In mid-July members of the Bead Society of Northern California got the treat of traveling to Carmel, CA to visit the Picard Bead Museum. (www.picardbeads.com) 
The Picards have a great collection of glass trade beads. They've got them organized by style and some by region where they're more traditionally found.
The displays are beautifully done, really allowing visitors to get a good, up-close look at these beads. Many have labels describing their materials, and where and when they were commonly traded.
It was a treat to be able to spend the afternoon in a museum FULL of beads, instead of being limited to the usual few pieces in most museums.
In addition to the museum, the Picards also have a bead store so that you may be able to purchase some of the same styles of beads that are on display. I was able to find some vinyl beads that I regretted not getting more of on my visit to Ghana. I also bought some wonderful coconut shell beads. I highly recommend a visit here if your heart melts a little when beads are mentioned.
