Bottle Peter (born: 1873) – as he came to be known – was an accomplished sailor and managed to build more than 1,700 bottle ships in his lifetime, and they’re on display here for all to enjoy.
2. The Museum of Funeral Carriages, Spain
A Barcelona museum dedicated to the art of sending someone off in style, this collection features over a dozen funeral carriages, six processional carriages and three motor vehicles used in historical funerals.
The purpose of the museum is to shine a light on the symbolism of funeral rites and how customs evolved over the 19th and 20th centuries. And if that’s not enough for you, this museum is the only one of its kind in Europe.
5 weird Amsterdam museums celebrating cats, marijuana, torture and more
5 weird Amsterdam museums celebrating cats, marijuana, torture and more
3. Museum of the Thirties, France
The reputation of the Roaring 20s is well known, while the 1930s has a tendency to get overlooked. Not at this boutique museum in Paris, where the 1930s get their due with exhibits and displays of the art and popular culture of the decade.
Expect to see everything from art deco to furniture, posters and vinyl records.
4. The Vasa Museum, Sweden
The Swedish warship Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and sat on the sea floor for centuries before being raised – almost entirely intact – in the 1960s.
Now you can admire this impressive time capsule in all its glory at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, where visitors are able to dive head first into the fascinating history of the ship, its ill-fated crew and those who raised her from the deep.
5. Museum of Miniatures, Czech Republic
You might need a magnifying glass to view some of the works in this museum full of micro-miniatures in Prague, but that doesn’t give them any less impact.
The tiny items on display include a grasshopper playing a violin, a flea fitted with horseshoes and a procession of camels that sit inside the eye of a needle.
6. Museum of Money, France
Have you ever thought much of the backstory behind the notes and coins in your pocket? If not, you’re in for a fascinating time at this museum in Paris.
The Museum of Money educates visitors on the history behind the arts of currency and minting and the incredible skill that goes into making coins. You won’t look at money the same way again.
7. The Museum of Broken Relationships, Croatia
A poster child for the quirky modern European museum, this collection in Zagreb features rooms of artefacts left over from – or that came to symbolise – relationships that went south.
Read the stories behind the objects and contemplate your own relationships that ended on a bittersweet note.
8. The Museum of Hunting and Nature, France
Sometimes, it’s all in the name and this Paris museum does exactly what it says on the label.
Diving into the complicated relationship between man and the animal kingdom through the lens of hunting, the Museum of Hunting and Nature offers visitors a thought-provoking experience full of artwork, exhibits and yes, plenty of taxidermy.
