The Wanderlist: Best museums around the world
With subjects from the mingling of limbs to Michelangelo’s masterpieces, these museums are worth flying for.
The British Museum, England
Don’t let the name fool you; the British Museum has three-floors of cultural finds from all around the globe. When it opened in 1759, it was the first national public museum in the world and to this day, it’s free to enter. Highlights include Easter Island statues, the Rosetta Stone from 196 BC, and the Parthenon Marbles. The British Museum is not without its controversy – the Elgin Marbles are one of the many disputed items – but with over 6 million annual visitors, it’s still one of the most popular in the world. The scale of the museum can be daunting, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, hop on one of the free spotlight tours given by volunteer tour guides every Friday
Cup Noodles Museum, Japan
This offbeat, only-in-Japan museum located just outside Osaka is dedicated to the world’s favourite, budget-friendly meal: instant ramen. The museum explores the invention of Cup Noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958 and follows its growth to become one of Japan’s most popular exports. There’s a re-creation of Ando’s backyard research shack where he developed the original Cup Noodles recipe, as well as an exhibit on instant noodles around the world. The highlight, however, is the opportunity to create your own Cup Noodles from scratch, choosing the broth, toppings and even decorating your own cup.
Museo de las Momias, Mexico
This disturbing museum in Guanajuato, Mexico displays the largest collection of natural mummies in the world. Rather than being embalmed and preserved, the corpses at the Museo de las Momias became mummified as a result of the dry desert climate. Disinterred over the last 150 years, many of these mummies were discovered when their families could no longer pay the tax required to keep them buried. The mummies on display wear pained, frightening expressions and with mummified children and babies amongst the collection, the Museo de las Momias is far from a family attraction.
Museum of Sex, New York
The eyebrow-raising Museum of Sex, playfully nicknamed MoSex, delves into the history and culture of sex, with exhibits that are both academic and entertaining. The museum’s permanent collection includes more than 15,000 objects related to the mattress dance, ranging from anti-masturbation devices from the 1800s and old-fashioned condom tins to vintage pornographic photos and videos. Rotating temporary exhibitions focus on topics like cyber sex, fetishes and the sex lives of animals. A huge gift shop stocked with books and sex toys, along with a sensually-themed cocktail lounge further add to the provocative fun – but suffice to say that more conservative travellers will want to steer clear of this one.
Galleria dell’Accadamia, Italy
Housing Michaelangelo’s famous David sculpture might be this museum’s most celebrated feature but the Galleria dell’Accadamia has plenty more to offer. Opened in 2001, its Department of Musical Instruments features around fifty musical instruments gathered from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany’s private collections. Among the instruments on display are a tenor viola and cello created by Antonio Stradivari in 1690 for the Grand Prince Ferdinando de' Medici. Gracing the halls of the Galleria dell’Acadamia are sculptures by Giambologna and Lorenzo Bartolini, along with Micahel Angelo’s four Prisoners. Italian paintings from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries round out the museum’s works
