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Smithsonian names 20 Best Small Towns to Visit

By Becky McCray

Wood-fronted museum building in Freedom, Oklahoma.

Small towns have museums, art, and culture. We just don’t tell anyone about it. Photo by Becky McCray. 

Small town tourism can take inspiration from the Smithsonian Institution’s list of best small towns to visit in the U.S.

Their first list in 2012 was limited to towns under 25,000 in population. For 2013, they’ve changed the target to towns under 15,000 and put the focus on visiting rather than just giving a ranking.

The list was pulled together by ESRI, the geo-data company, and ranked small towns “that have exceptional concentrations of museums, art galleries, orchestras, theaters, historic sites and other cultural blessings.”

Any state or region can borrow the idea to create their own “best of culture” list or to set up a cultural tour.

(Hey, Dennis Deery, your town Menomonie, WI, made the 2012 list!)

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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
  • Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020

May 28, 2013 Filed Under: rural, tourism

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