If you are a museum junkie like I am, then you’ve probably come across countless museums, where some are alright and some totally blew your mind. From my experience and good quality of research, there are also many to-the-extreme museums. India’s much talked about Toilet Museum or the America’s upcoming Parasite Museum are such examples. As for today, we are going to keep it PG 13 and explore museums that are fun, yet not disturbing. And if many of you have already gone to art museums multiple times and are now looking for a change, read on.

The following museums are worth checking out, not only for their uniqueness, but also for our education and one of a kind experience:

Experience Music Project, Seattle, WA, USA

The idea behind EMP is to let visitors explore the world of music, from learning about its rich history to playing various instrument in the practice room.  “This is certainly the type of place you bring along friends. Lots of friends.” said Anne Lindt. “It’s the museum for music lovers and rockers. This is where you learn about the music evolution, iconic artists, and how one genre of music influences another”. Moreover, you can watch artists’ take on music interviews, or browse through multiple collections of memorabilia which ranges from broken guitars to original copies of composed songs and notes.

National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, USA

One of the many good things of visiting this US capitol is a lot of its museums provide free entrance. Fortunately, NASM is also part of the deal. With two locations in the city, NASM owns the largest collection of both historical spacecraft and aircraft in the world. A few iconic flights displayed there include the Apollo 11, Charles Lindberg’s Spirit of St. Louis, 1903 Wright Flyer, and many more. In addition, NASM is home to Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, where many subject related research are being performed.

Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum), Cologne, Germany

From the day I was born until now, I can count how many people dislike chocolate. Let’s just say very rare. Even though there are several museums dedicated to this beloved sweet, Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum tops off other museums in terms of how much information they are able to present.  For true chocolate lovers, take a standard tour where a knowledgeable guide will walk you on a long journey of chocolate production, from start to finish. Here, you will watch films, taste raw cocoa beans, and of course, sample chocolates.

Not enough for you? Go on A Little Choco Secret tour where you can sample important ingredients in chocolate making.

Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland

Although there are quite a few places around the world displaying objects and telling stories related to the Olympics Games, but the official one with the largest collection is in Lausanne. Sitting on Lake Geneva, the museum not only features a beautiful view of an impeccable nature, but it also generates stories of athletes and everyone else who has contributed to the Olympics, in every aspects. What I love about this museum is that most of their exhibitions usually send out positive messages to communities around the world, mostly to promote participation in sports. The permanent collection not to be missed? Definitely got to be the torch room, where torches from the past Summer and Winter Olympics are showcased. With the ceremonial clips playing in the background, you will surely get goose bumps.

Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture, Hong Kong, China

This museum was built to stimulate people’s interest in food culture. With the size of 5,000 square feet, the museum is divided into 5 zones: Nature Zone, Fun World Zone, Rice Zone, Seasoning Zone, and Tableware Zone. With the emphasize on Chinese Food Culture, you can view a typical table set up for traditional Chinese restaurants to seeing how a table of an Imperial Feast would look like. One of the best exhibitions here is the contrast between Eastern and Western food culture and wedding banqueting.

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About the author

Arpha Suwansatisakorn
A Hospitality Management graduate who has great passion for writing. Love traveling, dining out, gastronomy, photography, and of course, sports!

2 Comments for World’s Cool Museums

Elena Pinnen

Very nice and interesting article, thank you!

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Bob

Ahhh the National Air and Space Museum. I took me 2 days to see it, even then I'm sure there were plenty of items I missed. It was years ago, 1982 I believe, and would love to go back.

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