The history of the Poconos come home in any one of the first-rate museums dotting the region. Trains, living history, or Houdini, take your pick.

Steamtown USA National Historic Site (888-693-9391, 570-340-5200; http://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm) in Scranton. Renovated railroad stations and artifacts of the era when steam ruled transportation in the United States.

Pocono Indian Museum (570-588-9338; http://www.poconoindianmuseumonline.com/shop), Bushkill. Traces the history of the Delaware Indians through displays of ancient artifacts. Open daily year-round; self-guided tour.

Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm (570-992-6161; http://www.quietvalley.org), Stroudsburg. History comes to life on 19th century farmstead. Period-dressed "family guides" re-enact the life of a Pennsylvania German farming family who lived on this land.

The Famous Houdini Museum (570-342-5555; http://www.houdini.org), 1433 No. Main Street, Scranton. The only museum in the world dedicated to the legendary magician and escape artist.

Mauch Chunk Museum and Cultural Center (570-325-9190; http://www.mauchchunkmuseum.com), Jim Thorpe. Mauch Chunk became a bustling coal transportation center by the middle of the 19th century. Mauch Chunk changed its name to that of 1912 Olympic hero Jim Thorpe in 1954. Take in the 30-foot working model of the Switchback Gravity Railroad.

C&B Trains and Museum (570-443-8940), White Haven. Year-round outdoor "O" scale model train display with White Haven themed pictorial historical museum. Delaware & Hudson Canal (570-685-4871), Beach Lake. Established the first direct transportation link between the Pennsylvania anthracite fields and New York harbor.

Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery (570-476-4240; http://www.dutotmuseum.com), Delaware Water Gap. Art gallery and museum of local history housed in a circa 1850 schoolhouse.

No. 9 Mine and Museum (570-645-7074; http://www.no9mine.com), Lansford. Ride by rail into the mine, then a walking tour, that imparts the experience of the views, paths, and adventures of a deep coal miner.