The Seattle Art Museum, or S.A.M. for short, is a great place to spend a rainy day in the Emerald City — or a sunny day should you chance upon it.

What? It could happen.

Not only does the museum feature some the world’s best art (permanent and touring exhibitions), but it also has a number of interactive and family-friendly activities for the little art lover(s) in your family. There’s something for everyone!

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums, Monuments and Memorials Series.

Photo: drcw via Flickr

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a living museum located in the saguaro-filled outskirts of Tucson, Arizona.

The mission of the museum “is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert.”

There is something for everyone, be it educational, inspirational or interactive. They also offer a number of events each month like plant sales, pancake breakfasts and a festival of flight. There is quality dining on the premises.

The Desert Museum is just a few minutes from another Tucson treasure, Old Tucson Studios. If you make the drive via Gates Pass (roughly 30 minutes from downtown Tucson), make sure to allow for a sunset viewing along one of the many designated parking areas in the hills between the museum and the city — that will put everything in perspective.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums & Monuments Series.

Photos: DrStarbuck (quail) and contemplicity (bobcat) via Flickr

The J. Paul Getty Museum, according to its own website, “seeks to further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of the highest quality.”

That means it has neat stuff for you to look at.

The museum is located in Los Angeles at the Getty Center, atop a hill overlooking the parking lot that is the 405 freeway (museum access is via Sepulveda Blvd). Drive by during rush hour and you’ll have plenty of time to stare at its wonder and watch the tram shuttle people up its steep hill.

Inside the museum you will find paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and photographs from Europe and America.

There is a smaller J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu, just off the Pacific Coast Highway and directly across from the beach. This one wins the battle of location.

However, the real winner is you, the art-loving public, because admission to both Getty Museums is free (however, the Getty Villa requires an advance, timed ticket for occupancy reasons).

Visit L.A., and add a free day of culture to your vacation. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums & Monuments Series.

Photo: Allan Ferguson via Flickr

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or “The Met” as we like to call it, is to New York City what the Louvre is to Paris. More or less. Point is, it’s full of wonderful art and history that needs to be seen on your next NYC vacation.

The Met is closed on Mondays (except holidays), and admission ranges from $12 for students to $25 for adults (there is a senior discount and children under 12 are free). Admission covers same-day access to the Main Building and The Cloisters Museum and Gardens. It’s like a twofer.

The Met offers audio tours, information in various languages and some very cool opportunities for kids — like the popular Drop-in Drawing where children are encouraged to draw, literally, inspiration from original works of art.

The Cloisters, which is devoted to medieval Europe, offers free gallery workshops for children ages four through twelve on select dates.

Current exhibitions include (at the time of this writing, use link for updates) a rooftop showing of Anthony Caro, Frans Hals and Night Vision: Photography After Dark, plus many others.

There is dining available in the museum as well as a few steps in any direction outside of it — it’s New York, there is stuff everywhere.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums & Monuments Series.

Photo: LWY via Flickr