The Best Under-the-Radar Museums in Europe
Are you headed to Europe this summer? With so much incredible art to explore and history to learn, it can be challenging to feel that all art and history are entirely represented in all the "usual" spaces. Our team, many of whom are art lovers and history buffs, has compiled a list of under-the-radar museums you should visit!
Designed by Vienna-born Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a prolific painter, architect, and ecologist, Kunst Haus Wien museum houses a collection of his vibrant and imaginative works and temporary exhibitions by other contemporary artists. Between April 5 and July 14, 2024, the Kunst Haus will be the festival headquarters of the new Klima Biennale Wien (Vienna Climate Biennale). Over 100 days, 60 participating institutions will address issues relating to the climate crisis and attempting to reconcile art and the environment.
Designed by the legendary Frank Gehry, the Louis Vuitton Foundation should be on every architecture enthusiast's list. In creating the Foundation, Gehry combines traditional "art de vivre," visionary daring, and the innovation offered by modern technology. Inspired by the lightness of 19th-century French glass architecture and the clouds over the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris, the Foundation's Collection comprises constantly evolving bodies of work that naturally fall into four categories: Contemplative, Pop, Expressionist, and Music and Sound.
This converted train station-turned-museum houses some of the world's best and most important public collections of contemporary art. After a massive reconstruction, the 18th-century station reopened in 1996 and has since been filled with the extravagant collection of Dr. Erich Marx, a famed Berlin collector. The collection features works of five great artistic personalities of the late 20th century: Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, and Andy Warhol.
The Museo del Traje in Madrid is a hidden gem of the fashion world. The space is dedicated to the majestic beauty of styles and garments of the past and contains a wide variety of historical and contemporary collections from the 18th-century Majismo movement to iconic 20th-century designers, such as Coco Chanel and Cristóbal Balenciaga. The Museum takes visitors on a remarkable journey through fashion's most daring moments and documents fashion's vast cultural and social evolution throughout Spain and the modern world.
Situated in the Plantage neighborhood of Amsterdam, the Dutch Resistance Museum (a.k.a. Verzetsmuseum) takes you on an informative and emotional journey, uncovering the efforts of everyday Dutch resistance fighters. In thoughtful, considered exhibitions, the Museum is very astute in selecting exhibits ranging from small acts of public rebellion, such as displaying postage stamps with the Queen's face, to artworks distributed as anti-German propaganda.
Museum Montanelli is one of only a few privately-owned, Czech non-profit organizations focusing on contemporary visual art. Fueling creativity and imagination, MuMo embraces a continuous dialogue between the established and the experimental, the past and the future. Its mission is to promote public interest in contemporary art and encourage diverse audiences to understand it more deeply. The intimate setting allows for a deeper connection with the artworks.
The Museum of Broken Relationships is permanently located in the beautiful Baroque Kulmer palace in the Upper Town, a historical part of Zagreb rich in tourist attractions. It is unavoidable in your exploration of Zagreb and a unique emotional journey worldwide through hundreds of breakups. The Museum of Broken Relationships offers a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of human emotions through a collection of objects individuals donate after their relationships end. Each item tells a personal story, making it a truly unique museum experience.
One of Greece's most important museums is the spectacular Museum of Prehistoric Thera in the capital of Santorini, Fira. The Museum showcases artifacts and artworks from the ancient civilization that once thrived on the island of Santorini. From exquisite frescoes to intricate pottery, this Museum unveils the rich cultural heritage of this volcanic paradise.
Château de Chantilly, a short drive from Paris, dates back to the Middle Ages. The Duke of Aumale designed the art galleries to showcase his exceptional collections. After the Louvre Museum, he assembled France's second-largest collection of antique paintings. In keeping with the Duke of Aumale's wishes, the layout of the paintings remains unchanged since the 19th century. The Château de Chantilly also has stables built for the prince Louis-Henri de Bourbon in the early 1700s.
The Museum of Romanticism, or Museo del Romanticismo, offers a nostalgic journey back to the 19th century. Its collection of furniture, decorative arts, and paintings immerses visitors in the Romantic period. You will be able to learn about what society was like during this historical period and who the main protagonists of this cultural movement in Spain were. The beautifully restored mansion also provides an authentic ambiance that recreates the daily life and customs of the upper bourgeoisie during Romanticism.
The Musée Magritte Museum located in the heart of Brussels proudly displays the world's largest collection of the renowned surrealist artist René Magritte. With a staggering 230 works and archives on display, including paintings, gouaches, drawings, sculptures, and painted objects, the museum is a multidisciplinary space that also features collections of advertising posters, musical scores, photographs, and films. Furthermore, the museum's collection is known for its emphasis on the artist's "vache" period, making it the most important collection of its kind.