America's Best Small Towns To Visit In 2013, According To Smithsonian Magazine (PHOTOS)

For the second year in a row, Smithsonian Magazine put together its list of the 20 best small towns across America worth visiting. Like last year, it enlisted the help of geographic information company Esri to search for towns with populations less than 15,000 with a strong cultural bent, i.e. high numbers of museums, art galleries, theaters, and historic sites and the like. (Last year's list looked for towns with populations under 25,000.)

In 2010, HuffPost Travel examined 10 small towns across America with populations from the very tiny (around 2,400) to the larger (roughly 35,000). In 2011, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its list of America's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations," which highlighted destinations across the country that offer unique cultural experiences. And in 2012, Outside Magazine listed its favorite riverside towns.

Here are the 10 best small towns with populations under 15,000, according to the Smithsonian. For numbers 11 through 20, click over to the Smithsonian Magazine's website.