Visiting a museum is a great family vacation activity – especially on a rainy day in the Smokies! The Smoky Mountains offer a number of excellent museums that cover a wide variety of topics. No matter what you’re interested in, there is a museum waiting for you in the Smokies. To help you make the most of your next getaway, Acorn Cabin Rentals has put together a guide to five of the best museums in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

1. Hollywood Star Cars Museum

The Hollywood Star Cars Museum is a can’t-miss destination for TV and movie buffs. This fun museum is home to some of the most famous cars to grace the silver (and small) screen. Highlights of the collection include the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Jalopy from the Beverly Hillbillies, the Drag-u-la from The Munsters, cars from the Fast and the Furious films, and two Batmobiles. Visitors can even get their picture take in one of the iconic cars for an extra fee.

2. Titanic Museum Attraction

The Titanic Museum Attraction is sure to catch your attention when you’re driving down the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, as the entire museum is shaped like an ocean liner! While the outside of the museum is a half-scale recreation of the RMS Titanic, the inside of the museum features a number of full-scale recreations of the ship’s rooms, including the breathtaking Grand Staircase. Guests will find over 400 artifacts that were on the Titanic, along with a number of interactive exhibits, including the Captain’s Bridge (which features a steerable wheel) and a miniature iceberg.

3. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium is another one of the most popular museums in Gatlinburg. Much like the Ripley’s Believe It or Not TV show and books, the Odditorium is dedicated to anything and everything that is bizarre or unusual. Visitors will marvel at hundreds of strange artifacts from all around the globe, including cannibal skulls, shrunken heads, and an ostrich skeleton.

4. Alcatraz East Crime Museum

Alcatraz East Crime Museum is the newest museum in Pigeon Forge, but it has already built a loyal following of fans. This one-of-a-kind museum is organized around five themes: the history of American crime, the consequences of crime, crime scene investigation, crime fighting, and pop culture. Alcatraz East has garnered a lot of attention for its impressive collection of crime artifacts, including O.J. Simpson’s Ford Bronco, Bonnie and Clyde’s getaway car, Al Pacino’s submachine gun from the movie Scarface, and Al Capone’s rosary.

5. Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum is home to over 20,000 sets of salt and pepper shakers from all over the world! This museum began as a private collection in the home of Andrea and Rolf Ludden, but a lack of shelf space pushed the Luddens to share their shakers with the world. Nearly all of the shakers boast eccentric designs that you won’t find on a typical kitchen table. Admission is only $3.00 and that money is applied to the cost of any set of salt and pepper shakers in the gift shop.

When you stay with Acorn Cabin Rentals, you will be near all of these awesome museums in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Our cabins come with your choice of wonderful amenities, including mountain views, hot tubs, game rooms, theater rooms, internet access, and swimming pools. With everything from 1 bedroom cabins to 8 bedroom cabins, we are guaranteed to have the perfect accommodations for your next escape. To start planning your vacation, browse our selection of cabins in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge!