The Swedish History Museum is one of the top sights to see in Stockholm. Exhibitions include the Vikings and a lot of treasure – all seen for free. The Swedish National History Museum (Historiska Museet) in Stockholm covers the period from pre-history to the present. The Vikings section is arguably the most interesting to foreign … Read more
The Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin covers escapes from East Germany in the Cold War and non-violent struggles for human rights worldwide. The most-popular items in the museum are related to successful escapes from Communist East Germany to the West whether over or under the Berlin Wall, smuggled through border checkpoints or escaping … Read more
The National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum) in Amsterdam has a large collection of shipping-related items and a replica of a Golden Age sailboat. Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam has the world’s second-largest collection of historic maritime objects. The museum displays cover many aspects of The Netherlands’ glorious naval history using paintings, shipping equipment and instruments, models, … Read more
The Moesgaard Museum near Aarhus in Denmark is one of Scandinavia’s best with prehistory (Bronze / Iron / Vikings Ages) and anthropology exhibitions. The Moesgaard Museum (MoMu) is a superb archaeological and ethnographic museum near the city Aarhus on the Danish Jutland peninsula. The prehistory exhibitions concentrate on especially Danish archaeology with superb displays on … Read more
Schloss Thun, an authentic medieval castle, towers over the old town high above the Aare River and the Thuner See. Visiting Schloss Thun is fun. Visiting the castle requires more of a physical than mental workout with many stairs, prime views, and only a few exhibitions. The white, square castle dates from the late twelfth … Read more
Getting to Waterloo and battlefield sights in Belgium is easy by car, train and bus (W or 365) for day trips from Brussels and Charleroi. The battlefield of Waterloo is a popular day-trip destination from Brussels and Charleroi. Transportation options include driving (plenty of parking), the train or the bus. Bus W and 365 offer … Read more
Getting to Château de Chambord is easiest by car but buses and especially day-trip excursions to various chateaux in the Loire valley are also available. Château de Chambord is the largest castle in the Loire region of France. As a hunting lodge, Chambord was in a forest and as this forest mostly survived as a … Read more
The free Museum in der Kulturbrauerei in Berlin explains everyday life in East Germany (Alltag in der DDR) and the influences of Communist party planning. The museum shows how the Socialist United Party was involved in every aspect of life in East Germany. It also illustrates how this collective approach came into conflict with individual … Read more
The Topographie des Terrors is a free documentation center, memorial and museum in Berlin on the regime of official state terror during the Nazi period. The permanent exhibitions focus on the period 1933 to 1945 when the headquarters of the Gestapo and SS were located here. The longest surviving piece of the Berlin Wall is … Read more
The Tränenpalast at the Friedrichstraße S-Bahn train station was the main departure point for travelers from the former East Germany to West Berlin. During the Cold War, travelers crossed the border here rather than at the far more famous Checkpoint Charlie. A free museum in the Tränenpalast – literally Palace of Tears – explains the … Read more