The Prices of Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours to North America
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For travelers with a passion for the past, history, museum, and cultural tours around North America offer a fascinating journey through time. These tours take you to iconic landmarks, world-renowned museums, and culturally rich destinations where you can discover the stories, art, and traditions that have shaped our world. Whether you're exploring historical ruins, admiring priceless works of art, or immersing yourself in local customs, these tours allow you to connect with history and culture in a way that's both educational and inspiring. In this article, we'll explore the costs of history, museum, and cultural tours around North America, highlight some of the best options, and reveal the destinations that make these tours an unforgettable experience.
To help you find the perfect cultural journey, we've carefully researched a variety of tours. By comparing price ranges, tour quality, included amenities, and cultural experiences, we've identified the best value options for history and culture enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for an affordable museum tour or an in-depth cultural immersion, these tours in North America offer a wealth of knowledge, exploration, and adventure. So, pack your curiosity and get ready to travel through history with a journey you'll never forget.
Why does North America appeal to history and art lovers?
North America is a treasure trove for art history enthusiasts, with its iconic museums, historic art movements, and architectural marvels. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and NYC offer plenty of amazing museums and sights to explore. The romance, charm, and excitement of Los Angeles, NYC, and Las Vegas makes them very popular with couples looking for a romantic trip. Across a variety of destinations and historical periods, North America's rich artistic heritage captivates travelers.
How much do art history and museum tours in North America cost?
The average price per day for art history and museum tours in North America is $405, based on our analysis of 11 tours. While the overall prices can vary greatly, when we look at the daily price of these tours, the costs range from $277 to $614 per day.
Budget-friendly tours average around $337 per day, while higher-end luxury tours average about $477 per day.
Budget tours will usually provide less luxurious accommodation, have larger group sizes, and visit less expensive destinations. They will also sometimes have you pay for more activities on your own instead of including everything up front.
Mid-range tours often provide a step up in accommodation and transportation, and include more guided activities.
Luxury tours usually provide the highest levels of service, luxury hotels, more gormet food choices, comfortable transportation, and offer more all-inclusive payment options.
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The Best Tours in North America
Budget-Friendly Tours
Budget-friendly and affordable art history and museum tours in North America average $337 per day, with daily prices from $277 to $386. Budget tours usually include hotels, meals, and activities that are not quite as nice as other tours. Often, they might only include transportation, lodging, and some activities, leaving you on your own to pay for meals and other attractions during the tour. This can be a very convenient and economical way to visit France without spending too much money, as it gives you control over the amount you spend on meals and extra services. If you're looking for a really great option, check out Canadian Maritimes and Coastal Wonders featuring the Cabot Trail (2025) here.
Mid-Range Tours
For typical art history and museum tours in North America that fall in the middle range of prices, the average cost is $400 per day. Daily prices range from $393 to $406. Taking this step up in price from the cheaper tours to mid-range will often get you plenty of extra amenities and service for a great price. These tours usually include very comfortable hotels, meals at delicious local restaurants, comfortable transportation, knowledgable guides, and entry to many of the top attractions. One of the best tours is Italy's Treasures Art, Food & Wine of Italy (Stresa to Venice) (2026).
Luxury Tours
Luxury art history and museum tours in North America average around $400 per day, with daily costs ranging from $408 to $614. At this price, you'll be very well taken care of and pampered on your journey through the scenic destinations. Knowledgable guides, the best accommodation options, the finest restaurants, comfortable transportation, and quick entry into attractions are all part of the itinerary. Every luxury and detail has been planned and thought about so that you don't have to deal with any hassle, you simple show up and enjoy your vacation. One of the best luxury tours here is Alaska's Northern Lights (Anchorage, AK to Fairbanks, AK) (2024).
Which tour companies offer art history, museums, and cultural tours?
A number of fantastic tour companies offer art history and museum tours in North America. These are a few of the best, because they offer the highest rated service, provide the best overall quality, and have the most five-star guest reviews to prove it.
Collette
Collette is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include the U.S., Italy, Great Britain, and France. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as wine tasting, island hopping, and camping.
Trafalgar
Trafalgar is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include the U.S., Great Britain, Italy, and France. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of their tours are priced in the mid-range category.
Art History, Museums, and Cultural Destinations in North America
Wondering where art history, museums, and cultural tours visit in North America? With a variety of stops and destinations along the way, there's something for everyone.
Rapid City
Rapid City is in western South Dakota and it makes a great base for exploring the many national parks, state parks, and other landmarks in the area. The city offers convenient access to Mount Rushmore, but you'll also find Badlands National Park and Custer State Park nearby. Within town there are many museums and activities that highlight the region's unique geology and wildlife.
You'll find a wide variety of museums and landmarks nearby. Popular places to visit that aren't far from town include the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, the South Dakota Air & Space Museum, and the Journey Museum & Learning Center. There's also the Museum of Geology and the National Presidential Wax Museum. And of course, there's the iconic Mount Rushmore.
Halifax
Halifax is a port city on the eastern side of Canada. It's in Nova Scotia and is a popular stop off for visitors exploring the area. It has a long maritime history with several historic sites and museums that you can explore.
You should head to Pier 21, where you'll find the Canadian Museum of Immigration. The Discovery Center is a great spot for kids, as is the Natural History Museum. Finally, check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.
Anchorage
Anchorage is Alaska's largest city. It is a cultural city that offers access to stunning landscapes and dramatic beauty. There are many parks and natural areas to explore nearby including Chugach State Park and the Flattop Mountain Trail. Many people arrive or depart from their Alaskan adventure through Anchorage, and the city offers a great overview to the region's culture and natural beauty.
While most people visit for the outdoor experiences, there are a few museums where you can learn about the local culture and wildlife. Popular museums include the the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the Alaska Aviation Museum, and the Alaska Museum of Science and Nature.
Denver
For many travelers, Denver serves as an arrival or departure point for their national park and Rocky Mountain trips. The city is relatively large and sprawling with a handful of museums that you can visit. The city also offers access to several of the ski resorts that are nearby.
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Other popular destinations for art history, museums, and cultural tours through North America include Badlands National Park, Alpine, Billings, Kahului, and Kailua Kona.
Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours vs. Independent Travel: Pros and Cons
Trying to determine whether to book a guided tour or manage your own travel itinerary? Consider the advantages and trade-offs of both approaches.
Organized Tours
Pros- Guides offer expert insights into art and history.
- Access to lesser-known stories and details.
- Skip-the-line access to popular sites or museums.
- Organized itineraries save time and effort.
- Opportunities to ask questions and interact.
- Group tours often include transportation.
- Visits to curated highlights ensure you see the best.
- Learn cultural context for deeper appreciation.
- Group settings may feel impersonal or distracting.
- Fixed itineraries limit flexibility.
Independent Travel
Pros- Freedom to choose your favorite museums and landmarks.
- Explore at your own pace without feeling rushed.
- Tailor your itinerary to your specific interests.
- Spend more time at off-the-beaten-path locations.
- Flexibility to adjust plans as you go.
- Enjoy a more personal, intimate experience.
- Researching locations takes time.
- Risk of missing important context or details.
- Navigating transportation to multiple places can be tricky.
- Long lines or limited access without advanced booking.
- Harder to discover hidden stories or significance.
- No expert to answer your questions on-site.
- Overwhelming number of options to choose from.
- Requires managing tickets, hours, and reservations yourself.
Which is cheaper?
Is it cheaper to plan your own trip or join guided art history and museum tours? The answer isn't clear-cut. Tours typically package accommodations, transportation, meals, entry fees, and activities into one price, whereas independent travelers must arrange and pay for these themselves. To understand the cost difference, compare the tour's price with the cost of booking everything individually. Depending on whether you choose budget-friendly options or splurge on certain aspects, the tour might be a better deal—or not. Make sure to check what's included before drawing conclusions.
Also, before booking a tour, make sure you know exactly what is included as tour companies sometimes change their itineraries or included amenities to keep them updated with seasonal changes and customer interests.
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