The 11 Top European Museums & Art Treasures (Photos)

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

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Once an open courtyard, a distinctive glass roof now covers the British Museum's Great Court.

Once an open courtyard, a distinctive glass roof now covers the British Museum's Great Court.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's London Travel Guide

Photo: Visit London

Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

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Detail from the Book of Kells: Folio 292r, Incipit to John.

Detail from the Book of Kells: Folio 292r, Incipit to John.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Dublin Travel Guide

Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

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The Uffizi Gallery was Europe's first modern museum, open to the public since 1591.

The Uffizi Gallery was Europe's first modern museum, open to the public since 1591.

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

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Florence Travel Guide

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

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"Light, sound, drama, and beauty of the flames added to the essential pilgrimage to this magnificent building" —caro2009

"Light, sound, drama, and beauty of the flames added to the essential pilgrimage to this magnificent building" —caro2009

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Bilbao and the Basque Country Travel Guide

Photo: caro2009 / Fodors.com member

Louvre, Paris, France

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I. M. Pei's distinctive pyramid reflects the surrounding historical buildings.

I. M. Pei's distinctive pyramid reflects the surrounding historical buildings.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Paris Travel Guide

Photo: Atout France /Franck Charel

Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

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The Old National Gallery, Old Museum, Bode Museum, New Museum, and Pergamonmuseum are all on the site of one of Berlin's two original settlements.

The Old National Gallery, Old Museum, Bode Museum, New Museum, and Pergamonmuseum are all on the site of one of Berlin's two original settlements.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Berlin Travel Guide

Photo: Germany Tourist Board

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal

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One of the Gulbekian's more famous works is "The Mirror of Venus" by Sir Edward Burn-Jones.

One of the Gulbekian's more famous works is "The Mirror of Venus" by Sir Edward Burn-Jones.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Lisbon Travel Guide

Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

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Many works by Spain's masters—Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco—can be seen at the Prado.

Many works by Spain's masters—Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco—can be seen at the Prado.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Madrid Travel Guide

Photo: Tourist Office of Spain in NY

The Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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One of the Danish Bronze age objects on display: The Sun Chariot.

One of the Danish Bronze age objects on display: The Sun Chariot.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Copenhagen Travel Guide

Photo: Solvognen / Wonderful Copenhagen

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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The grand turrets of the State Museum are a fitting home for Dutch masterpieces.

The grand turrets of the State Museum are a fitting home for Dutch masterpieces.

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Amsterdam Travel Guide

Photo: Visit Holland

Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

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"Vatican museum ceiling: I wondered how the ceilings could get any better than this, but of course, the Sistine Chapel was even more incredible." —Marti Wilburn

"Vatican museum ceiling: I wondered how the ceilings could get any better than this, but of course, the Sistine Chapel was even more incredible." —Marti Wilburn

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.

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Rome Travel Guide

Photo: Marti Wilburn / Fodors.com member

Member Comments (3)  Post a Comment

  • 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!

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

    No Hermitage?

    Seems like a major oversight.

  • partout on May 26, 11 at 05:01 PM

    Another person puzzled by omission of the Hermitage!

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