…When was the last time you visited a museum?
There’s something special about the past and the things that happened way before we were on this planet. There were people who fought for their freedom; there were those who fell in love and changed the world; and there were many other categories of people who were important for human society, like painters, musicians, writers, and so many others.
Many history professors say that we need to know what has happened in the past so that we can understand our present and get excited about the future. One of the best and funniest ways to learn more about different cultures and time periods is by going on a trip to a museum.
According to experts, museums are the most visited and appreciated attractions in the whole world, and many tourists pay a lot of money to visit them.
There’s a plethora of different kinds of museums to visit, from those that show art from centuries ago to those that let you try out science and natural history for yourself.
If you don’t have the possibility to travel and actually visit a beautiful museum, we’ll take you on a virtual tour right now. Are you ready? Let’s begin!
1. The Army Museum
We begin our short history journey by taking a look at the Army Museum in Paris, France, one of the biggest military art and history institutions on the globe. If you’re interested in France’s culture, this is definitely a place you shouldn’t miss!
Structures like the great architecture of the Cathedral of St. Louis des Invalides, the domed cathedral which holds Napoleon Bonaparte’s burial, and many more make up this extensive military hall, which spans most of France’s military history from the 13th century up to present-day modern combat.
The building is located inside the broader Les Invalides complex, and visitors can easily reach the Museum of Military Models, the Contemporary History Museum, and the Les Invalides Veterans’ Home.
2. Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
…This place won’t impress you with its beauty, but rather with the shocking stories it knows!
Warning! If you’re sensitive or are diagnosed with a health condition that affects your heart, you should talk to your doctor before going to this place! It is full of realistic information, and many of its visitors got out of the hall crying and shivering!
This place was created in order for the victims of the Holocaust to always be remembered and acknowledged. According to sources, there were over 1.5 million people who visited the hall in 2021, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland and a testament to the institution’s lasting impact.
This building is dedicated to the study and documentation of concentration camps, and the portions open to the public are preserved in their original state. This place is both enlightening and bizarre because of its rich history and the personal accounts shown in the exhibits.
If you plan on taking your children or grandchildren on a trip to this place in Poland, you’d better wait until they’re 16 years old, because it can be a haunting experience for people who aren’t ready!
3. Smithsonian National Museum of American History
…This is the perfect travel destination for people who love the United States and want to know more about the history and culture of their beautiful nation!
This impressive hall is home to plenty of exhibits that explore every aspect of American life since European settlers first arrived. These things give a fascinating look at how a country came to be and how it affected the rest of the world while it was around.
It has iconic items like the Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker’s chair, and its various displays cover a broad range of American history after European settlement, so it’s definitely worth a visit!
4. Tokyo National Museum
…Now let’s embark on a journey in another part of the globe! Say hello to the Tokyo National Museum!
This gorgeous hall and its Asian and Japanese art provide fascinating insights into Japan’s past as a private island. According to the museum’s website, roughly 110,000 things are in the institution’s collection, which is definitely impressive. Moreover, 650 of them are called “Important Cultural Properties” and 87 are called “National Treasures.”
Besides Japanese art objects and artifacts, the museum has a large and stunning collection of artwork, prints, rubbings, and sculptures from the Silk Road and Greco-Buddhist cultures. This place is also a great example of how Japan has changed since it was founded in the 19th century and has had different governments throughout the years. If you love Japanese culture, don’t miss out on this museum!
5. Hagia Sophia Museum
…Did you know that this place was considered by many people as the 8th wonder of the world?
In terms of art and architectural history, the Hagia Sophia Museum is among the best-known and most-visited sites on the planet and people are right to buy tickets for this gorgeous place.
It has marvelous architecture, especially the central dome, and in the 6th century, visitors began saying that this was so impressive and stunning that it would be an injustice not to say that this was another wonder of the world.
The building that houses the museum has a long and interesting history: it has been both a church and a mosque. The collections it holds tell a fascinating story about the Byzantine and Ottoman empires and the complicated relationship between eastern Christianity and Islam. You’ll definitely learn a lot of things about history if you visit this museum!
6. Acropolis Museum
…If you ever plan on taking a trip to Europe and your destination is Greece, you should definitely visit the Acropolis!
This hall was built in 2003 and is an archaeological museum, whose main focus is based on the finding of the authentic archaeological Acropolis of Athens site.
The idea for the new museum dates back to 1976 when it was developed to accommodate growing numbers of annual visitors and the need for extra room for the museum’s remarkable collection.
The museum has a glass-floor gallery that allows visitors to watch the ongoing excavation of the site, and it has 14,000 square meters of display space housing almost 4,000 exhibits from the Greek Bronze Age, the Roman era, and Byzantine Greece. Trust us, you definitely want to visit this spectacular place!
7. The National Museum of Anthropology
The majority of tourists in Mexico stop at the National Museum of Anthropology and let us tell you that none of them regrets doing so. There are a lot of famous artifacts here, like the Aztec Calendar Stone and the Xochipilli figure, which are both from Mexico before it was colonized by the Europeans.
Since its relocation to its current location in the 1960s, the collection has grown substantially, and the staff at the hall is looking for different ways to recognize and re-evaluate Mexico’s multicultural past through ongoing research and engagement with contemporary developments in the disciplines of anthropology, archaeology, and ethnology.
8. Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
Do you want to know how it feels to live in the past and imagine that you’re one of those people who had a beautiful house in the village and maybe even some horses in the stable?
If you’re really curious to know the answer to these questions, then you need to schedule a visit to the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in Town Lane, Chichester, United Kingdom.
This incredible and natural place showcases rural life in the United Kingdom over the past 600 years in 50 display buildings that are spread over 40 acres.
The variety of structures and artifacts housed inside them reflect the history of common people and the way they lived, all in a fascinating manner. This town is like something out of a time capsule—completely unique and special. You’ll have fun, relax, enjoy time in nature, and learn a bit more about British people and their history.
…Do you have a favorite museum? What’s its name and where is it? Tell us in the comment section!
…If you want to read more about history, we recommend checking out this article: The 70s: 6 Things Everybody Got Wrong About This Decade!
