8 unique museums in Europe

13 August, 2018

There are plenty of museums in Europe where you can wander around rooms filled with iconic paintings, sculptures, historical artefacts and futuristic installations. I can spend many happy hours wandering around the Rijksmuseum, the Louvre or the Dalí museum. But most people have already heard of these museums. So I went looking for a few museums that are really unique, and not yet as well known to the general public.

Do you like sausages?

Deutsches Currywurst Museum – Berlin – Germany

Germans love their sausages, and in particular the famous currywurst. They love it so much that they’ve even dedicated a museum to it! The great thing about this museum is that it’s totally interactive – you can touch and test everything. Smell the different spices, try to make a virtual sausage, or relax on the special ‘sausage sofa’. And to round off your trip, you can try the special currywurst sausage in their Snack Lounge.

The largest collection of miniature bottles

The Mini Bottle Gallery – Oslo – Norway

Christian Rignes started collecting miniature bottles when he was seven years old, and he’s never stopped. In 2003, he set up this unique museum in Oslo. The Mini Bottle Gallery houses the world’s largest collection of miniature bottles. The museum has around 53,000 bottles, and 12,500 of those are on display. You can admire the various bottles on three floors – not just mini-bar bottles, but also little travel-sized bottles of shampoo. It’s a fun place to visit if the weather on your camping holiday in Norway isn’t great. Please note: the museum is only open on Saturdays and Sundays.

The friendly alien

Kunsthaus Graz – Graz – Austria

The most unique thing about this museum isn’t inside, but outside. In fact, Kunsthaus Graz is an architectural spectacle. The locals jokingly call it the ‘Friendly Alien’ because of its very interesting shape. And if you’ve finished marvelling at the outside, take a look inside. In this museum you’ll find a variety of modern and contemporary art.

An ode to ice cream

Gelato museum Carpigiani – Bologna – Italy

Another museum dedicated to food – this time, ice cream! This museum offers an interactive tour to show you all you could possibly want to know about Italian ‘gelato’. Behold the evolution of ice cream, learn about how it’s made, and about the different ways it is eaten. And of course there are samples to taste during the tour.

Art you can’t see with the naked eye

Muzeum Miniatur – Prague – Czech-Republic

This museum houses the largest collection of miniature art in Europe. There are more than 29 exhibits to see, so you can definitely wile away a few hours here. You’ll be amazed at the amount of patience and precision the artists must have used for each and every piece. It’s even the case that some of the artists were only able to paint in between heartbeats, to ensure that their hand remained steady!

Don’t let yourself be fooled

Museum of illusions – Ljubljana – Slowenien

Prepare yourself for an adventure, because you won’t be able to trust what you see when you visit this museum. It’s a unique experience where your perception of what’s real and what isn’t will constantly be tested. See photos of optical illusions, go to the Vortex tunnel, walk on the ceiling, and train your brain. This is a great museum to visit with children!

Modern art at its best

Guggenheim – Bilbao – Spain

Ok, so this one isn’t entirely unknown, but I couldn’t resist mentioning this museum’s beautiful edifice. This Guggenheim museum in Spain has an amazing design by Frank Gehry. The structure of the building consists of titanium, glass and limestone, and the different materials flow seamlessly into each other. You need to see it to believe it! And of course this is one of the best museums in the world for modern art. In short: worth a visit.

Don’t turn a blind eye

MuZieum – Nijmegen – The Netherlands

We live in a world where we’re constantly using our senses. But what would it be like to lose one of your senses, your sight for instance? What would it be like? How would you experience going on holiday, and what would it be like to go shopping? At the MuZieum in Nijmegen, you’ll experience what it’s like to see and not to see. You’ll be able to test how well you can hear, smell and feel things, without using your eyes at all. You’ll get a sort of glimpse into what it’s like to be blind. A fun and educational experience!

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