May 18 is International Museum Day, which makes it the perfect day to visit your local museums and learn about what they offer and the role they play in society.
The point of Museum Day is to raise awareness of museums and keep the public informed on what challenges museums face as non-profit institutions. Each year has a specific theme for the day, and for 2016 it's "Museums and Cultural Landscapes."
More than 30,000 museums all over the world participate, many offering free exhibits and activities that revolve around that theme.
So what better way to celebrate Museum Day than by visiting your local museum? But for those who want to pursue their more geekier interests, here's a list of museums created just for you.
The National Museum of Mathematics
Location: New York, New York
The Museum of Mathematics opened in Manhattan in 2012 and is officially North America's only museum dedicated exclusively to math. The museum features more than 30 interactive exhibits and is not just a great place for math enthusiasts, but also for educators seeking a good field trip location for students.
Computer History Museum
Location: Mountain View, California
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, learn about the history of computers and see a fully functional replica of the original Difference Engine by Charles Babbage (a must-see for computer geeks). The museum also has a Cray-1 Supercomputer, as well as exhibits dedicated to how the concept of computers has evolved throughout the years.
The National Museum of Play
Location: Rochester, New York
This museum is all about one thing: fun. Its exhibits explore the history of fun, through play, and has a variety of historical dolls, toys and games. This museum is located in the Strong complex, which also features the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, where video gamers can play a gigantic version of Tetris and more than 40 vintage arcade machines.
Maison d'Ailleurs
Location: Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland
Maison d'Ailleurs is the ultimate destination for fans of science fiction and futuristic ideas. Its collection features more than 70,000 documents related to sci-fi and futurism, as well as art and toys plucked from different eras of history. There's even a wing in the museum dedicated exclusively to Jules Verne.
EMP Museum
Location: Seattle, Washington
The EMP in Seattle is a virtual haven for geeks: not only does the museum contain props, costumes and other items from some of your favorite genre TV shows and movies, but it also has some pretty awesome music exhibits, too, especially for fans of Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. Some of the most memorable pieces of its collection include costumes from The Princess Bride and weaponry used in the Lord of the Rings movies.
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
Location: St. Augustine, Florida
Arr, here be pirates! And now that pirates are a big part of pop culture, the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum can teach you all about real pirates that once existed, men and women who were far more fierce than Captain Jack Sparrow. The museum features a lot of great pirate artifacts, too, including Blackbeard's blunderbuss, Thomas Tew's original treasure chest (something Uncharted 4 fans might get excited about), gold retrieved from the Queen Anne's Revenge and one of the only three surviving Jolly Roger flags in the world.
