Europe

At 1316 metres long, the open-air art gallery on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Immediately after the wall came down, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery, and it officially opened as an open air gallery on 28 September 1990. Just over a year later, it was given protected memorial status. In more than a hundred paintings on what was the east side of the wall, the artists commented on the political changes in 1989/90. Some of the works at the East Side Gallery are particularly popular, such as Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinders’s Trabant breaking through the wall. They are not just a popular subject for postcards – you’re sure to want to photograph them yourself. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/east-side-gallery

The stunning Palacio de Cibeles is not only the headquarters of Madrid City Council, it is also home to CentroCentro. A recent addition to the renowned Paseo del Arte, the cultural centre boasts a packed programme of activities that revolve around the city and includes exhibitions, workshops, conferences and concerts. Next to the entrance hall, where you’ll find interactive information screens, there is a colourful lounge where visitors can sit back and read, connect to WiFi or enjoy some people-watching through the large windows that look out onto Plaza de Cibeles. The building has two restaurants: Colección Cibeles on the ground floor and Palacio de Cibeles on the 6th. Both are open Monday to Sunday. Also on the sixth floor is Terraza Cibeles, a great rooftop bar where you can relax with a pre-dinner drink or mid-afternoon snack as you take in the wonderful views of the Plaza de Cibeles and the Madrid skyline. For even more breathtaking vistas, head up to the Mirador observation deck on the 8th floor. https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/centrocentro-palacio-de-cibeles

The first nucleus, a collection of ancient sculptures, was constituted by Julius II (1503-13) but the idea of ​​the museum was born with Clement XIII (1758-69), who with the assistance of Winckelmann had the Museo Profano exhibiting set up Greek and Roman sculptures. With Clement XIV (1769-74) and Pius VI (1775-99) the Museo Pio Clementino was born, which brings together the most famous examples of ancient sculpture such as the Apollo del Belvedere, the Laooconte group and the Torso del Belvedere, while in 1807 -10, under Pius VII, the Chiaramonti Museum is set up by Canova, which houses Roman sculptures. In 1822 the Braccio Nuovo is opened with over 150 sculptures including statues such as the wounded Amazon, the Doryphoros, the enormous statue of the Nile, the Augustus of Prima Porta. With Gregory XVI the Gregorian Etruscan Museum was opened in 1837 , with finds coming mostly from the nineteenth-century excavations carried out in southern Etruria, and in 1839 the Egyptian Gregorian collecting a series of statues depicting deities or characters of the royal family, sarcophagi, mummies and elements of funerary furniture. In 1844 he opened the Lateran Profane Museum (today Gregoriano Profano) and later the Pio Cristiano which collected materials from excavations in the Roman catacombs including numerous sarcophagi. https://www.turismoroma.it/it/node/121

Every trip to the capital deserves a visit to the Louvre to discover the wealth of treasures it contains. The museum houses western works of art dating from the Middle Ages to 1848, in addition to collections of ancient oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman civilizations, as well as graphic and Islamic arts. From room to room, the former royal palace reveals its masterpieces to the public: the Mona Lisa, The Raft of the Medusa, the Venus de Milo, and The Winged Victory of Samothrace. In total, there are 35,000 works to be discovered or re-discovered! With its eight hundred year old history, the Louvre has been influenced by numerous architectural trends, from the medieval fortress of the 12th century to the glass pyramid by Pei (1989). The latest addition, housing the Islamic arts section, was designed by architects Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti. The undulating glass canopy covers the Visconti courtyard, flooding the 2,800 m² new wing with light. A visit to the museum is particularly pleasant at night: the Louvre is less crowded and visitors can enjoy stunning night-time views of Pei’s glass pyramid, the Cour Carrée and the Seine. https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71065/Musee-du-Louvre

The Palais de Tokyo, an art deco building that dates from 1937, reopened in 2001 after a new interior design by French architects Anne Lacaton & Jean-Philippe Vassal who selected rough and ready style (concrete floor, wall and roof). Today the most creative and fun museum in Paris, the only one to be open till midnight. The Palais de Tokyo, which is right next door to the Musée d'Art Moderne at the Trocadero, has opened as a showcase for contemporary art. The idea is to have no permanent collections, but to let experimental artists have somewhere in central Paris to express themselves, hence an opening full of “installation” and “interactive” art. There is no permanent collection; instead, dynamic temporary exhibits spread over a large, open space that's reminiscent of a construction site, with a trailer for a ticket booth. http://www.paris-paris-paris.com/paris_landmarks/museums/palais_de_tokyo_paris

Brera is synonymous with the artistic heart of the city. In fact, as you stroll along the streets of this ancient district, you cannot help but be enchanted by its almost surreal atmosphere boasting small artisan’s workshops or quaint stores selling canvases and paints. Additionally, Brera is home to the impressive Accademia di Belle Arti, where visitors can admire Milan’s famous painting collection at the Pinacoteca (the Brera Picture Gallery), the historic Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense (Braidense National Library) , the Museo Astronomico (The Astronomical Museum), the oldest scientific research institute in the city and the Giardino Botanico (Botanical Gardens), an evocative green space located. https://www.wheremilan.com/sightseeng-brera/welcome-to-brera-district/

Apart from the amazing art and exciting exhibitions, there are many more reasons to spend time at the National Gallery of Ireland! A visit to the National Gallery of Ireland is free. Since 1854, when it opened its doors for the first time, the National Gallery of Ireland has always believed that the National Collection is the nation’s collection and as such is available for your pleasure almost all year round. https://www.nationalgallery.ie

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is one of the most popular museums in the world, attracting visitors from every corner of the globe. Naturally, this is in large part due to it housing the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh – more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 of his letters. Having originally opened on Museumplein in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum has been expanded and modernised over the years, ensuring it's a truly cutting-edge exhibition and visitor space. For both locals and far-travelling visitors, the Van Gogh Museum is a unique and inspirational experience. Alongside the legacy of Vincent van Gogh's instantly recognisable impressionist works, such as his landscapes, self-portraits and still lifes – especially ‘Sunflowers’ – the museum provides opportunities to track the artist's development and compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century – those who inspired him and those who drew inspiration from him. https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/things-to-do/museums-and-galleries/museums/van-gogh-museum

The biggest branch of the world-famous Hermitage in Saint Petersburg can be found in Amsterdam. Discover top works from the Russian collection in changing exhibitions. The museum was established in the Amstelhof, a monumental building on the Amstel river, in 2009. The art collection of the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg had become so extensive that the museum decided to put a range of works on display in branches. The biggest of these can be found in Amsterdam. The Russian art was initially on display in a small building but the Hermitage in the Amstelhof opened its doors in 2009. Just a year later, the museum welcomed its one millionth visitor. The Hermitage is one of the top attractions in Amsterdam. https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/amsterdam/museums/hermitage-amsterdam-3.htm

This enormous palace is one of Florence's largest architectural monuments. The original palazzo was built for the Pitti family in 1457, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and built by his pupil Luca Fancelli. The original construction consisted of only the middle cube of the present building. In 1549, the property was sold to the Medicis and became the primary residence of the grand ducal family. The palace was then enlarged and altered; from 1560, Bartolomeo Ammannati designed and added the grandiose courtyard and two lateral wings. Today, the Pitti Palace houses some of the most important museums in Florence: on the first floor is the Palatine Gallery, containing a broad collection 16th and 17th century paintings (including works by Raphael), and the Royal Apartments, containing furnishings from a remodeling done in the 19th century. On the ground floor and mezzanine is the Treasury of the Grand Dukes (formerly known as the the Silver Museum or Museo degli Argenti) displaying a vast collection of Medici household treasures, from table silverware to precious stone vases, rock crystals and precious jewelry. The Gallery of Modern Art is on the top floor, holding a collection of mostly Tuscan 19th and 20th century paintings. https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/pitti-palace.html

Visiting the Galleria dell’Accademia, you're most likely target are the magnificent giant marble sculptures created by Michelangelo, and above all, the glorious David. If you explore the museum with a bit more time, the Accademia will offer you much more in the less crowded halls, satisfying any curiosity for botany, music, art symbols and painting techniques. The Accademia welcomes the visitor in the Hall of the Colossus, name taken from the huge models of the Dioscuri of Montecavallo which were displayed in this large hall in the 19th century. It now hosts in the center the plaster model for the stunning marble sculpture of Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women. Giambologna prepared the model as an exercise in creating a tightly-knit group of three figures from just one large block of marble. He did not actually name the sculpture, it was meant to be as a “simple” exercise of skill and it became the first example of such magnificent talent. https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/accademia-gallery.html

The Accademia Museum (Gallerie dell'Accademia) is part of a complex including the church of Santa Maria della Carità, the homonymous Scuola Grande (the original entrance is now the main access to the museum) and the Monastery of the Canonici Lateranensi (the complex was in use until the beginning of the XIX century). The gallery take its name from the Accademia delle Belle Arti (Art Accademy) who opened the building and shared the sites until few years ago (2004). The operas preserved inside the Gallery are many and of inestimable value. Most of the painting comes from a period between the XIV and the XVIII century, the most important authors are Carpaccio, Bellini, Tintoretto, Tiziano. Also many sculptures and drawing can be admired, amongst them the vitruvian man by Leonardo da Vinci, exposed only few periods. Initially the museum was operating as didactic and restoration of art operas centre. http://venice-tourism.com/en/places/dorsoduro-district/accademia-gallery-museum

The Correr Museum offers a real opportunity to know the Art and History of Venice. In the Napoleonic wing that was during the 19th century house of kings and emperors with their impressive neoclassical rooms, we find an important collection of works of one of the greatest sculptors of that time, Antonio Canova (1757-1822). In this museum we can also visit the New Magistrates, "Procuratie Nuove", which were designed between 1552-1616 by the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi and where once the most important civic authorities of the Republic of Venice were housed. In these spacious rooms, currently there are collections that document various aspects of the city's history, such as public institutions, daily life, naval achievements and local festivals. On the second floor is the exhibition of the Art Collection covering the period from the beginning of Venetian painting to the 16th century; also here we can find other incomparable masterpieces. https://www.venice-museum.com/correr-museum-piazza-san-marco.php

The Vatican Museums,founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th contain one of the world's greatest art collections in the world. Exhibits range from Egyptian mummies and Etruscan bronzes to ancient busts, old masters and modern paintings. https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html

The Contemporary Art Museum in Bucharest houses a great collection called Seeing the history from 1947 to 2007, which is an exhibition about the communist period, the progress of the Eastern European civilization, about the life of people in this period, including the Romanian Revolution in 1989 and the process of modernization of the country after the communists and the integration in the Euro-Atlantic civilization. Of course, the most important pieces of the collection are the art masterpieces exhibited, but the social, political and economical contexts are also explained on the first floor of the museum. There are also events organized here, like the recent one called The art condition in Russia and Eastern Europe in postmodern society, by an art historian Yunnia Yang from Taiwan. An impressive collection of photos made after masterpieces signed by great artists is also housed by the Museum. We are talking about 3 millions of copies in a digital archive. https://bucharest-travel.com/bucharest-contemporary-art-museum/

Theodor Pallady Museum is an interesting landmark for two reasons: it is housed by one of the oldest dwelling buildings in Bucharest, Malic House and here you can see the collection of more than 1700 items, valuable paintings but not only. Theodor Pallady, one of the greatest Romanian painters, was born in 1871. He will study the Polytechnics in Dresda but soon will realize he was made for painting. In 1892 Theodor Pallady enters Gustave Moreau’s workroom in Paris where he will also meet Henri Matisse. It is in Paris where Pallady will become the friend of Gheorghe Raut whose guest will be a few years and who will also donate his collection, including Pallady’s works to the Romanian State. This happened in 1970. https://bucharest-travel.com/pallady-museum-bucharest/

If you are an art lover you should not miss this place. They have a permanent collection exhibiting historical artefacts and they always have a temporary exhibition bringing new items. Housed in the neoclassical Sutu Palace(1834), the museum features some 300,000 artefacts, from coins, books, maps, engravings, paintings, arms and furniture to old traditional costumes. Among the most valuable exhibits are the document attesting for the first time the name of the city of Bucharest, issued by Vlad Tepes in 1459. https://www.likealocalguide.com/bucharest/bucharest-history-art-museum

The museum houses a magnificent collection of over 830,000 exhibits from all periods, from antiquity to the present. Masterpieces of Polish and world art are presented in themed galleries. In the Faras Gallery you can see the largest collection of Nubian artefacts in Europe from the eighth to the fourteenth centuries, including a unique collection of wall paintings. They come from the flooded Christian cathedral at Faras in Sudan and depict divinities, dignitaries and saints. Authentic 15th-century altars from various regions of Poland, Gothic sculptures and paintings for private prayer houses can be seen in the Gallery of Medieval Art. If you want to understand the role of art in the past, this is the place for you. In the Gallery of Old Art, you will be transported to an era when painting and sculpture functioned on a par with crafts. Next to paintings and sculptures, you will see beautifully decorated furniture, fabrics and dishes, and even the coat and coronation insignia of the King Augustus III. Don’t forget to check out the schedule of temporary exhibitions. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/national-museum/

Norway's largest public collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures is found in the National Gallery, established in 1837. The gallery's central attractions include Edvard Munch's "The Scream" and "Madonna". The permanent exhibition shows highlights from the collection and national icons from the romantic period until the mid-1900s. Also on display are works by international painters and sculptors, including the French impressionists. https://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?TLp=183079&National-Gallery

Kelvingrove Museum opened in 1901 and is a firm favourite with local people and visitors. It has stunning architecture and a family friendly atmosphere. xplore our 22 galleries and discover everything from art to animals, Ancient Egypt to Charles Rennie Mackintosh and so much more. We also have a changing programme of temporary exhibitions and displays. Enjoy an organ recital, a free tour or at weekends and holidays take part in one of our family activities. If you only have one day in Glasgow, Kelvingrove is a must see! https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/kelvingrove-art-gallery-and-museum

The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest French and European museums. Located in the heart of Lyon, between the Rhône and Saône rivers, it is found in a magnificent building dating from the 17th century. The collections are exhibited in over 70 rooms and offer visitors an outstanding sample of art from antiquity to contemporary art. The museum is regularly enriched, through an active acquisition policy that relies on donors, art lovers, collectors and the descendants of artists. http://www.mba-lyon.fr/mba/sections/languages/welcome

In the heart of Antwerp is the home of Peter Paul Rubens, the famous 16th-17th--century Baroque painter. For four hundred years, he and his work have been a source of inspiration and a reference. And to think that he created the bulk of his work in this house. Rubens was a fan of Rafael’s, the Italian painter. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that in 1610, just as his idol, Rubens designed his own city palace. Near the Meir, which has always been a sought-after part of the city. This is the house where Rubens created his masterpieces, his children played in the garden and he received his high, noble and even royal guests. And in the meantime, a team were working hard on his paintings in the studio. At his peak, Rubens could not cope alone and led a team of professional artists. https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/the-rubens-house

The secret Vlaeykensgang alley dates from 1591 and connects Hoogstraat, Oude Koornmarkt Pelgrimstraat with one another. Walk through the gate at Oude Koornmarkt 16 and you feel as if you have journeyed back in time. In the past this alley was where the shoemakers and the poorest people in the city lived. The shoemakers were also in charge of sounding the alarm bell of the cathedral. These days you can find antiques stores and art galleries here as well as the exclusive restaurant Sir Anthony Van Dyck. The atmosphere is very intimate which is why many people also like to come here to listen to the carillon concerts during the summertime. https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/vlaeykensgang

This museum that brings together works from the Renaissance and Impressionist masterpieces can be found in the most beautiful mansion house of the city: a feast for the eyes. This foundation housed in the Hôtel d’Assézat and created by Argentinian collector Georges Bemberg brings together numerous works of western art from the Renaissance to the early XX Century. In the Renaissance-style salons, the first floor brings back to life the interiors of different eras by combining period furniture, tableaux and objet d’art. The 2nd floor is given over to modern paintings and it is important not to miss the 35 tableaux by post-impressionist Bonnard. Among the artists on display we find Guardi, Cranach the Elder, Veronese, Titian, Fantin-Latour… In order to fully appreciate this visit, lift your gaze and admire the well-preserved XVI Century ceiling on the 1st floor. https://www.toulouse-visit.com/fondation-bemberg/toulouse/pcumid031fs0004c

The National Marc Chagall museum, was created by the artist's will to bring together in one purpose-built place his most important biblical works : the 17 paintings which make up the Biblical Message. The permanent collection is the biggest public collection of works by Marc Chagall. It is organized around the set of works produced by the painter on the Old Testament themes, supplemented by a large number of works of secular or religious inspiration: over 400 painting, gouaches, drawings, wash drawings and pastels. The museum offers the visitor a first room containing twelve large-size paintings illustrating the first two books of the Old Testament, Genesis and Exodus. In a second, smaller hexagonal room are five compositions on the theme of the Song of Songs, another Old Testament book. Audio-guides in French, English, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish . http://en.nicetourisme.com/nice/183-musee-national-marc-chagall

New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester's original museum, has wide ranging collections and displays spanning the natural and cultural world. A family friendly day out, the galleries include Ancient Egypt, Dinosaurs, Wild Space, The Den gallery for the under 5s, the Victorian art gallery, Arts & Crafts gallery and a modern and contemporary art gallery. The first floor galleries include World Arts, Picasso Ceramics: The Attenborough Collection and Leicester's internationally renowned collection of German Expressionism. The museum welcomes a vast array of temporary exhibitions, featuring works from the collections, touring exhibitions from national museums and a programme of contemporary art and craft displays. https://www.visitleicester.info/see-and-do/new-walk-museum-and-art-gallery-p700961

The Pinacoteca de Bodegas Tradición is made up of a selection of works belonging to the Joaquín Rivero Collection of Spanish painting. As of June 2006, a winery warehouse, after a laborious work of conditioning, will permanently house such important works, so that any visitor can enjoy them. The Joaquín Rivero Collection is one of the most important exhibited in Andalusia. Its fundamental characteristic is that it brings together more than 300 works of great masters of Spanish painting in a collection of private art, from the 15th to the 19th centuries. In it are represented all the important artistic movements that have been produced throughout the history of Spanish painting, as well as the authors who by their own significance make up the artistic scene of the moment: Zurbarán, Velázquez, Hiepes, Labrador, Valdés Leal, Goya, Maella, Lucas Velázquez, Madrazo, Lucas Villamil, Carlos de Haes and many other authors that will allow our visitors to walk through the history of Spain through his painting. http://www.turismojerez.com/index.php/en/what-to-visit-in-jerez/wine-brandy-3/museums-heritage-centres-and-collections-wine/item/1337-colecci%C3%B3n-joaqu%C3%ADn-rivero?catid=69

Gallery featuring contemporary sculpture, paintings & other works of the namesake artist. Vasko Lipovac was a Croatian painter, sculptor, printmaker, designer, illustrator and scenographer and one of the most prominent artists of the region. He is best known for his minimalist figuration and use of intense, unmodulated and often dissonant palette. With the exception of his juvenile period of geometric abstraction, he remained loyal to figuration throughout his whole career. Exceptionally prolific, he worked in various techniques and was equally skilful in using high-polished metal, polychromous wood, enamel, terracotta or polyester to create his sculptures, reliefs and mobiles. http://www.vaskolipovac.com/

Art Studio Naranča was founded in 1983 as a design studio of small arts and crafts objects. When the gallery moved in the bigger space at the beginning of the nineties in Majstora Jurja street at the heart of Split’s Diocletian palace we have expanded our activities by organizing exhibitions of Croatian and international contemporary artists. International graphic art biennial “Splitgraphic” was established ten years ago in Studio Naranča gallery. Fifth “Splitgraphic” International Graphic Biennial was successfully organized in 2011. with participation and exhibitions of renowned Croatian and international artists. In gallery Studio Naranča you can find the works of Pavo Majić, a graphic artist, his prints, paintings, designed items, Maja Mijač Majić’s unique jewellery, as well the books by Marina Majić and Pavo Majić. https://studionaranca.com/studio-naranca/

The museum has its roots in the Fine Arts Gallery built in 1948. Six years later, in 1954, the 1954 Salon was founded - the Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture and Painting in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). This was the first group exhibition of the modern fine arts production of the former state. In 1960 it started the Biennale of Young Artists and in 1968 it presented the International Exhibition of Original Drawings. Since 1990 it has been presenting Croatian artists at the European and Mediterranean Biennale of Young Artists. In 1962 the institution changed its name to the Rijeka Modern Gallery and in 2003 to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The Museum is working on a number of collections. These are collections of works by national artists Božidar Rašica, Romolo Venucci and Slavko Grčko, as well as collections of drawings, graphics, sculptures, posters, paintings, photographs and media art. The exhibition activities take place in Krešimirova Street. http://www.visitrijeka.eu/What_To_See/Museums_and_Collections/Museum_of_Modern_and_Contemporary_Art

Contemporary gallery Byard Art is located in the historic centre of Cambridge, opposite King’s College Chapel. Its innovative exhibition programme of solo and mixed shows by contemporary artists offers a unique selection of two and three-dimensional work, all in a friendly and welcoming environment. All of Byard Art artwork is original, and varies in medium, scale and price. https://www.visitcambridge.org/things-to-do/byard-art-p506771

The Groeninge Museum offers a varied overview of the history of Belgian plastic arts. Although the Flemish Primitives are a high point, you will also marvel at top 18th and 19th-century neoclassical pieces, masterpieces from Flemish Expressionism and post-war modern art. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/groeningemuseum-groeninge-museum

National Museum of History and Art, archeological section. The museum has a large archaeological collection, particularly of objects discovered during the various excavations: sarcophaguses, tools, coins, jewels, grave markers, etc. the most outstanding objects being found in the excavations at Dalheim (Ricciacus) and Titelberg. The visual arts section of this museum in the capital offers the possibility of admiring a wide range of Luxembourgish painting from the 18th to the 20th century, including the post-impressionist watercolours of Sosthène Weis, paintings by Joseph Kutter, Dominique Lang, Eugène Mousset, Jean-Pierre Beckius, Nico Klopp and Auguste Trémont as well as sculptures by Auguste Trémont and Lucien Wercollier. While the museum also houses ancient sculptures and paintings (including a Charity attributed to Cranach), it also has a collection of contemporary art of undeniable originality. https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/museum/national-museum-of-history-and-art-luxembourg