Europe has some of the most visited museums in the world. And no study abroad trip is complete without visiting as many of them as you can.
There are the world-renowned art attractions like The Lourve or The Prado Museum. But there are also the sobering World War II remembrances (The Churchill War Rooms and Anne Frank House), modern scientific campuses (The City of Arts and Sciences) and even newer takes on what a museum should be (The Museum of Broken Relationships and Chocolate Nation).
And most of the best museums in Europe won’t even charge student-aged visitors entry fees. You should check in advance to see if you need a student pass – or if entry to some of Europe’s most famous museums is covered through your study abroad program benefits – and always plan your visit in advance.
Here’s a list of the 29 best museums in Europe to consider as you plan to study abroad experience.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Where is it?: Bilbao, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: If a building is so impressive it helps give rise to a new term, you have to see it, right? The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao – and the subsequent ambitious construction movement in the city of Bilbao as a whole – gave rise to the term “architourism.” Architect Frank Gehry’s monument to modern architecture also houses an amazing modern art gallery. It’s a must see for architecture and design students, along with history buffs, and is an easy choice for any best museums in Europe list.
Favorite fact: Being among Europe’s most famous museums comes with benefits: The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has generated an estimated €6.5 billion in additional revenue for the regional economy since opening in 1997.
Related: How to study abroad in Spain – the definitive student guide
The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)
Where is it?: Paris, France
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The Louvre Museum holds more distinctions than we have time to list. It’s the most visited art museum in the world (edging out the Vatican Museums). It’s also the largest art museum in the world. The Louvre houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” “The Venus de Milo,” “Winged Victory” (seen below) and many of the Italian Renaissance’s greatest hits, so to speak. As if the art museum’s galleries weren’t enough, The Louvre’s pyramid entrance – designed by architect I.M. Pei – has also become a famous piece of contemporary art by itself. There’s good news for students, too, as they can visit for free with a Pass Education card.
You won’t get a tour like this, but: If you wanted a real greatest hits guide to the Louvre, Beyonce and Jay-Z made one for you here.
Related: How to study abroad in France – the definitive guide
Galleria Dell’Accademica
Where is it? Florence, Italy
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: He’s tall, he weighs six tons and he seems to have dropped his towel. But there’s more than Michaelangelo’s “David” to see here, including the Hall of Musical Instruments (three Stradivarius), the Hall of Prisoners (more Michaelangelo) and the Hall of Colossus.
Bonus fact: Giambologna’s famous “The Rape of the Sabine Women” — a depiction of an infamous event during the founding of Rome in eighth century BC – can be seen twice: once in the Hall of Colossus (that’s the plaster cast) and once outside in the Loggia dei Lanzi (the famous museum square) which is the original.
Related: How to study abroad in Italy – the definitive guide
Churchill War Rooms
Where is it?: London, England
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: You don’t get much closer to history than this. Walk the secret underground corridors of Central London, where Winston Churchill navigated World War II. The map room and excellent audio tour make this tour well worth the ticket price.
In retrospect, that doesn’t seem so secret: This war bunker – which hosted over 100 cabinet meetings – is quite centrally located in London. It’s one block south from 10 Downing Street (the prime minister’s residence) and a few blocks west of Big Ben.
Related: How to study abroad in England – the definitive guide
Dalí Theater-Museum
Where is it?: Figueres, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Billed as the largest surrealistic object in the world, this experience was designed by Salvador Dalí himself. You’ll find modern art like the other famous museums of Europe, but you’ll also see epic installations, holograms, stereoscopes and more. It will be a mind-bending stop during your study abroad journey.
Sure, why not?: Dalí’s crypt is below the stage of the theater.
Musée D’Orsay
Where is it?: Paris, France
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: You love impressionist painters. Musée D’Orsay houses one of the largest collections of impressionist masterpieces in the world, including a Vincent Van Gogh self portrait and Van Gogh’s “Starry Night Over the Rhône” (a famous precursor to his even-more-famous “Starry Night” housed at the MoMA in New York).
And don’t forget the views: Musée D’Orsay is on the banks of the River Seine, and students can take in spectacular sights of Paris from behind its giant clock on the second floor.
Natural History Museum (England)
Where is it?: London, England
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Where did we come from? And how did we evolve? The Natural History Museum is a pretty good place to start, with a collection of more than 80 million items, including specimens procured by Charles Darwin. It was the third-most visited museum in the world in 2022 – just behind the Vatican Museums – and the No. 1 museum in the U.K.
It’s got good bones: Forget Halloween – this is the place for skeletons. Once the home of a plaster cast of a diplodocus, the reassembled skeleton of a blue whale is now one of the Natural History Museum’s main attractions.
The Uffizi Gallery
Where is it?: Florence, Italy
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The Uffizi Gallery is basically your high school European history book come to life, thanks to the donations of the Medici family (who you definitely read about at some point). Filled with works from the Italian Renaissance, Caravaggio’s “Medusa” and Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” are among the must-see pieces.
Pro tip: Book early. The Uffizi Gallery has famously long lines, so you don’t want to get stuck buying tickets when you arrive.
Reina Sofía Museum
Where is it?: Madrid, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: You’re coming here to think. Spain’s national museum of 20th century art has some modern masterpieces, including Pablo Piccaso’s “Guernica,” Juan Gris’ “The Musician’s Table” and Salvador Dalí’s “The Face of the Great Masterbator.”
Marvel at this: Ángeles Santos lived to be 101, but painted her most famous piece – “A World” – when she was an 18-year-old student. This huge canvas always draws a crowd at Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.
The National Gallery (England)
Where is it?: London, England
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: See artwork by Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh and more masters (seriously, check out this list) all in one museum just off Trafalgar Square. The National Gallery is centrally located, so that makes it easy to fit into a long study abroad weekend, too.
Bonus fact: Many historic paintings were removed from The National Gallery and hidden in Wales during World War II.
Vatican Museums
Where is it?: Vatican City
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Stretch your neck before you enter the Vatican Museums, as there’s art to see everywhere, with the crescendo being the time you’ll spend staring at the Leonardo Da Vinci masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The spectacle of the Raphael Rooms may be the most impressive “secondary attraction” in the art museum world. The Catholic Church was one of the main patrons of the arts during the Renaissance, and this museum houses many marvels from that period.
Bonus fact: The Vatican Museums is the second-most visited museum complex in the world, after The Louvre Museum.
Rijksmuseum
Where is it?: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The Dutch national museum features art – including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer – along with about 800 years of artifacts. Students may be just as interested in Rijksmuseum Research Library, which is the largest public art research library in the country.
Stay for a meal: Museum food doesn’t have to be average and overpriced. The Rijksmuseum also features RIJKS, a French restaurant that received a Michelin star. Maybe that’s why it edges the Van Gogh Museum as the most visited museum in the Netherlands.
The British Museum
Where is it?: London, England
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Two million years of human culture and history collected from around the world and a free entry make The British Museum a must-stop for students studying abroad in London. The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Sculptures and a statue from Easter Island are among the highlights inside what was No. 3 on the world’s most visited art museum list in 2022.
Get there early and have a plan: The British Museum gets packed. If you want to see all the highlights, either be in the queue when the doors open (10 a.m.) or book a paid tour.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
Where is it?: Barcelona, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe? The eclecticism of the collection. Part art gallery, part archeological museum, it features arguably the most impressive collection of Romanesque murals in the world, many of which were meticulously removed from churches in the Pyrenees and relocated here. But it also features the two distinctly opposing styles of Catalan art from the late 19th century: modernisme (or modernism) and noucentisme (a form of classicism).
Bonus fact: Not feeling another day of paintings? The Palau Nacional – the building that houses the MNAC – is also a worthy stop for architecture students, from the water fountain in the front to the great hall, throne room and principal dome inside.
Van Gogh Museum
Where is it?: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Home to the largest collection of Van Gogh’s works in the world, the Van Gogh Museum includes “Sunflowers” and a few of his more famous self-portraits.
Bonus fact: Vincent Van Gogh was prolific. More than 700 of his works – paintings and drawings – are housed in this museum, along with other significant Dutch art.
Museum Island
Where is it? Berlin, Germany
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: An island in the middle of the River Spree is home to five museums built over a 100 year period, including the famous Pergamon Museum. The views outside are nearly as amazing as the views inside (though you’d miss all the art inside – some of it dating back to the sixth century BC).
Bonus fact: Museum Island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
Centre Pompidou
Where is it?: Paris, France
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Centre Pompidou – which was envisioned as a small city unto itself – hosts Musée National d’Art Moderne, the ninth-most visited art museum in the world in 2022 and the largest permanent collection of modern art in Europe. Centre Pompidou was one of the first inside-out buildings, with color-coded pipes and ducts visible from the outside. It’s a must visit if you’re studying abroad in the French capital.
Influential design: The famous inside-out look of Centre Pompidou inspired the the Nike Air Max.
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Where is it? Valencia, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: One of the 12 Treasures of Spain, The City of Arts and Sciences is more of an intellectual playground than a chronicling of human history. It features an interactive science museum, a planetarium, an opera house, a plaza for concerts and sporting events and the largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe
Bonus fact: L’Umbracle – part of the complex that houses an open-air sculpture garden beneath 55 arches – converts into a night club after hours.
Anne Frank House
Where is it?: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Because you can stand amidst history. This secret annex was home to eight people, including young Anne Frank, for more than two years during the World War II Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
Bonus fact: Anne Frank’s original diaries are on display in the museum.
The Prado Museum
Where is it?: Madrid, Spain
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Museo Nacional del Prado is home to one of the largest and most important European art collections in the world. It houses works spanning 25 centuries, including pieces by masters like Francisco Goya, El Greco, Diego Velázquez, Peter Paul Rubens and Albrect Durer.
Our pick: Goya’s “The 3rd of May, 1808, in Madrid”/“The Executions” is a sight to behold in person (though you can examine the painting in depth here, too).
Serralves
Where is it?: Porto, Portugal
Why visit?: Part museum, part park, all architectural marvel, Serralves highlights both the importance of modern and contemporary art and environmental concerns.
Bonus fact: Serralves’ annual arts and music festival – Serralves em Festa – draws tens of thousands to the complex.
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Where is it?: Brzezinka, Poland
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The site of many atrocities during the Holocaust – an estimated 1.1 million of the 1.3 million people sent here were killed by the Nazis – is now a solemn memorial to those who were sent there.
Plan ahead, and be respectful: As you’d expect with such hallowed ground, there are several regulations on decorum for those who visit. Students should read the regulations before visiting.
Museum of Broken Relationships
Where is it?: Zagreb, Croatia
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Once referred to as Europe’s most innovative museum, this collection of items and descriptions tells the stories of romantic relationships that didn’t work out. (There’s a sister museum in Los Angeles, too.)
You can be part of the collection: The Zagreb-based museum is always looking for new submissions and items. You can contact them here (though we hope you’re all doing OK).
Tate Modern
Where is it?: London, England
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: It’s a modern and contemporary art lovers’ paradise. The Tate Modern’s incredible collection includes works by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Barbara Kruger, Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso. It’s the most visited modern and contemporary art museum in the world.
Even the building is great: The Tate Modern is housed in a former Bankside power station on the River Thames, which flows through Central London.
Frietmuseum
Where is it? Bruges, Belgium
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: Is this really a question? Frites (or French fries, if you must) are one of Belgium’s most famous culinary exports. Go indulge in the history of the dish and enjoy a fresh serving – or three.
Wait, really?: Yes. Not everything has to be art, though Belgium’s top frites chefs may argue they’re making art, too.
Vasa Museum
Where is it?: Stockholm, Sweden
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The Vasa Museum is a monument to both a ship and the preservation work it took to bring it back to life. The museum displays the Vasa, an almost fully salvaged 17th century warship that sunk on its maiden voyage in 1628.
Beware of crowds: The Vasa Museum is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
Stedelijk Museum
Where is it?: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: The fourth Dutch landmark on our list, The Stedelijk Museum completes Amsterdam’s Museum Square trio, housing modern and contemporary art by Jackson Pollack, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol and others.
Old, but also new: The Stedelijk may have opened in 1895, but its curators have stayed innovative. The art museum was among the first in the world to create an augmented reality tour.
Acropolis Museum
Where is it?: Athens, Greece
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: This archaeological museum has one dedicated goal: Chronicling the human history found on the rock looming over Athens.
While you’re there: You can’t just visit the Acropolis Museum. The Acropolis itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes history book highlights like the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Propylaea.
Chocolate Nation
Where is it?: Antwerp, Belgium
Why is it among the best museums in Europe?: It’s a contemporary art museum … for your mouth. Just an hour north of Brussels by train or car, this experiential museum takes you from the fields where cacao beans are grown to the production of multiple different flavors of chocolate. (Yes, you get to taste them, too.)
Sounds like a fun place: Antwerp is the world’s largest coffee and cacao port.
