Fodor's Expert Review Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

The Cooper Hewitt has taken an ornate, century-old mansion—once the residence of industrialist Andrew Carnegie—and outfitted it with the latest technologies and amenities to create a slick, highly interactive, 21st-century experience, so you don’t just look at design; you engage with it. Download the free app to guide you through some of the wide-ranging collection's more than 200,000 objects, including antique cutlery, vintage wallpaper, art and design books, Japanese sword fittings, and examples of robotics and animation. Rotating exhibits may focus on a particular designer or design era.

The focus on design and discovery extends to the SHOP, where limited-edition objects are for sale. There is a café, and an outdoor garden is free and open to the public. The museum offers guided tours aligned to exhibition topics at 1:30. Purchase timed tickets online.