features seven original and twelve replica buildings, two gardens, and three structures providing support services for operation of the site. Each building is furnished with artifacts dating roughly from that period. Owned and operated by the City of Shawnee, Kansas, as a division of the Parks & Recreation Department.

Old Cowtown Museum is a living history museum located in Wichita, Kansas along the Arkansas River. It focuses on life in Wichita during the last part of the 19th century.

Step back in time and experience what life was like on a DuPage County Farm in the 1890s. Stroll through restored farmstead structures and meet the historically-costumed interpreters operating this living-history farm using the tools and techniques of the past. Activities and events at the farm re-create the seasonal rhythms that have governed farm life for centuries. There is always something to see, do and learn at Kline Creek Farm.

The Lauresham Open-Air Laboratory is an essential part of the new presentation of the World Heritage Site Lorsch Abbey. The conception in its entirety is including the World Heritage Site itself (with its historical remains), a large depository of sculptural fragments from the Roman Era to the 16th century which is opened for visitors on demand, the “Museumszentrum” existing since 1995, which is meant to induct our visitors into the rich heritage of Lorsch Abbey in the fields of spiritual and academic life represented by a large library nowadays scattered all over the world. The Open Air Laboratory is a department or, in a way, an exhibit within this museum conception overlapping all aspects of monastic life in the Early Middle Ages.

The Apple River Fort was the site of an important battle during the Black Hawk War. It was the only fort attacked by Black Hawk during the turbulent summer of 1832. On June 24, 1832, the settlers of the fort turned back an attack by some 200 Sauk and Fox warriors led by Black Hawk. The war lasted only sixteen weeks, ended the threat of Indian attacks in the area and opened the region to further settlement. Many notable men participated in the Black Hawk War including a young Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and General Winfield Scott. Abraham Lincoln and his militia company arrived at the fort a day after the battle.

Naper Settlement is a family-friendly outdoor history museum featuring 12 acres of learning and interactive opportunities for all ages. Located in downtown Naperville, Naper Settlement is just steps away from dining, shopping and the Riverwalk. Visitors will be immersed in history as they learn about the past and how it relates to the present, from pioneer times to today. Highlights include special events and programs and activities year-round, both on- and off-site. Each year, 125,000 visitors, including 35,000 northern Illinois schoolchildren, experience living history at Naper Settlement.