Whether you’re a museum fanatic or just someone who’s interested in learning about new places and things, museums need to be seen in person to truly be experienced the right way. Here are the top five destinations to check out this year.
1. Washington, D.C.
America’s capital already has so much to offer when it comes to historical and government landmarks, but that’s not where it ends. The Smithsonian Institute is spread across 19 buildings, multiple research centers, and a zoo, and includes highlights like the Natural History Museum, Air and Space Museum, and more. D.C. is also home of the Holocaust Museum, International Spy Museum, and Madame Tussauds wax museum, featuring wax features of media celebrities, political figures, sports stars, and more.
2. Athens
Ancient Greece offers a wealth of history and culture that can be found just by walking around outside. The Acropolis Museum houses artifacts from Greek’s Bronze age to Byzantine Greece, while the Zoological Museum of the University of Athens is the oldest and richest zoological museum in all of Greece. Music lovers should check out the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, featuring a variety of 20th century instruments categorized by their materials and the vibrating movement through which their sounds are produced.
3. Barcelona
Barcelona may be best known for its art museums (and when your city boasts must-see spots like MNAC and Museu Picasso, that’s totally understandable), but there’s something for everybody here. CosmoCaixa combines technology, history, and science for an interactive experience that has made it considered to be the finest science museum in Europe. If you’ve got a sweet-tooth, Museu de la Xocolata covers the history of chocolate production with some tasty exhibits and workshops.
4. London
London is the home of hundreds of museums and exhibitions. The Charles Dickens Museum is the Gregorian-style home where the author is said to have completed some of his most renown works. London’s Natural History Museum features over 30 permanent galleries, including the Wildlife Garden, Earthquakes and Volcanoes, and the Earth Hall. The Crown Jewels is the home of Cullinan I, the largest top quality cut diamond in the world.
5. New York City
It’s the city that never sleeps – and that may be partly because there are so many museums to check out while you’re here. The American Museum of Natural History features over 45 museum halls and more than 32 million artifacts. Contemporary art lovers should visit the Museum of Modern Art’s halls, where more than 100,000 paintings, sculptures drawings, prints, and photographs reside. And the Museum of Television and Radio offers hours of fascinating and entertaining audio-visual artifacts, with a collection of over 50,000 TV and radio shows.
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