The 11 Top European Museums & Art Treasures

May 23, 2012 12:00:00 AM EDT(3 comments) Post a comment

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Photo Credit: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Photo Credit: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Monet. Vermeer. Leonardo. Rembrandt. Picasso. Michelangelo . . . and the list goes on. Master painters and sculptors have been part of Europe's heritage for centuries, and many of their well-preserved pieces can be still be appreciated today. Our list covers all the top art sights, from expansive state museums to one special book. Be sure to read the full reviews for insider tips on how to beat the crowds at these popular sights.

What's your favorite piece of European art? Share your experiences in the comments below.
British Museum, London, Great Britain

Photo Credit: Visit London

British Museum, London, Great Britain

The self-appointed protector of treasures from around the globe, the vast British Museum is packed to bursting with antiquities and alluring objects. Among the greatest hits are the Parthenon Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, and Egyptian mummies. See full review.
Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Often called "the most beautiful book in the world," this manuscript dating to the 8th or 9th century is a marvel of intricacy and creativity, executed by monks working with reed pens. The Book of Kells can be seen at Trinity College. See full review.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

The Uffizi—Renaissance art’s hall of fame—contains masterpieces by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio, and dozens of other luminaries. See full review.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

Photo Credit: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

All swooping curves and rippling forms, this architecturally innovative museum was built on the site of the city’s former shipyards and inspired by the shape of a ship’s hull. The Bilbao Guggenheim's collection is pretty good as well, including such masters as Picasso and Miró. See full review.
Louvre, Paris, France

Photo Credit: Atout France /Franck Charel

Louvre, Paris, France

France's grandest museum was a royal palace until the French Revolution, when it was transformed into the home for the young Republic's art collection. The Louvre's Big Three—Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Venus de Milo—should not be missed. See full review.
Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

Photo Credit: Germany Tourist Board

Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

Germany's capital has over 150 museums, but Museumsinsel (Museum Island) should be your first stop. It holds five state museums with world-class collections ranging from classical antiquities to 20th century paintings and sculpture. See full review.
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

The collection here—one part devoted to Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Asian art, the other to European—isn't large, but the quality is high. Add a stroll through the Gulbekian's sculpture garden, and you have a great museum experience. See full review.
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Photo Credit: Tourist Office of Spain in NY

Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Set in a magnificent neoclassical building on one of the capital’s most elegant boulevards, the Museo del Prado is Spain's answer to the Louvre and a regal home to renowned Spanish masterpieces. Much of the collection dates back to the museum’s inauguration in 1819. See full review.
The Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Photo Credit: Solvognen / Wonderful Copenhagen

The Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Immerse yourself in the Viking exhibits of the Nationalmuseet (National Museum); one shows how the Vikings could navigate their ships across vast oceans at a time when most people believed the world was flat. See full review.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Photo Credit: Visit Holland

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum (State Museum) is the place to go when you're looking for Dutch masters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and a slew of others. See full review.
Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

Photo Credit: Marti Wilburn / Fodors.com member

Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

The lines waiting for entry at the Musei Vaticani (The Vatican Museums) can be intimidating, but the reward—a vast collection of masterpieces, highlighted by the Sistine Chapel—makes it well worth the wait. See tips on touring and full review.

Photo Credit: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Monet. Vermeer. Leonardo. Rembrandt. Picasso. Michelangelo . . . and the list goes on. Master painters and sculptors have been part of Europe's heritage for centuries, and many of their well-preserved pieces can be still be appreciated today. Our list covers all the top art sights, from expansive state museums to one special book. Be sure to read the full reviews for insider tips on how to beat the crowds at these popular sights.

What's your favorite piece of European art? Share your experiences in the comments below.
British Museum, London, Great Britain

Photo Credit: Visit London

British Museum, London, Great Britain

The self-appointed protector of treasures from around the globe, the vast British Museum is packed to bursting with antiquities and alluring objects. Among the greatest hits are the Parthenon Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, and Egyptian mummies. See full review.
Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Often called "the most beautiful book in the world," this manuscript dating to the 8th or 9th century is a marvel of intricacy and creativity, executed by monks working with reed pens. The Book of Kells can be seen at Trinity College. See full review.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

The Uffizi—Renaissance art’s hall of fame—contains masterpieces by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio, and dozens of other luminaries. See full review.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

Photo Credit: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

All swooping curves and rippling forms, this architecturally innovative museum was built on the site of the city’s former shipyards and inspired by the shape of a ship’s hull. The Bilbao Guggenheim's collection is pretty good as well, including such masters as Picasso and Miró. See full review.
Louvre, Paris, France

Photo Credit: Atout France /Franck Charel

Louvre, Paris, France

France's grandest museum was a royal palace until the French Revolution, when it was transformed into the home for the young Republic's art collection. The Louvre's Big Three—Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Venus de Milo—should not be missed. See full review.
Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

Photo Credit: Germany Tourist Board

Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

Germany's capital has over 150 museums, but Museumsinsel (Museum Island) should be your first stop. It holds five state museums with world-class collections ranging from classical antiquities to 20th century paintings and sculpture. See full review.
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

The collection here—one part devoted to Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Asian art, the other to European—isn't large, but the quality is high. Add a stroll through the Gulbekian's sculpture garden, and you have a great museum experience. See full review.
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Photo Credit: Tourist Office of Spain in NY

Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Set in a magnificent neoclassical building on one of the capital’s most elegant boulevards, the Museo del Prado is Spain's answer to the Louvre and a regal home to renowned Spanish masterpieces. Much of the collection dates back to the museum’s inauguration in 1819. See full review.
The Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Photo Credit: Solvognen / Wonderful Copenhagen

The Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Immerse yourself in the Viking exhibits of the Nationalmuseet (National Museum); one shows how the Vikings could navigate their ships across vast oceans at a time when most people believed the world was flat. See full review.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Photo Credit: Visit Holland

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum (State Museum) is the place to go when you're looking for Dutch masters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and a slew of others. See full review.
Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

Photo Credit: Marti Wilburn / Fodors.com member

Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

The lines waiting for entry at the Musei Vaticani (The Vatican Museums) can be intimidating, but the reward—a vast collection of masterpieces, highlighted by the Sistine Chapel—makes it well worth the wait. See tips on touring and full review.

Member Comments (3)  Post a Comment

  • partout on May 26, 11 at 05:01 PM

    Another person puzzled by omission of the Hermitage!

  • am_expat on May 25, 11 at 01:39 PM

    No Hermitage?

    Seems like a major oversight.

  • beatriced on May 25, 11 at 10:51 AM

    My favorite is Piero della Fraancesca's Pregnant Madonna near Arezzo, and tied for second are Michelangelo's David and the two wooden statues that together portray the Annunciation in St Augustine's church in San Gimignano. But the best way to see all the wonders of Tuscany is to skip the hotels and book a week or more in a quiet place in the country, for a peaceful refuge after the bustle of the towns! Stay some place central and forage from there!