Europe's Strangest Museums
February 12, 2015
When travelling to a foreign city, one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture and learn a bit about the history of that particular location is to visit some of the museums on offer.
Practically every city in Europe has a museum of some sort, and whilst some will be based on past conflicts, some will be political or historical and others will be just plain strange; they will all offer you an intriguing glimpse into the city and country you currently find yourself in.
But with some places having more than one museum and there being so many different options across the continent, we've highlighted a few of the best, with varying focusses, to whet your appetite.
Who Will Enjoy It: History Fans
What's There: The majority of people will already be familiar with the story of Anne Frank; the Jewish girl who hid from the Nazis in an attic for two years before her and her family were tragically betrayed and found. Here at this infamous house in the Dutch capital you can not only see the very annex that kept Anne hidden for so long, but you can also read her story through various snippets of her iconic dairy, gain knowledge of the brave people that helped to hide her, and learn how the building was transformed into the museum you see today.
How To get There: The museum's address is Prinsengracht 263-267. You can reach it in a 20-minute walk from the Central Station, or take trams 13, 14 and 17 and get off at 'Westermarkt'.
Who Will Enjoy It: Dinosaur Fanatics; Future Palaeontologists; Children
What's There: This exciting museum manages to fuse education with entertainment. As you walk through the exhibits, gazing at the fossils and life-size replica skeletons you never really know what is going to be around the next corner. Whilst there is plenty of learning to be done, children will also love the parade of animatronic dinosaurs which definitely give another dimension to the various displays. There's also the 'Juracopter' 4-d experience which shouldn't be missed by those on an Istanbul city break.
How To get There: Take the Ataturk Airport to Aksaray metro line and get off at Kocatepe.
Who Will Enjoy It: Lovers of all things Maritime; History Fans
What's There: The Vasa is a 17th-century warship that is on display in this museum of the same name which is the most visited museum in Scandinavia. Anyone on a Stockholm city break should head here to witness this fully-intact vessel which is the only one of its kind in such good condition. As well as the ship itself, there is the chance to learn all about the people who would have worked on board, the battles that she would have been involved in and ultimately how she was salvaged.
How To get There: Once in the city centre you can take tram number 7 and exit at Waldemarsudde. You can also get there by taking the red metro line and getting off at Karlaplan, before taking a 10-minute stroll.
Who Will Enjoy It: Self-professed Science Geeks; Lovers Of Transport; Children
What's There: The Verkehrshaus is the Swiss transport museum and is situated in the picturesque city of Lucerne. The building, which is covered head to toe in road signs, houses displays that focus on many different types of transport including rail, road, aviation and maritime. There's so much to do as well and kids will love the outside arena.
Here you can hop in your own pedal car and drive around a mini circuit (learning about different road laws as you go), build your own road or path in the hands-on construction area, and ride on mini scooters to help you navigate the various exhibitions. There's even a chocolate adventure attraction in which you ride within your own chocolate 'tea cup', recreating the journey from bean to finished product.
How To get There: From Lucerne station you can take the S3 train or the Voralpenexpress until you reach the "Luzern Verkehrshaus" stop. Alternatively, you can take a casual 30-minute walk along the riverside promenade.
Who Will Enjoy It: Food Lovers; Fun Lovers
What's There: There are so many great museums in the city of Berlin, and whilst a lot of them tell important stories of Germany's history through conflicts and periods of political controversy, this one has a much more light-hearted feel. Learn the story of Berlin's favourite food, whilst you listen to songs about currywurst on ketchup bottle-shaped phones and sniff delicious aromas at the smelling station. And yes, of course, there are plenty of chances to sample the spicy sausage for yourself and even take some home with you.
How To get There: Take U-Bahn line 6 and get off at Kochstraße or Stadtmitte, or line 2 and get off at Stadtmitte. Alternatively, you can take S-Bahn 3, 5, 7 or 75 and exit at Friedrichstraße.
Europe has so many amazing museums that we couldn't possibly fit them all into one list. These great examples will get you started though and the Fred. Holidays team can also help you find more great exhibitions in whichever destination you decide to take your city break.
