If it’s art and culture you want, it’s art and culture you’ll get.
It’s no coincidence that Omni Hotels & Resorts places its hotels at the heart of what makes cities so attractive. This allows you to easily experience the destinations that define the cities they’re in. Omni knows that you value this proximity to local attractions. This especially holds true for the museum enthusiast. Highlighted below are five Omni Hotels that are in cities you wouldn’t normally expect to have a large cultural presence. Prepare to discover the hidden gems of the museum world, and all within easy reach
1. Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale
Surround yourself with luxury, comfort and art collections from across the globe.
Located in downtown New Haven, the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale surrounds you with New England elegance, luxurious comfort and an impressive number of museums you’ll want to spend some time visiting. In fact, just steps away is the historic campus of Yale University and the Yale University Art Gallery. Housed in several buildings on campus, the museum highlights a remarkable collection of early Italian painters, African sculptures, modern art and American decorative and fine art.
What do Christopher Columbus, British art and Boston history have in common? Proximity.
Only four blocks from the hotel, the Knights of Columbus Museum showcases a collection of Christopher Columbus and papal memorabilia. It’s open year-round, but you may want to consider visiting during the holidays when the Christmas exhibitions are on display.
Also four blocks away, the Yale Center for British Art houses the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. Treat yourself to an impressive representation of British art and culture from the Elizabethan period.
A five-block stroll from the hotel takes you to the New Haven Museum and Historical Society. Come discover the city’s fascinating 375-year history – from its humble beginning as a Puritan village to the thriving metropolis it is today.
Think children don’t like museums? These four will prove you wrong.
The Connecticut Children’s Museum is six blocks away and comprises eight thematic and community-inspired rooms where your children can let their imaginations run wild.
Children and adults alike will find the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History captivating. From the moment you enter, it’s like stepping back in time 4.5 billion years, as the museum guides your exploration of the earth’s long history. Containing approximately 13 million objects, the collection includes mummies, mastodons, dinosaurs, fossils and diamonds.
For children between five and 12 years old, The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop boasts 1,001 things to build before you grow up. For instance, kids can build a toy train as a walk-in project, which still leaves 1,000 more things to build. Better get busy.
The Shore Line Trolley Museum operates the oldest continuously running suburban trolley line in the U.S. Learn about the history of trolleys in indoor exhibit rooms and as you enjoy a three-mile round trip on a restored trolley through the scenic Branford salt marshes near Long Island Sound.
2. Omni San Diego Hotel
You may not think of San Diego as a museum destination. But that’s about to change.
Located in the heart of the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Omni San Diego Hotel puts you close to the city’s top sights and attractions, including many of the area’s most popular museums.
Museums and exhibits the whole family will enjoy.
Just five blocks away, the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum provides hands-on educational exhibits and programs focusing on science, art, and world cultures.
At the San Diego Air & Space Museum, you’ll be taken on a journey through aviation history. From the Montgolfier brothers’ hot air balloon of 1783, to the Golden Age of Flight Gallery to the museum’s display of space age technology, the history of flight is documented with rare specimens of significant aircraft spanning World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Located in the Casa de Balboa, the San Diego History Center has exhibitions to engage the whole family with participatory activities that tell the remarkable stories of the region’s past, present and future. While at Casa de Balboa, check out two other interesting collections at the Museum of Photographic Arts and the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
Also in the heart of Balboa Park, The San Diego Museum of Art houses some of the finest art from around the world. Nationally renowned collections include Spanish and Italian masters, South Asian paintings and 19th and 20th century American paintings and sculptures.
The Museum of Man has a variety of interactive exhibits that are as wide and varied as man’s history of relationships with everything – from monsters and beer to animals and even cannibalism.
Two open houses you won’t want to miss.
If you’re in historic Old Town San Diego and want to see a classic example of mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival architecture, check out the Whaley House, one of southern California’s most popular visitor destinations. On the other hand, The Marston House, one of California’s finest examples of Arts & Crafts architecture, sits on five acres of landscaped English- and California-influenced gardens. Both are worth the visit.
Your ships have come in.
Take to the water for two must-see maritime museums, including the Star of India historic ship – the world’s oldest active sailing ship – and the USS Midway historic aircraft carrier, which includes more than 60 exhibits and a collection of 29 restored aircraft.
3. Omni Fort Worth Hotel
Some call it “Cowtown.” You’ll call it “Museum Town.”
Conveniently located in the heart of Fort Worth’s exciting downtown, Omni Fort Worth Hotel puts you within easy walking distance of the city’s hottest spots, including the cultural centers you’ll want to visit. For example, a short stroll from the hotel takes you to historic Sundance Square, the city’s premier entertainment, dining, shopping, and residential district. It’s also where you’ll find the Sid Richardson Art Museum, which features paintings by premier depicters of the American Old West, artists Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington.
The Fort Worth Cultural District is a destination in itself for art and culture.
Just minutes from downtown, the Fort Worth Cultural District is a park-like setting where you can tour as many as six internationally renowned museums in one location. They include the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (which includes the Cattle Raisers Museum), Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. While there, you’ll also want to visit the Will Rogers Memorial Center, and the acclaimed theater, Casa Mañana. Here’s a little more detail on the museums.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth comprises nearly 3,000 objects, including paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs, and prints. Most of the works in the collection range from 1945 to the present.
Emphasizing quality over quantity, the Kimbell Art Museum’s permanent collection features less than 350 works. Yet you’ll find your experience with the smaller collection more intimate, and truly extraordinary.
Now in its sixth decade of operation, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers a diverse array of exhibitions, publications and programs that connect visitors to masterpieces of American art.
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is the world’s only museum dedicated to honoring women of the American West. It features interactive exhibit galleries and two theaters. The museum’s archives house over 4,000 artifacts and information about more than 750 remarkable women.
The vast collection at Fort Worth Museum of Science and History places an emphasis on Texas and the Southwest. Represented are the disciplines of botany, entomology, malacology, ornithology, mineralogy, herpetology, mammalogy, invertebrate zoology, geology, meteoritic and paleontology.
Better catch your breath, there’s still more to do.
If you’re still going strong, you may also want to explore the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, the Fort Worth Zoo or take a stroll or bike ride along the river on the Trinity Trails. Renting a bike is easy. In fact, Fort Worth Bike Sharing is right across the street from the hotel.
4. Hotel Omni Mont-Royal, Montréal
375 years of art and culture await your discovery.
Rising above the heart of downtown on elegant Sherbrooke Street, the luxury Hotel Omni Mont-Royal dominates the Golden Square Mile’s historical district. Towering over Mount Royal Park, the 31-story hotel offers magnificent city views, and easy access to a plethora of cultural sites and museums. Here are five worth checking out.
If you have the time, the McCord Museum has a lot to see.
The McCord Museum of Canadian History has been collecting objects for nearly 100 years, including images, documents and other objects that span three different centuries. The result: a vast collection comprising close to 1,500,000 objects, including paintings, prints, drawings, textiles, domestic and decorative objects, photography and textual archives, dating from the 18th century to the present day. So settle in. You might be there a while.
See art, a concert hall, and a 375-year old birthday present of sorts.
The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts features over 41,000 works including paintings, sculptures, graphic arts, photographs, and decorative art objects displayed in four pavilions. One pavilion houses Bourgie Hall, a concert hall featuring an important group of Tiffany stained glass windows. A fifth wing, the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, opened in late 2016 to launch Montréal’s 375th birthday celebration.
Discover contemporary art showcased in an avant-garde setting.
For a truly unconventional art experience, head for the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles where you’ll find the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (Contemporary Art Museum of Montréal). This museum brings together local and international artists to offer unexpected experiences that are continually changing.
In what was once part of the Golden Square Mile, the Canadian Centre for Architecture contains a vast library and archive, and is host to various exhibits throughout the year. You’ll also find an architectural garden located on the southern side of René-Lévesque Boulevard, and a sculpture garden created by architect Melvin Charney.
Dig deep and you’ll uncover the area’s three-century old history.
Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archaeology emphasizes the archaeology and history of Old Montréal. The museum has collections of artifacts from the First Nations of the Montréal region that illustrate how various cultures coexisted and interacted, and how the French and British regimes influenced the history of this territory over the years.
5. Omni La Mansión del Rio
After your visit to San Antonio, you’ll remember more than just the Alamo.
Omni La Mansión del Rio is ideally nestled in tranquil surroundings along the historic River Walk on the banks of the Paseo del Rio in downtown San Antonio. Perfectly situated, you’re in close proximity of the fabled Alamo, El Mercado, La Villita Historic Arts Village, Spanish Governor’s Palace and several highly respected museums you’ll want to check out.
Also located on the River Walk, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is only steps from the hotel, so it’s an ideal start to your museum tour. It’s also a great place to celebrate the art, heritage, and history of the American West. Browse art and artifacts from across the history and cultures of the American West. Spanning five centuries – from the Spanish conquest to the present day – the collections tell the story of the West in all its unfolding drama.
Also a short stroll away, the Institute of Texan Cultures is located at Hemisfair and is a popular destination for tourists, students, researchers, history buffs, as well as shopping enthusiasts. The museum is family-friendly, and includes many hands-on elements for kids. The 182,000-square-foot complex features 65,000 square feet of exhibits and displays that tell the many and complex stories of Texans.
Even the walkways are lined with art.
As you stroll the beautiful Museum Reach along the River Walk, indulge yourself in the continuous show of public art. It’s a sort of appetizer for what’s to come at the San Antonio Museum of Art, where you’ll be treated to a collection of approximately 30,000 objects representing 5,000 years of history and culture from every region. The museum also houses one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of ancient Egyptian, Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman art in the southern United States.
Backing up to the San Antonio River, the Witte Museum, whose motto is “Everything Texas, and so much more” is where nature, science, and culture meet. It has just completed a $100 million makeover, and now showcases expanded galleries that include hands-on displays and impressive, high-tech features.
While a little farther away (5.8 miles), the McNay Art Museum is well worth the visit. The first museum of modern art in Texas, the McNay opened its doors in 1954. The collection began with a strong emphasis on Modern European and American art, with a particular concentration in French painting and Post-Impressionism. Since then, the collection has grown and now boasts over 20,000 objects, including the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts, which comprises over 9,000 theatre arts objects focusing on scene and costume designs.
Your kids will think they’re playing, when in fact they’re learning.
Think of The DoSeum as an interactive learning laboratory where your kids will discover, explore, learn and create. Most of the exhibits focus on science, technology and mathematics. The museum is situated in a 5.5-acre park, and features exhibits like an interactive robot, a spy academy of math challenges, an interactive puppet parade, a musical staircase and even an outdoor ADA-accessible tree house. In fact, the place is massive, with more than 26,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space, and an additional 39,000 square feet of outdoor exhibit space. Suffice it to say, your kids will have the room to play, while challenging their infinite imaginations.
Location, location, location (with unparalleled comfort) is everything at Omni.
As a traveler, you’re always looking for something new and different. That’s the benefit of staying at Omni. You know you’ll get the luxury and service you’ve come to expect, but also the convenience of proximity, putting you at the center of the city and within walking distance to art, culture and everything else you want to explore.