The Best Museums
Across Europe

10 of the Best Museums in Europe

You will probably want to visit the museums no matter where you go. Some of the world's most prolific architecture, works of art, historical and natural artifacts, and everything in between can often be found on an afternoon at a museum. While our list of favorite museums is quite extensive, we've compiled a list of some of the most popular museums in Europe.

Louvre Museum: Paris, France

As the seasons change, so, too, does the art on display at The Louvre in France. Sketches, paintings, sculptures, and other works of art are always in rotation at this world-famous museum in the heart of Paris. However, there are some staples at The Louvre almost always open to the public: the most famous of these being The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. There's much more to this famous Parisian museum than the most well-known portrait on the planet. Activities and tours, exhibitions and events, and views of The Louvre Palace are also on the menu.

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The Vatican Museums: Rome, Italy

For art lovers and history buffs, the Vatican Museums are among the best museums in Europe. You’ll see everything from masterpiece paintings to archaeological sites, Pontifical villas to Vatican Gardens, and multi-sensory tours to educational laboratories—not to mention the Sistine Chapel. Perhaps one of Michelangelo's most recognized works, the Sistine Chapel ceiling tells the story of man's fall from God, but also his way back. From the small details on the painted tapestries to the famous fingers almost touching, this work of art is absolutely awe-inspiring. 

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The Prado: Madrid, Spain

The 200-year-old Museo Nacional del Prado - known by most as The Prado - is considered the pride of Madrid. A statue of Diego Velázquez looks over visitors entering the museum, and his famous Triumph of Bacchus painting awaits inside. While the museum features the work of some of the most prolific Spanish artists, the Prado houses countless masterpieces by some of the most celebrated names including Raphael, Bosch, El Greco, Ribera, Goya, Rembrandt, and more. Spanish, Italian, French, and Flemish paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, and other art can be found in innumerable galleries.

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The Natural History Museum: London, England

Take a long walk through The Natural History Museum and discover countless attractions, exhibits, and galleries of the world’s most highly-revered collection of nature’s bounty. The museum is home to creatures of the deep, dinosaurs, insects, plant life, minerals, fossils. Visitors can get a closer look at human history throughout the ages. With a constant influx of new features from giant blue whales to microscopic specimens, this is one of the best museums in Europe, and perfect for sightseers of any age.

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The Uffizi Gallery Museum: Florence, Italy

The Uffizi Gallery Museum is one of Florence's many museums, an open-air ode to the arts. Like each of these listed, the Uffizi is among the most celebrated European museums. One of the oldest museums globally, constructed between 1560 and 1580, its walls contain some of the best-known works of art in the world. Its 45 halls are filled with masterpieces, including The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, Doni Tondo by Michelangelo, and Titian's Venus of Urbino. Don't miss the famous statues and busts of the Medici family on display as ancient Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures.

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The Titanic Belfast Museum: Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Titanic Belfast Museum is a museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland, dedicated to the history of the RMS Titanic, the famous ship built in Belfast and sank in 1912. The museum is located in the former Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built, and it opened in 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. The museum has nine interactive galleries that showcase the story of the Titanic, from its construction to its tragic sinking. The galleries are filled with artifacts, interactive displays, and multimedia exhibits that give visitors a glimpse into life aboard the Titanic and the events that led to its demise. 

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Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum): Vienna, Austria

The Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum) in Vienna, Austria, is a fascinating museum with various exhibits showcasing the natural world. Some of the best things you can see at the Natural History Museum in Vienna include the famous prehistoric statue known as The Venus of Willendorf, the largest known meteorite in the world, the Hoba meteorite, the Imperial Crown of Austria, one of the largest mineral collections in the world, with over 30,000 specimens on display, and an impressive collection of fossils, including early human fossils and fossils of animals that lived millions of years ago.

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Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain

As a progressive learning museum, the Guggenheim Bilbao is ideal for visitors of any age. Partitioned into areas for kids, teens, and adults, sightseers can partake in concerts, presentations, jazz sessions, art classes, film viewings, performance art, dance, lectures, and more. Modern and contemporary art is displayed in this Guggenheim, located in Northern Spain's Basque Country. The building itself—erected in 1997—is one of today's most highly-lauded architectural structures and houses the works of artists from Spain, Basque Country, and many others from around the world.

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Rijksmuseum: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rijksmuseum is best known for its collection of European masterpieces, with a focus on works of the Dutch Golden Age. Rather than displaying works of art in different galleries, this museum uses what its designers call a “single chronological circuit” to display works by the order they were created. Enjoy the realism and impressionism the Golden Age is known for from prodigious artists, including Ernst, Mor, Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer, and Van Gogh.

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Imperial War Museum: London, England

The Imperial War Museum in London, England, is dedicated to the history of modern conflict, from World War I to the present day. The museum has a range of war exhibitions and art, including exhibits on the First World War, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures created by soldiers and civilians during times of conflict. The museum also has an extensive collection of military vehicles, special exhibits on espionage, and a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust, featuring artifacts and personal stories from survivors of the genocide.

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