31 Incredible Museums from around the World
As someone who believes that learning is a lifelong process, I'm a huge fan of discovering new museums on my travels. Gone are the days of stuffy, off-putting museums where the main focus was keeping guests as far away as possible from the items of display. Instead, today's museums are vibrant, lively, and interactive: there's a focus on immersion and what the role of a museum is in today's society. Often, contemporary museums ask as many questions about the visitors as they do about the exhibits (thank you, postmodernism!)
I asked 31 fellow travel bloggers to share their favorite museums and received a wide array of submissions focusing on museums from across the globe. As you go through these, you'll notice what makes these museums so memorable: many are quirky, many delve into difficult subject matter (both in depth and in topic), and many are focused on topics that never would've been seen in museums 50 years ago (hello, comic books and neon lights).
Add a few of these to your next trip and see how a fantastic museum can help you shape new opinions about the world around you.
North America
The Mattress Factory // Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Laura Nalin, Willful and Wildhearted
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| Photo courtesy of Willful and Wildhearted |
The Getty Center // Los Angeles, California
Penny Sadler, Adventures of a Carry-on
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| Photo courtesy of Adventures of a Carry-on |
Aside from being a beautiful and inspiring place to visit simply for the location and the architecture, the permanent collection, changing exhibitions and outdoor art on view at the Getty Center, reach across European and American history -- from medieval times to the present.
I never miss a chance to visit the Getty Center. It is one of the most enriching and educational places in the world for me.
International Museum of Surgical Science // Chicago, Illinois
Carol Guttery, Wayfaring Views
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| Photo courtesy of Wayfaring Views |
The Dali Museum // St. Petersburg, Florida
Mary Chong, The Calculated Traveller
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| Photo courtesy of The Calculated Traveller |
Metropolitan Museum of Art // New York City, New York
Stephanie Rose, Ginger on the Go
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| Photo courtesy of Ginger on the Go |
Cornelia Parker designed Psycho Barn for the summer of 2016 with influences from Edward Hopper's painting and the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. This sculpture is 30 feet high and sits on the Met's rooftop with Central Park and the Manhattan skyline in the background. They have lovely parties on the roof in summer, making it the perfect place to meet friends and enjoy the culture of the city.
Asia
Hakone Open Air Museum // Hakone, Japan
Shobha George, Just Go Places
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| Photo courtesy of Just Go Places |
Edo-Tokyo Museum // Tokyo, Japan
Rhonda Krouse, Travel Yes Please
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| Photo courtesy of Travel Yes Please |
This museum showcases what life was like in Edo and chronicles its transition to modern-day Tokyo. There are large-size replicas of buildings (my favourite was the Kabuki theatre), automated exhibits, scale-model dioramas illustrating life of the townspeople and displays with tiny figurines carefully placed to show people going about their daily errands. There are also some interactive areas and hands-on displays that help make the Edo-Tokyo Museum a fun and engaging place to learn about Tokyo’s past.
Israel Museum // Jerusalem, Israel
Claudia Tavani, My Adventures Across the World
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| Photo courtesy of My Adventures Across the World |
These 800 scrolls were found in 1947 and later on in 1956 in various caves in the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea. They have been dated to around AD 132-35 and their importance lies in how much they reveal of the history of the region, and their obvious religious significance.
Osaka Castle Museum // Osaka, Japan
Amanda Kendle, Not a Ballerina
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| Photo courtesy of Not a Ballerina |
Art Science Museum // Singapore
Mar Pages, Once in a Lifetime Journey
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| Photo courtesy of Once in a Lifetime Journey |
This iconic building in the Marina Bay area of Singapore is a museum where you can find innovative, creative and modern exhibitions by the likes of Lego or renowned artists like Dali. The building stands out for its incredible architecture, which is very photogenic from the river onboard a river cruise. At night, it is lit magically. Once a month, the museum also has chill out sessions with performances.
Since my first visit to Doha in 2010, I’ve sung the praises of the Museum of Islamic Art to anyone who’ll listen. It’s the finest museum in the Emirate and one that houses the most complete and important collection of Islamic art --both secular and religious-- on the planet. I’ve returned almost every time in my subsequent eight visits to the Qatari capital.
The building itself is monumental, thanks in no small part to architect I.M. Pei, who was coaxed out of retirement by the Emirate to undertake the ambitious project’s design, a center piece of Qatar’s goal to redefine itself as an international cultural center. Pei admitted he knew nothing about Islam and little about the Islamic world, so at 91 he set off on a six-month quest to fill that knowledge gap.
The result was a five-story 45,000 square meter structure built on a small island constructed at the southern end of Doha Bay, housing 14 centuries of the finest Islamic art and artifacts collected from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. The collection runs the gamut: metalworks, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, textiles, manuscripts, coins and glass are all included. Protip: prepare yourself for a great lesson in the history and beauty of Arabic script.
You may be wondering what the theme of this museum/temple is, but the name actually says it all – this temple is said to house what is claimed to be Buddha’s left canine tooth. It is therefore one of Singapore’s most popular spiritual hubs for Buddhists. It also attracts over 3.6 million visitors from all religions annually looking to learn more about the history, art and culture of Buddhism.
One of the reasons I love this museum, apart from its highly spiritual influence and the free vegetarian meals it provides its visitors, is its mix of old and new. From the outside, the temple looks like a traditional Tang dynasty imperial Chinese building with its slanting bamboo roofs and red wooden beams. On the inside, you’ll see that this $75 million complex built in 2007 enjoys air conditioning, lifts and TV screens. I love the play of old and new, spiritual and materialistic, a true depiction of modernity and the bustling city in which it is housed.
Over the past 4 years traveling I’ve been to handful of museums but none stick out to me more than the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. Being an American, I remember learning about the Vietnam War in school and even hearing stories from men who were in it. It was really interesting to walk to through the museum and hear the other side of the story. The museum is really well done with some horrific and graphic photos that show how devastating the war was. It’s not an easy museum to walk through; you’ll more than likely need some tissue listening to some of the audio tapes. I however think it’s one of the most impactful museums and one I walked away with so knowing so much. When picking which Vietnam destinations to visit defiantly make sure to have a few days in Ho Chi Minh City and spend a few hours at the War Remnants museum.
My favorite museum is the national museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a mecca of culture, history royalty and heritage. My favorite piece was the statue of a king, over 4 metres tall, standing on a pile of skulls and, of course, the penis sheaths worn by Papuan men. With gold treasures, monumental statues of kings and ancient Hindu-Buddhist artifacts, this museum has been preserving Indonesian heritage for over 200 years now.
An old department store, some school buildings and a deserted parking lot were converted into a modern and clean museum in Taichung, Taiwan. It was named CMP Block Museum of Arts. The team spent a lot of effort and turned the whole area into a “living museum”.
The outdoor space has lots of geometrical and intriguing art figures and designs, involving aesthetics in our life. The museum has no boundaries and pedestrians are encouraged to come to the exhibitions which are held throughout the year as per the theme and holiday trends. But the half buried cars, which are my favourite, are a permanent feature.
Slowly the area became very popular with the older and younger generation both. The broken and boring park lanes are converted to Happy Trails, to make the kids play the age old games.
There is a creative market on holidays accompanied with many coffee shops & restaurants nearby. You can pay a visit to all the unique and interesting stores in the building and take a stroll in the park, spend time at the Block Museum.
Museum of Islamic Art // Doha, Qatar
Bob Ramsak, Piran Café
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| Photo courtesy of Bob Ramsak |
The building itself is monumental, thanks in no small part to architect I.M. Pei, who was coaxed out of retirement by the Emirate to undertake the ambitious project’s design, a center piece of Qatar’s goal to redefine itself as an international cultural center. Pei admitted he knew nothing about Islam and little about the Islamic world, so at 91 he set off on a six-month quest to fill that knowledge gap.
The result was a five-story 45,000 square meter structure built on a small island constructed at the southern end of Doha Bay, housing 14 centuries of the finest Islamic art and artifacts collected from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. The collection runs the gamut: metalworks, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, textiles, manuscripts, coins and glass are all included. Protip: prepare yourself for a great lesson in the history and beauty of Arabic script.
Buddha Tooth and Relic Museum // Singapore
Callan Wienburg, Singapore n Beyond
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| Photo courtesy of Singapore n Beyond |
One of the reasons I love this museum, apart from its highly spiritual influence and the free vegetarian meals it provides its visitors, is its mix of old and new. From the outside, the temple looks like a traditional Tang dynasty imperial Chinese building with its slanting bamboo roofs and red wooden beams. On the inside, you’ll see that this $75 million complex built in 2007 enjoys air conditioning, lifts and TV screens. I love the play of old and new, spiritual and materialistic, a true depiction of modernity and the bustling city in which it is housed.
War Remnants Museums // Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hannah and Adam, Getting Stamped
Over the past 4 years traveling I’ve been to handful of museums but none stick out to me more than the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. Being an American, I remember learning about the Vietnam War in school and even hearing stories from men who were in it. It was really interesting to walk to through the museum and hear the other side of the story. The museum is really well done with some horrific and graphic photos that show how devastating the war was. It’s not an easy museum to walk through; you’ll more than likely need some tissue listening to some of the audio tapes. I however think it’s one of the most impactful museums and one I walked away with so knowing so much. When picking which Vietnam destinations to visit defiantly make sure to have a few days in Ho Chi Minh City and spend a few hours at the War Remnants museum.
National Museum // Jakarta, Indonesia
Jo, Wander with Jo
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| Photo courtesy of Wander with Jo |
CMP Block Museum of the Arts // Taichung, Taiwan
Nisha Jha, Lemonicks.com
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| Photo courtesy of Lemonicks |
The outdoor space has lots of geometrical and intriguing art figures and designs, involving aesthetics in our life. The museum has no boundaries and pedestrians are encouraged to come to the exhibitions which are held throughout the year as per the theme and holiday trends. But the half buried cars, which are my favourite, are a permanent feature.
Slowly the area became very popular with the older and younger generation both. The broken and boring park lanes are converted to Happy Trails, to make the kids play the age old games.
There is a creative market on holidays accompanied with many coffee shops & restaurants nearby. You can pay a visit to all the unique and interesting stores in the building and take a stroll in the park, spend time at the Block Museum.
Australia
South Australian Museum // Adelaide, Australia
Tom Stevenson, The Traveling Tom
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| Photo courtesy of The Traveling Tom |
Europe
Rodin Museum // Paris, France
Sher, Sher She Goes
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| Photo courtesy of Sher She Goes |
Russian Central Airforce Museum // Monimo, Russia
Jordan Adkins-Bakker, Inspired by Maps
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| Photo courtesy of Inspired by Maps |
My favourite museum is the Russian Central Airforce museum in Monino, and is a must see! Not far outside Moscow it's the largest aviation museum in Russia and the largest collection of Russian aircraft in the world ...outside the current Russian military!!. Fields of rusting Soviet airpower you can't see anywhere else in the world. Rows upon rows of fighter jets through to supersonic bombers, I gaurantee you didnt know half these aircraft even existed! The American’s sure didn’t at the time. A Russian knock off of the Concorde and the largest helicopter ever built are just a couple of the many highlights. Some of these aircraft were the backbone of the Russian airforce during the Cold War while there are others that are still in service. My favourite aircraft? The Sukhoi T-4, which is an experimental bomber from the 70's. Able to reach speeds three times the speed of sounds, four were originally built but now only one remains....plus it looks a little bit like Snoopy! A must visit for anyone with even a passing interest in aviation history when in Moscow!
11/07/95 // Sarajevo, Bosnia
Gemma Armit, Two Scots Abroad
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| Photo courtesy of Two Scots Abroad |
Stromness Museum // Orkney Islands, Scotland
Helena, Through an Aussie's Eyes
You may not have heard of the Orkney Islands in Scotland but you may have
heard of such famous places as Scapa Flow, Skara Brae and the Ness of
Brodger. You can find artifacts from these places at the Stromness Museum
that date right back to the Neolithic Age. This little Museum lets you
step through the history of the Orkney Islands. You can explore the Ness
of Brodger’s artifacts, learn about whaling, the Hudson’s Bay Company
(they recruited Stromness workers to go to Canada for the fur trading
outposts) and the German Fleet in Scapa Flow (area of conflict in both WWI
and WWII). The current exhibition is looking into the loss of HMS
Hampshire and the death of Lord Kitchener, England’s Secretary of State
for War. The Stromness Museum is rich with history and you will get a
great understanding of Orkney Island life.
Comic Strip Center // Brussels, Belgium
Olga Rabo, The Russian Abroad
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| Photo courtesy of The Russian Abroad |
Upon my first visit to Belgium, I was surprised to find out that comics - yes, the comics that eventually lied the road to Superman, Batman, famous Marvel heroes and so on - actually originated in the Waffle-land (aka Belgium itself). I always thought that all comics came from the US or Canada, which decided to exploit the movement to the fullest in the film industry. But apparently, Belgium was home to the first comic series in the world -- such as The Adventures of Tinin or The Smurfs. The Comic Strip Center in Brussels is a huge gallery featuring early sketches and famous figures that walk you through the history of comics. As geeky as this sounds, surprisingly, it's more interesting that it seems.
Cinquantenaire Museum // Brussels, Belgium
Alison Cornford-Matheson, CheeseWeb
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| Photo courtesy of CheeseWeb |
This museum of civilisations is part of the Royal Museums of Art and History gifted to the Belgian people by the royal family, and it is in a constant state of renovation. This means some wings are at the cutting-edge of museum technology, while others are a step back to museums of the past, making for an interesting cultural study in itself.
My favourite hidden away corner of the Cinquantenaire Museum is dedicated to Belgium’s glorious Art Nouveau past. The display features jewellery and decorative items contained inside an entire Art Nouveau shop interior designed by Brussels’ architecture legend Victor Horta.
Olympic Museum // Lausanne, Switzerland
Tamason Gamble, Travelling Book Junkie
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| Photo courtesy of Travelling Book Junkie |
This is why I loved spending time at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
Nothing on show is trapped behind a glass barrier but out in the open allowing visitors to really see everything. From the Olympic torches to the outfits worn by Torvill and Dean during their Olympic gold winning performance, you can get up close with it all.
It is also the most interactive museum we have ever visited. From trying to beat Usain Bolt’s world record 100m time to completing cross-country running tracks and competing with yourself against a beeping wall of illuminating lights, it is easy to see why people spend hours here.
As soon as you walk up the well-manicured gardens you know this museum is going to be special. The famous Olympic rings hang high and many famous athletes, now immortalised in stone, have been placed around the grounds. Once inside you wander up a sweeping slope unable to see what the interior of the museum has in store for you – it is all kept a mystery until you enter into the inner sanctum.
This is a museum that all ages will love.
Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising // London, England
Fiona, Fiona Travels from Asia
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| Photo courtesy of Fiona Travels from Asia |
I particularly found it fascinating to see women’s magazines in the 19th and early 20th century displayed here. Looking at these made me realize how much women’s roles in the British society have changed in a positive way, although stereotypes such as “home economics is a woman’s business” are still prevalent in many societies nowadays. One more reason to visit this museum is its beautiful café with a view to a stunning courtyard garden. One just can’t stop feeling inspired here.
Helsinki City Museum // Helsinki, Finland
Margherita Ragg, The Crowded Planet
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| Photo courtesy of The Crowded Planet |
At the moment, there's an exhibition called Smell, recreating iconic Helsinki smells, and another called Helsinki Bites presenting sceneries related to the shared past of the city. There's also a children's exhibition, and another called 'Time Machine' that will make you feel as if you travelled back to the early 20th century. When we visited in summer there was also an exhibition from the Museum of Broken Relationships, showcasing objects that tell stories of romantic breakups.
Natural History Museum // London, England
Cory Varga, You Could Travel
For those of you who don't know, I am a huge David Attenborough fan. He is my main travel inspiration. His documentaries keep me curious and intrigued. There is no wonder that once I saw David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive program, I went for a road trip to London, to see the museum's wonders for myself. It was a dark afternoon of December when I first visited the Natural History Museum and I spent close to 5 hours exploring it. Needless to say that this was not enough, hence I allocated another 2 full days to explore all its corners and ensure I get to discover all its secrets. The Natural History Museum in London offers free entry, although a discretionary donation is advisable. I promise the visit won't disappoint, as you will encounter many interactive exhibitions including a journey into the Earth's core, where you can experience our planet's beautiful and forceful side.
Transport Museum // Budapest, Hungary
Cris Puscas, LooknWalk
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| Photo courtesy of LooknWalk |
I’ve been fascinated by means of transportation since I was a child. After all, mom said I was almost born in the car. Joke (or not) aside, I’ve fell in love with trains in my early childhood. As I started to travel, my love only grew deeper. So when I was asked if I wanted to visit the Transport Museum of Budapest back in 2008, I said Yes. And loved it. The museum is large and covers all means of transportation. I love that you can walk in old, restored train carriages and you can also fly on a simulator (and get a certificate if you did well). I went back in 2013 to find it just as fascinating.
Children under 6 get free admission and youngsters (6-26) get 50% off.
There are many museums I've visited and consider some of the best in the world but my absolute favourite is Neon Museum in Warsaw. It is located in the Praga district at the grounds of Soho Factory - one of the artistic hubs in the city. The museum itself was founded by my friends Ilona Karwinska and David Hill who had this crazy idea to preserve old neon signs from the cold war times. What started as a passion turned out to be a huge success! The Neon Museum is now known as one of the highlights in Warsaw, welcoming numerous tourists each day.
Every time I visit the museum (and I do it frequently because it's just the best!) I'm overwhelmed by the magic this place has. All the old neon signs got the second chance to shine again and they are as beautiful as ever! The museum constantly welcomes new items in the collection so each visit there is different. When you come to Warsaw, a visit in the Neon Museum is a must!
I love the working Victorian museum Blists Hill in Shropshire, UK. The property is interactive: you walk around the town just as you would have in the Victorian period. Visitors can purchase real life products in the shops (including the bakery and fish and chip shop), have a beer in the local and enjoy a sing song, ride a merry-go-round, or visit the pigs on the farm. You're having so much fun you don’t realise you're learning about history at the same time.
The modernist complex of Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona was designed by the Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and was built during more than two decades at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a functioning hospital for almost a century, and during that time it was probably the most beautiful hospital complex in the world with a beautiful art-nouveau façade that takes your breath away.
The hospital building was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, and after closing its doors in 2009 as a hospital it was converted into a museum and cultural center, which opened in 2014. When you visit the Hospital de Sant Pau, you will see beautiful art-nouveau pavilions decorated with stained glass and mosaic, separated by beautiful gardens. In the museum you can learn a lot about the history of the city as well. This museum is also our personal favorite, because it is in our neighborhood (El Guinardó), and we lived the whole process of how it was converted into a museum from a hospital.
After being closed for more than five years for renovation works, the much awaited Musée de l’Homme (the Mankind Museum) came back to the Parisian museums scene in style. Inaugurated in 1938, the Musée de l’Homme focuses on the evolution of humans from the anthropological point of view but also with a social and cultural approach.
This description may sound a little bit serious but, actually, this is a great museum to visit with kids, thanks to a winning combination of different experiences (contemplating, touching, listening, smelling, etc.) where all the senses are engaged. The Musée de l’Homme has three main sections, questioning visitors about our past but also about a sustainable future in this world: "Who Are We?," "Where Do We Come From?," and "Where Do We Head?"
The museum has many hot exhibits. I especially liked the large hanging rail with 91 plaster busts representing human diversity and the wall-sized world map of the spoken languages, where visitors can stick the mural tongues out to listen to some of these languages. I also enjoyed shaking hands with a chimpanzee, a Neanderthal man and an homo sapiens--all real scale models!
The bonus of the Musée de l’Homme? An amazing view over the Eiffel Tower, with no crowds.
Neon Museum // Warsaw, Poland
Kamila Napora, My Wanderlust
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| Photo courtesy of My Wanderlust |
There are many museums I've visited and consider some of the best in the world but my absolute favourite is Neon Museum in Warsaw. It is located in the Praga district at the grounds of Soho Factory - one of the artistic hubs in the city. The museum itself was founded by my friends Ilona Karwinska and David Hill who had this crazy idea to preserve old neon signs from the cold war times. What started as a passion turned out to be a huge success! The Neon Museum is now known as one of the highlights in Warsaw, welcoming numerous tourists each day.
Every time I visit the museum (and I do it frequently because it's just the best!) I'm overwhelmed by the magic this place has. All the old neon signs got the second chance to shine again and they are as beautiful as ever! The museum constantly welcomes new items in the collection so each visit there is different. When you come to Warsaw, a visit in the Neon Museum is a must!
Blists Hill Victorian Town // Shropshire, England
Jenni Sheldon, Travel to Recovery
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| Photo courtesy of Travel to Recovery |
Hospital de Sant Pau // Barcelona, Spain
Gabor, Surfing the Planet
The modernist complex of Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona was designed by the Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and was built during more than two decades at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a functioning hospital for almost a century, and during that time it was probably the most beautiful hospital complex in the world with a beautiful art-nouveau façade that takes your breath away.
The hospital building was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, and after closing its doors in 2009 as a hospital it was converted into a museum and cultural center, which opened in 2014. When you visit the Hospital de Sant Pau, you will see beautiful art-nouveau pavilions decorated with stained glass and mosaic, separated by beautiful gardens. In the museum you can learn a lot about the history of the city as well. This museum is also our personal favorite, because it is in our neighborhood (El Guinardó), and we lived the whole process of how it was converted into a museum from a hospital.
Musée de l'Homme // Paris, France
Elisa, World in Paris
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| Photo courtesy of World in Paris |
After being closed for more than five years for renovation works, the much awaited Musée de l’Homme (the Mankind Museum) came back to the Parisian museums scene in style. Inaugurated in 1938, the Musée de l’Homme focuses on the evolution of humans from the anthropological point of view but also with a social and cultural approach.
This description may sound a little bit serious but, actually, this is a great museum to visit with kids, thanks to a winning combination of different experiences (contemplating, touching, listening, smelling, etc.) where all the senses are engaged. The Musée de l’Homme has three main sections, questioning visitors about our past but also about a sustainable future in this world: "Who Are We?," "Where Do We Come From?," and "Where Do We Head?"
The museum has many hot exhibits. I especially liked the large hanging rail with 91 plaster busts representing human diversity and the wall-sized world map of the spoken languages, where visitors can stick the mural tongues out to listen to some of these languages. I also enjoyed shaking hands with a chimpanzee, a Neanderthal man and an homo sapiens--all real scale models!
The bonus of the Musée de l’Homme? An amazing view over the Eiffel Tower, with no crowds.
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Of the museums you've visited on your travels, which is your favorite?
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