Top 10 Museums

What I Did

The highlight of my time in Stockholm on my Northern Cities Voyage cruise on Azamara in June 2022 was definitely the ABBA Museum. This “Chiquitita” said “Mamma Mia” – “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” a ticket (just take my “Money, Money, Money” already). “I Have A Dream” that this “Dancing Queen” won’t have to call “S.O.S.” but instead said “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” want to go (and maybe even meet “Fernando” there)! Indeed, I absolutely walked in and danced out of this fabulous museum. I spent a lot of time exploring all of the nooks and crannies of this museum, which is packed full of wonderful artifacts, entertaining videos, fun photographs, and (of course!) lots and lots of music. This is a truly fun and joyous place to visit – highly recommended for all of my fellow ABBA fans out there!

Why I Loved It

As a lifelong ABBA fan, I absolutely loved every part of this museum! The exhibits gave a lot of wonderful information about the group and its history. The music and videos playing throughout the museum also make it a fun experience. It’s definitely a feel-good place to spend a few hours (or even a full day!).

What I Did

I spent a fabulous morning in Rudesheim, Germany on my Romantic Rhine cruise on Avalon in June 2017. The highlight of this stop was Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. I had no idea what to expect here, and admittedly my expectations were pretty low. Boy, was I surprised…what a wonderful spot! This fun museum has a large collection of self-playing calliopes, music boxes, and other instruments from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Our entertaining and informative guide led us through a series of rooms, each one full of amazing instruments.

Why I Loved It

This museum earns the #2 spot on this list because it is fun, entertaining, and not your average museum. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing this eclectic collection. There were many different instruments and other items on display here, most of which were new to me. I loved learning about the history of the instruments from our wonderful guide.

What I Did

Another favorite on my Romantic Rhine cruise on Avalon in June 2017 was Zaanse Schans in Amsterdam. This adorable open-air museum has a collection of typical Dutch houses, windmills, and craft stores. The highlight of Zaanse Schans is the large village of working windmills. I had the opportunity to go into the De Kat mill. This mill produces paint, chalk, pigments, and oils. It was fascinating to see the inner workings of the mill. The views from the upper deck were pretty amazing, too…just don’t forget to watch out for the large sails whipping by!

There is also a wooden shoe workshop at Zaanse Schans. Here a very knowledgeable and friendly guide gave us a demonstration of how traditional wooden shoes are made. Another fun stop is the cheese workshop, where the guide gave us a demonstration of how Gouda cheese is made. We also had an opportunity to sample the finished product, and to purchase some to take home with us as well.

Why I Loved It

I loved this excursion, as it provided a wonderful sampling of a lot of Dutch history all in one spot. It was also fun to visit an open-air museum, where you can walk around and see a lot of different things in one location.

What I Did

I returned to Amsterdam on my Tulip Time for Beer Enthusiasts cruise on Avalon in March 2019 and visited the Anne Frank House. I purchased a museum visit ticket with optional introductory program. The introductory 30-minute presentation gave details about Anne Frank and her family, and some general history of the time to put everything in context. The tour takes you throughout the main house and through the hinged bookcase into the secret annex. The main house includes photos, videos, and many original items. The secret annex remains stripped of all furniture and belongings…the Nazis took all of it during the raid, and Anne’s father wanted it to remain that way to give a true picture of the result of the tragedy. There is also a separate exhibition area at the main entrance, with many more original items on display, including Anne Frank’s original diary and videos of holocaust survivors.

Why I Loved It

This museum is practically a must-see for any history buff visiting Amsterdam. It is a difficult visit, due to the subject matter, but definitely a worthwhile one. I found the introductory program to be very good. I had also just finished re-reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl just before the trip, which was very helpful to remind me of the details of her story. Both the introductory program and re-reading the book absolutely enhanced my visit to the museum.

What I Did

My favorite museum on my Christmastime in Alsace and Germany cruise on Avalon in December 2021 was the Spielzeug Welten (Toy Worlds) Museum in Basel, Switzerland. This fun and informative toy museum covers several floors and is filled with over 2,500 teddy bears, dolls, doll houses, miniatures, and mechanical toys. The teddy bears and dolls were of all shapes and sizes and presented in fun displays and vignettes. Another section includes very elaborate and absolutely gorgeous doll houses. Additionally, there is a section of the museum dedicated to mechanical toys and an entire carnival is set up with all of the moving pieces and parts whirling away! Also, the temporary “Ho Ho Ho” exhibit included some Christmas-themed toys and collectibles from around the world.

Why I Loved It

This museum is obviously a great place to feel like a kid all over again! There is something magical about seeing all of the different types of toys in one place. Being here at Christmastime only enhanced the fun. But I image that this would be a wonderful place to visit regardless of the season! There was also a lot of history here as well, so it was fun to learn more about some of the older toys.

What I Did

I had a great time visiting the Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum) on my Northern Cities Voyage cruise on Azamara in June 2022. Visiting this museum was a wonderful experience! There is a wonderful variety of vehicles from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century on display. The details on the coaches were breathtaking. This was a fun (and cool…the air-conditioned museum felt wonderful after walking around in the hot sun earlier!) way to wrap up my exploration of Belém.

Why I Loved It

I always try to find at least one “off the beaten path” museum in each city I visit, and this one fit that bill nicely. Honestly, I had no idea how many different types of coaches existed! I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the elaborately decorated coaches up close and personal. The intricacy and detail on many of the coaches is amazing, and being able to get so close to them helps enhance the experience.

What I Did

Another fantastic museum I visited in Stockholm on my Northern Cities Voyage cruise on Azamara in June 2022 was the Vasa Museum. The beautiful but poorly designed warship Vasa sank shortly after she embarked on her maiden voyage in 1628. A group of people found, raised, and restored her in 1961. This museum spotlights the ship, which can be viewed by walking all around her and from different levels of the multi-story building. There is also a film shown at the museum that explains the history of the ship and the tremendous undertaking to raise and restore her.

Why I Loved It

This is a fun and educational museum to visit. The subject here is definitely unique, and the museum itself does a fantastic job of telling the story of the doomed ship. Being able to see and experience the size and scale of the ship from all angles is great. This museum is a great spot for history buffs or fans of the shipping industry.

What I Did

During my time in Vienna on my Active & Discovery on the Danube cruise on Avalon in August 2018, I enjoyed visiting the Schapps Museum. I learned about the history of schnapps and this family business which has been distilling spirits and liqueurs for more than a century. The museum tour ended in the tasting room. There is a long bar lined with a variety of schnapps in all sorts of different flavors. I was welcome to sample as many as I wanted to, and I did try a good share of them! The salted caramel one was my favorite. Next, we headed over to a side table for a demonstration of three different ways to serve absinthe. First up was Bohemian absinthe. Next was French absinthe. The last was a cocktail made with absinthe, lemon juice, and ginger beer, which was very refreshing on another very hot day!

Why I Loved It

This is a small but interesting museum to visit. I always enjoy visiting museums where you can sample the subject matter at the end! I had fun exploring this museum on a rainy summer afternoon in Vienna. This one made my list as a favorite for two reasons: it is a fun and interactive museum, but also, I ended up getting a private tour here because I was the only one from the ship to sign up for this optional excursion!

What I Did

On my Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River cruise on Avalon in February 2020, our first stop in Phnom Penh was to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as the S-21 Prison). This is a sobering look into the atrocities inflicted upon the Cambodian people during the Khmer Rouge regime. The S-21 Prison was a former high school that was converted to a prison where thousands were held and brutally tortured before being sent to the Killing Fields. It was striking to see how beautiful the grounds are now, which is in stark contrast to the rows and rows of cells (converted classrooms).

Why I Loved It

This is a very difficult, but important, museum and experience. While it is never fun or enjoyable to visit a place such as this, I consider it an important part of traveling. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun and relax while on vacation. But when I am visiting a part of the world where an important part of history is available in a museum, I find myself drawn to it. Reading books and hearing stories about particular historical events is one thing, but being able to walk in the actual places, see the actual artifacts, and talk to local people with a connection to the events is priceless.

What I Did

A fun museum I visited on my Northern Cities Voyage cruise on Azamara in June 2022 was the Museu do Café (Coffee Museum) in Santos, Brazil. This museum is in the Coffee Stock Exchange, where coffee buyers used to sample the various coffee beans for sale by the vendors and deals were made to buy and sell the precious beans. Here I learned about coffee production and its history through several informative exhibits. And, of course, no visit to a Coffee Museum would be complete without a cup of coffee! After the tour was complete, we had some time to explore the gift shop and order a beverage at the cafe. I enjoyed a delicious cappuccino and a small biscuit.

Why I Loved It

I enjoyed both the museum exhibits and the beautiful architecture of the building itself. The museum provides a good history of coffee production in Brazil. There are also beautiful details and finishes throughout the historic building, both inside and outside.