3 Best Sights in Nijmegen, Netherlands

Forgiven (barely) for its aqua hue, boxy exterior "design"—which Emperor Charlemagne, whose castle ruins border the premises, would have decidedly turned his nose up at—the Valkhof Museum is nevertheless a very important archaeological and modern art museum rolled into one. The bright, pleasant space (despite the questionable accordion-style stairway) features a truly fine exhibition of prehistoric, Roman, and medieval artifacts found in the backyards of local residents. A veritable department store of antiquity balanced by a fast-forward selection of Expressionism and Pop Art designed to tease those reluctant to test both waters, the museum also features such showpieces as the oldest wine in all of Europe (no sampling), in a glass bottle some 2,000 years old; a hoot of a drinking vessel in the shape of an owl-like creature with a coconut shell body and silver trim (belief was that if given poison, one could see it in the coconut); and the showstopper, an iron mask with silver and bronze, dating to AD 100 and found nearby in the river.

In a country where bikes swarm the streets, Nijmegen provides a fitting site for the National Bicycle Museum. Inside you get pretty much what you expect: a display of more than 250 historical spokesters. Most of the veterans date back more than a century, and the oldest date back more than 150 years.

In an area once besieged by war and since face-lifted from the fallout, this lovely museum occupies beautiful surroundings between hills and woods. Experience here the ebb and flow of man's conflicts: the occupation, the liberation, and the rebuilding of a war-torn Europe. Interactive displays, dioramas, models, and films provide a positive tribute to freedom, democracy, and international cooperation.