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The National Comedy Center, the United States’ museum and national archive dedicated to the art form of comedy, was named the #1`Best Pop Culture Museum in the country by USA Today as part of the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, it was announced today. https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-pop-culture-museum/

The National Comedy Center was one of 20 institutions nationwide nominated as the best in the U.S. in the pop culture category by a panel of nationally recognized travel and lifestyle experts for the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, which highlight outstanding travel destinations, attractions and experiences, lodging, shopping, food and drink, sports and outdoors, and more. Fellow nominees in the category included the American Sign Museum, Charles M. Schulz Museum, World of Coca-Cola, Strong National Museum of Play, and Comic-Con Museum. As USA Today notes, “America has long been a hotbed of pop culture, and these museums celebrate the very best of it, from movies and food to beloved characters and urban legends.”

The National Comedy Center was ultimately named the nation’s #1 Best Pop Culture Museum by popular vote following a four-week national online voting period from January 12 through February 9, 2026.

“This national recognition from USA Today is a powerful acknowledgment of the extraordinary artists who have shaped comedy — the great minds, singular voices, and time-honed creative processes that have elevated this art form throughout its history,” stated Journey Gunderson, Executive Director of the National Comedy Center. “Comedians past and present have helped us see the world differently, challenge conventions, and bring people together through laughter. We’re honored to celebrate their work and grateful to the artists, supporters, and audiences who believe in preserving comedy’s heritage while inspiring new generations.”

“Comedy sits at the heart of American pop culture, and at the National Comedy Center, visitors can experience it in a deeply personal and engaging way,” stated Gary Hahn, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the National Comedy Center. “Our interactive exhibits connect people to the moments, memories, and cultural touchstones that shaped their lives — it’s what draws them to Jamestown and helps make it a destination for visitors from across the country and around the world.”

The National Comedy Center has previously received top honors from USA Today across multiple categories. In 2020, it was voted the nation’s #1 “Best New Museum,” and in 2019, it was voted the #2 “Best New Attraction” while ranking as the #1 museum and #1 ticketed attraction in the USA Today poll. The museum has also been named one of Time magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places,” and to U.S. News & World Report’s “25 Top Family Weekend Getaways in the U.S.”

This past fall, the National Comedy Center’s Memory Café program won two Gold Anthem Awards – a global honor from the Webby Awards organization recognizing purpose and mission-driven work – for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement, among fellow honorees including Google, PBS, UNICEF USA, AARP, World Central Kitchen, Sesame Workshop and more.

About the National Comedy Center

The National Comedy Center is the United States’ cultural institution, museum and national archive dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations. Through its exhibits, archives, and educational initiatives, the National Comedy Center explores the full breadth of comedy’s great history — spanning influential artists, iconic works, and the cultural moments that shaped the art form — and has collaborated with dozens of artists, estates, and industry partners to preserve materials representing comedy’s significant artistic, social, and political contributions to American culture.

Opened in 2018 in Jamestown, New York, the museum complex offers an unprecedented, immersive visitor experience using state-of-the-art technology, interactivity, and personalization. Condé Nast Traveler called it “one of the best museums in the country,” and People magazine named it one of “100 Reasons to Love America.” The museum has been featured in The New York Times, CBS Sunday Morning and on NBC’s TODAY Show, which called it “the Smithsonian of Comedy.”

Based on the vision of Jamestown native Lucille Ball for her hometown to become a destination for comedy, the non-profit National Comedy Center’s mission is to provide education on the comedic arts in the form of commentary and contextualization of its bodies of work across all eras and genres of the art form.

The National Comedy Center operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which explores the lives, careers, and legacy of the “First Couple of Comedy” and the incredible impact they had on the world, as well as the pioneering role and remarkable influence that I Love Lucy and Desilu Studios had on the entertainment industry.

The annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, produced and presented by the National Comedy Center, has showcased comedy’s great voices over 35 years, including Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah, Nate Bargatze, Lily Tomlin, John Mulaney, Bill Murray, Taylor Tomlinson, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Jeff Foxworthy, Nicole Byer, Jay Leno, Joan Rivers, Margaret Cho, Amy Schumer, Sebastian Maniscalco, W. Kamau Bell, David Spade, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Kevin Nealon, The Smothers Brothers, and more than 300 comedic artists.

The National Comedy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural institution whose mission is funded by philanthropic support. Donations and grants support the museum and its work to present the vital story of comedy and preserve its heritage for future generations.

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The National Comedy Center was named the #1`Best Pop Culture Museum in the country by @USAToday @10Best as part of the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards,