The best bizarre museums to visit in Europe, according to tourists

The best bizarre museums to visit in Europe, according to tourists

The best bizarre museums to visit in Europe, according to tourists
  
European cities are a treasure trove of cultural heritage, attracting travellers from all corners of the world.

But while popular attractions like national art museums or historical buildings are a must-see on every tourist’s agenda, there is a whole other world of eccentricity waiting to be explored.

So, if you’re looking to experience something a little different on your next European city break, the travel experts at luggage storage network Stasher have compiled a list of the best bizarre museums to visit in some of Europe’s most popular cities based on tourist reviews.
  
1. Scout Museum, Vienna

The highest-rated museum with a difference in Europe is the Scout Museum (or Pfadfindermuseum) in Vienna, Austria.

Boasting an impressive 4.9 stars out of 5 on Google Reviews, the museum is praised for its amazing storytelling about the history of the scout movement and for its regularly updated exhibitions.

The entrance fee is just €4 (£3.40) for adults and €2 (£1.70) for children under 18, making it an affordable attraction for those with an interest in boy scouts – or those who want to learn more.

The museum is open to the public at limited times on Thursday and Friday each week and at other times by prior arrangement.

Visit: https://pfadfindermuseum.org/

2. Stained Glass Museum, Kraków
 
The Stained Glass Museum in Kraków, Poland is the second highest-rated bizarre museum in Europe, with a visitor rating of 4.8 out of 5.

The museum has a rich history, operating as a functioning stained glass workshop since 1902 and even continued operating through World War II.

Guided tours at the museum are offered for 42 PLN (roughly £8). For those who prefer to get hands on, the museum also offers workshops to make your own stained glass souvenirs.

Opening hours for visitors are from Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm, on Saturdays: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased via the on-line booking system or at the museum box office.

Visit: http://muzeumwitrazu.pl/en/

3. The Magic Circle Museum, London

The Magic Circle, which is the self-proclaimed most famous magic society in the world, has its headquarters in London. It even counts the newly crowned King Charles III as an honorary member.

The enchanting venue is highly coveted, with an average review score of 4.8 out of 5.
It is home to a treasure trove of items telling the story of magic, including the shoes that Dynamo wore when he famously walked across the Thames and the first book written in English about magic over 400 years ago.

The Magic Circle Museum only welcomes visitors through its public events programme and doesn’t accept walk-ins – so check before you travel.

Visit: https://themagiccircle.co.uk/visiting-the-magic-circle/

4. Fairground Art Museum, Paris

This whimsical museum is certainly one for the playful-at-heart travellers.

With a Google Review rating of 4.7 out of 5, you’ll want to consider adding this to your Paris itinerary.

Described as “a world of dreams”, the Fairground Art Museum is full of curiosity cabinets, carnivals, incredible gardens and Belle Epoque funfairs. Its interactive format frees visitors from traditional museum window displays and labels.

Guided tours can be booked online through the website and last 1.5 hours. They cost €18.80 (roughly £16.30) for an adult, or €12.80 (roughly 11.12) for children between 4 -11 years old.

To avoid disappointment, make note the museum is only open on Wednesdays, weekends and school holidays. Available dates for booking are released 2-3 weeks before the visit date.

Visit: https://arts-forains.com/en/visitors

5. Imperial Carriage Museum, Vienna

Perhaps not one for petrolheads, the Imperial Carriage Museum in Vienna, Austria, celebrates transport from a bygone era and has a good average tourist rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Visitors to the museum can expect a spectacular and vivid impression of court life, featuring many original historical carriages (not replicas) from Queen Sisi’s era to the 1900s.

The museum has an entrance fee of €12 (roughly £13.82) but generously offers free entrance for anyone under the age of 19.

Visit: https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/about-schoenbrunn/gardens/tour-through-the-park/carriage-museum

Other unique museums in the top ten include those dedicated to industrial objects, snow globes, post and vintage radios which you can find out more about here.

And what’s worth skipping?

While the curious nature of these bizarre museums makes them interesting – not all are worth visiting, according to tourist reviews.

So, which museums scored the lowest in the study?

The Torture Museum in Amsterdam is the lowest rated, with an average review score of 3.3 out of 5. Most criticisms of the museum are due to both its small size and lack of any captivating displays.

The Lighting and Heating Tools Museum in Istanbul placed 2nd lowest rated, receiving an average score of 3.3 out of 5. Whilst being mentioned as one of its kind, the majority of negative reviews are around the museums’ lack of hygiene and cleanliness. Additionally, it appears the Museum hasn’t communicated closure periods well, with visitors arriving to find the experience unavailable with no warning.

A Berlin duo of the Museum of Unheard of Things (3rd) and the Museum of Gas Lanterns (4th) fill the next two places among the lowest rated. Most of the formers negative reviews consist of closure periods, though the latter’s preservation of their gas lanterns has been criticised most.

The Museum of Fantastic Art in 5th place has a focus on surrealism. With an average score of 3.6 out of 5, the Brussels museum has received backlash for its ‘misleading’ name according to some visitors.

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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