Looking to get more out of your next trip to Museums in Europe? Then, I plan on visiting some of the continent’s top museums. World-class museums are destinations all to themselves and are economical, educational, and eye-opening.
Filled with priceless treasures, schedule a stop at least one of these top museums the next time you’re in Europe.
The Prado Museum – Madrid, Spain
Prado Museum For those who adore European art, Spain’s Prado Museum is their haven.
The galleries are full of paintings by Goya, Velázquez, Bosch, Rubens, and Titian, charting the development of Spanish painting from the 12th century to the early part of the 20th century.
The Prado’s holdings in Goya are unmatched, and their beautiful halls offer an enchanting backdrop to admire centuries of artistic excellence.
The Uffizi Gallery, Florencia, Itali
Florence’s Uffizi Gallery is a place of pilgrimage for art enthusiasts, particularly those with an Italian Renaissance passion.
It houses Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Leonardo da Vinci’s work, Michelangelo’s, Caravaggio’s, and many other masterworks.
The corridors of the Uffizi are decorated with ancient statues and Medici treasures, providing an odyssey through the very essence of Western art history.
The British Museum – London, England
Few other museums can match the breadth and quality of artifacts at The British Museum in London. Its collections span a remarkable 2 million years and 42 distinct cultures worldwide, including the Phoenicians, Sumerians, Aztecs, Incas, Vikings, Imperial China, and ancient Rome. Notable objects include the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon marble from the Acropolis of Athens.
Conveniently located in Central London, The British Museum is a vital stop for any tourist with even the faintest interest in history or art. It is also an excellent way to spend a day on a budget, as the museum does not charge an entrance fee.
The Louvre – Paris, France
What started as the personal art collection of the French Royal Family has evolved into the most impressive art museum in the world and a landmark of Paris. The Louvre opened its doors to the public 1793 following the French Revolution and hasn’t looked back since.
Today, it holds 380,000 objects and 35,000 works of art spanning eight distinct departments: Paintings; Decorative Arts; Prints and Drawings; Sculpture; Islamic Art; Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Antiquities; Egyptian Antiquities; and Near Eastern Antiquities.
True art enthusiasts can spend days at the Louver between the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
To set aside enough time to soak it all in, consider renting a short-term apartment near this central Paris landmark with a website like City Getaway; please visit the Paris website to live your holidays like a tourist local.
The Pergamon Museum – Berlin, Germany
The Pergamon is the undisputed star of Berlin’s Museum Island and is known for displaying large-scale historical and architectural installations. The museum’s namesake, the Pergamon Altar, is exhibited in a dedicated space.
Visitors can walk up the altar’s steps, viewing its spectacular friezes. An equally impressive Ishtar Gate (one of the gates of Babylon) and a vast collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts make Pergamon a must-see destination in Berlin.
Guggenheim Museum – Bilbao, Spain
The youngest museum to make the list, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, is more than an architectural masterpiece. Inside its glittering and reflective facade is a prized collection of modern and contemporary art from the mid-20th century to the present.
It focuses on post-war paintings and sculptures by American and European artists. Artists like Andy Warhol, Anselm Kiefer, Miquel Barcelo, and Antonio Saura are all featured here.
Galleria degli Uffizi – Florence, Italy
It is common to see lines wrapping around the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy. This museum is home to 45 separate rooms filled with incredible paintings from the 1200s to the 20th century.
A large proportion of the Uffizi’s holdings come from the former House of Medici, the most powerful family in Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries. Today, visitors can view a sizeable collection of masterpieces by famous artists such as Michelangelo, Rembrandt, DA Vinci, and Botticelli.
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