There s a model of the nearby bullion depository that the villain Goldfinger used to plot his attack on the vault in the James Bond movie at this museum, but the prime attraction here is armory. Depending on the degree of interest you or your kids have in U.S. martial history, the Patton Museum can consume anywhere from a half-hour to a whole afternoon to explore it. The collection, which is actually the museum of the Armored Branch of the U.S. Army, earned its name from the many items that came from Gen. George Patton Jr. s Third Army. The Patton Gallery also contains many of the general s personal items. Every Independence Day, some of the historic armored equipment returns to action with maneuvers operated by soldiers who re-create the era with authentic uniforms and equipment.
Admission is free.
More than an archive, this collection of vintage photographs and historic documents is also displayed in the gallery in rotated exhibits. You can browse through photocopies of the originals and order prints for a small fee. While the presentations at this planetarium allow a close look at the solar system s planets that isn t possible with a telescope, this facility is best thought of as an introduction to astronomy. Using equipment that projects an image of the night sky onto a domed ceiling, the Rauch s program simulates the current evening sky and other visible sky phenomena. See it indoors, then find it outside later that night with your own telescope.