"The city’s largest art museum is easily its most popular, with themed exhibits across multiple buildings. (Architecture aficionados can geek out about said buildings, which include the jagged, crystal-inspired annex by Daniel Libeskind and the fortress-like 1971 Gio Ponti building, which recently celebrated its 50th birthday with a four-year, $175 million refresh completed this October). The DAM scores with both acclaimed temporary exhibitions—100 works by French artist Edgar Degas, 70 original costumes from the Star Wars film franchise—and well-rounded programming that will appeal to art experts and kids alike. There’s a little bit of everything, including an extensive collection of Native arts, large format paintings, and intriguing sculptures. How to tackle in a day? See which themes appeal (maybe you prefer textile art and fashion over African art, for example) and take in a few rooms at a time. You can always come back." - Megan Barber
