Europe’s Best Underground Museums: See Something New

When planning a trip to Europe, you might include the major museums: The National Gallery in London, the Louvre in Paris, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Perhaps you’ll serendipitously stumble upon a few others while strolling the city streets with a cortado and a decadent pastry.

If you venture, just around the corner, and a bit off the well-beaten paths, you could discover some gems that document history in a different (and sometimes bizarre) way all on their own. Anyone can bring back a Starry Night keychain from the Van Gogh Museum, but it is a rare breed of European explorer who can claim to have visited Froggyland, especially since it closed in 2021. Once a treasured museum of taxidermy frogs playing tennis in Croatia, now is a relic of the past. This is just one example that Europe has obscure yet unforgettable experiences that one day may cease to exist. Will you visit what most never see? For something a little different on your next Euro-trip, consider these special museums; you might not find them on the usual tourist maps!

Heartbreak and Comic Strips

Honeymooners might want to avoid this place entirely.  Located in the heart of Croatia in Zagreb, the Museum of Broken Relationships pays homage to love gone wrong. Its collections include donated objects from real relationships, along with true break up stories to accompany each artifact. The museum won the Kenneth Hudson Award from the European Museum Forum in 2011, with judges noting the museum “…encourages discussion and reflection not only on the fragility of human relationships but also on the political, social and cultural circumstances surrounding the stories being told.” It’s the perfect place to pick up a postcard for your “ex!”

In Brussels, The Belgian Comic Strip Center boasts a collection of some of Europe’s greatest comic artists, and some of Belgium’s best characters and heroes, including TinTin, Lucky Luke, the Smurfs, Black and Mortimer, Spirou and more. The comic book culture has become mainstream entertainment fare in the United States in the last few decades, but Belgium has celebrated the genre since the mid-20^th century. 

Domestic Item Museums

If you’re into grass (or gardening), you might want to make a pit stop The British Lawnmower Museum.  Located in Southport England, this collection contains over 300 exhibits dedicated to garden machinery from the last 200 years. Of special mention are the lawnmowers of the rich and famous (including that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana). There are also lawnmower patents and blueprints from as far back as 1799, and hosted workshops on how to restore lawnmowers as well.

If you’re not the one to manicure the lawn, perhaps you put on the tea? At the Teapot Island in Yalding, England, view over 8,500 teapots, the largest collection in the UK. A two-time Guinness World Records winner, this teapot museum is family owned and operated, by Sue and Keith Blayze, since its opening in 2003. This massive collection began with a gift from Sue’s grandmother in 1983: a blue and brown terracotta clay teapot, hand-painted with flowers. Upon acquiring more teapots, her fascination with teapots grew into a sizable collection. In 2004, the couple purchased a 3 meter tall Wishing Well teapot and cup from Germany, which greets visitors to the island and entrance of the museum. A teapot museum in England wouldn’t be complete without a tea experience, which they offer at their cafe, with a unique history of its own.

For Foodies

The world’s very first museum dedicated to currywurst, Currywurst Museum, located near the former locale of Checkpoint Charlie, is visited by nearly 350,000 people each year. If you choose to visit, you’ll follow an interactive “sauce trail” through the history of currywurst, where you may find yourself in a spice chamber complete with “sniffing stations,” sitting on a sausage sofa, or playing “Curry Up” – a virtual currywurst making game. Bianca Wohlfromm, from the museum, explains the history and cultural significance of Currywurst:

“The Currywurst is very popular in Berlin and the success story of the Currywurst is a phenomenon. Due to the history, it is part of Germany’s cultural heritage. More than 2000 places offer Currywurst in Berlin and on almost every street corner at any time, day or night, people can enjoy a Currywurst. Currywurst means simplicity and honesty, being in the world, down-to-earth – yet special.”

If you’re a cheese lover, say ‘cheese!’ at the Dutch Cheese Museum. Smile through an entire city, market and museum, dedicated to the creamy craft in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Dating back to 1365, Alkmaar has a long history with cheese, especially these famous Dutch cheeses: Edammer and Gouda. At the Dutch Cheese Museum, learn about the cheese-making process and view classical paintings depicting the cheese market and the romance of rural life.

Go Underground

Fans of the Woody Allen Movie “Midnight in Paris” may be looking for the 1920’s most legendary writers when you mention an underground tour of Paris, but The Paris Sewer Museum offers something a bit darker. Located underground, this museum documents the history of Parisian sewage from the Middle Ages to current day. Tools and equipment used to remove waste are displayed, along with stuffed rats, swords and other findings from throughout the sewer system. Visit this museum to learn more about how wastewater is disposed of in a major city, but be sure to wash your hands before visiting the nearby Eiffel Tower.

All aboard at the Osokorky Metro Station, an underground transport hub in Kyiv, Ukraine. This station doubles as an art gallery. Situated between Slavutych and Pozniaky stations, Osokorky is about a 5 mile ride to the city centre. Eight colorful murals cover the interior of the station, by international artists: Autonomy by Mata Ruda from Costa Rica, Motherland by Kraser from Spain, United by Issam Rezgui from Switzerland, Unfinished by BkFoxx from the United States, Samotkana by Alexander Britsev from Ukraine, Avdeyevka by Matthew Down from Belgium, Universal Language by Apollo Tores from Brazil, and Knowledge is a Treasure by Spear from Belgium.

The Museum of Funeral Carriages Barcelona Spain museum is an interesting escape from the traditional Barcelona art and architecture tours.  At the Museum of Funeral Carriages, visitors get a first-hand look at the “finest in cadaver transportation.” Located inside the Montjuic Cemetery, the museum displays the customary funeral carriages used in Spain during the last third of the 19^th century and the first half of the 20^th century.  These black-lacquered coaches are exquisitely decorated with gold paint detail.

Bonus Museums

Portugal is known for pristine beaches, stunning architecture and a rich exploration history. Portugal’s “hidden gem,” The National Tile Museum, celebrates Portugal’s history of azulejo, meaning “little polished stone” in Arabic. This traditional tilework can be traced back to the Portuguese Empire, as well as of other Iberophone cultures. From intricate patterns, scenes and vivid colors, the museum delves into the craft’s rich legacy.

Video game aficionados can explore the history of video games and also learn more about how video games work at The Video Game Museum of Rome (GAAM). Opened in 2012, this museum’s displays include 15 different game retrospectives, giving viewers a glimpse into how each video game was created.  The museum has partnered with a German software company to create a graduate course in virtual reality development. Vigamas often hosts theme nights and tournaments, where winners receive newly released games or themed prizes. As they say, when in Rome…

[Written July 2019; Updated February 2025]

Cover photo: National Tile Museum