Vacationing abroad is always fun. There are many things to see and do that are very different from what we see and do in our own countries, and these differences are part of the charm of foreign travel. One activity which people often do when travelling overseas is to visit the famous museums of the country they are touring. They do this because they wish to learn more about the region’s history and culture, and because they wish to see world-famous exhibits that cannot be seen anywhere else.

Museums are without doubt a storehouse of a particular nation’s history and culture. Through their exhibits, they chart the course of the country’s development. Museums often describe a nation’s journey from prehistory to modernity, and this description is enriched by the display of historical artifacts such as tools, weapons, clothes and jewelry. A good example is the Edo Museum in Tokyo. Visitors to that institution can obtain valuable insights into life in the Japan of three centuries ago. It is always easier to appreciate a place if you know something of its past, and museums certainly help us to do that.

A further attraction of museums is that they often contain special collections which are rarely, or even never, allowed to be displayed abroad. This may be because they are too valuable or perhaps to delicate. Many of the works of world-famous artists fall into this category. If one wishes to see the Mona Lisa with one’s own eyes then a visit to the Louvre in Paris is necessary. Another great work of art which is never allowed to leave its museum is Picasso’s Guernica. The size of the canvas and its age mean that it is now in a very fragile condition and would probably not survive an attempt to move it. As such, only a visit to Madrid can provide the chance to see this masterpiece. One would be foolish indeed to pass up such an opportunity.

All the great cities of the world are home to museums, many of which are national museums that showcase the best of a nation’s heritage. Many of these museums also contain collections that are unique, and unable to be experienced anywhere else. It is this blend of cultural heritage on display and uniqueness that attracts tourists to museums. A visit to a foreign city is always enhanced by time spent in that city’s museums. (401 words)