People have varying tastes of fun and have different plans for their vacations. Some prefer to travel worldwide and visit the most popular cityscapes, beaches, caves, mountain trails, and so on to enjoy and make the most of their vacation days outdoors. Yet some prefer to expand their learning even on vacation days through business trips, seminars, conferences, and even visiting cultural heritage spots like museums. Now, this article will delve into the must-visit museums guide for your best travel around the world.
The Must-Visit Museums Guide for 2024:
In the yearly compilation of National Geographic‘s diverse team of editors, writers, photographers, and adventurers, they reveal their selections for the finest museums, festivals, and cultural destinations worldwide, inviting you to explore and engage with diverse traditions, communities, and histories—from Morocco to Mongolia, and New Orleans to New Zealand—encouraging deeper exploration and understanding.
United States and Canada
Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.
Shakespeare enthusiasts will discover the world’s most extensive collection of Shakespeareana at this recently renovated and expanded museum and library, reopening in June. Situated in Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Folger boasts more First Folios—the rare 1623 book containing all of Shakespeare’s plays—than any other location worldwide (82, to be exact). An Elizabethan-style stage showcases classic and contemporary works, such as Mohegan playwright-performer Madeline Sayet’s Where We Belong, from February 15 to March 10. With newly accessible entrances, visitors can explore interactive exhibits and a garden featuring rosemary, lavender, and other plants referenced in Shakespeare’s works.
National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana
The National WWII Museum’s latest addition, the Liberation Pavilion, highlights the war’s conclusion, the Holocaust, and the postwar era’s challenges and reconstruction efforts. Guests can explore replicas of Anne Frank’s secret annex and a Nazi-hidden art cache in a salt mine. Michael Bell, an executive director at the museum’s Institute for War and Democracy, aims to impart to visitors a deeper appreciation of the human sacrifices for peace and prosperity after the war.
Puerto Rico’s NorEste Trail
Puerto Rico’s NorEste Trail beckons adventurers with its stunning natural beauty and challenging terrain, offering a memorable hiking experience for outdoor enthusiasts.
Located just an hour’s drive east of San Juan, the NorEste Trail in Puerto Rico offers a unique backpacking experience, allowing visitors to explore a rainforest, reach mountain peaks enveloped in clouds, and relax on the beach, all in a single day. Organizations like Love in Motion enhance the journey by connecting hikers with local culture through resident-led wellness activities and family-owned traditional food stalls along the 40-mile route.
Canadian Canoe Museum, Ontario, Canada
Experience the unique opportunity to paddle right up to the world’s most extensive collection of canoes and kayaks at its sleek, boat-shaped facility opening in May. Situated lakeside in Peterborough, just 80 miles from Toronto, visitors can admire over 600 watercraft and even take lessons in paddle carving from Anishinaabe artists. Afterward, embark on a group boat tour of Little Lake directly from the onsite dock.
Caribbean
Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, located in Grenada
In Grenada, snorkelers and divers can encounter marine life like turtles and tangs and mythical figures from Caribbean folklore such as La Diablesse and Mama Glo. These life-size sculptures, along with others at the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, are made of durable materials and provide an eerie yet captivating underwater experience.
Liamuiga Natural Farms in St. Kitts
Nestled on Phillips Mountain in St. Kitts, Liamuiga Natural Farms now offers delightful three-course lunches for guests. The farm, run by the Kelly and Mike families, showcases local produce in dishes like fig chips, saltfish, and pickled turmeric paired with homemade coffee ice cream. Co-owner Tiffany Mike emphasizes that visitors become part of their mission, fostering environmental preservation, honoring Kittitian traditions, and fostering sustainability.
Mexico & Central and South America
Islas Marías, situated in Nayarit, Mexico
Travelers venturing to Islas Marías, once a penal colony now designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve along Mexico’s Pacific shoreline, arrange ferry trips to María Madre Island from San Blas or Mazatlán on the Riviera Nayarit. Accommodations involve staying in refurbished 20th-century prisoner quarters, now transformed into modest apartments rather than dreary jail cells. Activities on the island include biking, beach outings, and nature treks, offering opportunities to observe the Tres Marías amazon, a unique yellow-headed parrot species endemic to the region.
FotoFestival Manzana 1 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
The FotoFestival Manzana 1 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, held from November 20 to 24, invites attendees to explore Bolivia’s lesser-known facets. Director Ejti Stih describes it as an opportunity to delve into the country’s hidden depths. The festival, held in the country’s largest city, welcomes photographers of all levels, photo editors, and local enthusiasts for discussions, workshops, displays, and concerts at a converted police headquarters now serving as a diverse cultural center. The main exhibit, featuring over 200 photojournalism pieces, remains in the gallery for two and a half months following the event.
Europe
Tartu, Estonia
Established as early as the 9th century A.D., Tartu, the oldest city in the Baltics, holds the title of European Capital of Culture 2024. Renowned for its 17th-century university, array of museums, and vibrant performing arts, Tartu hosts various events year-round. From classical music performances to Surrealism art exhibitions and the iconic Kissing Tartu contest, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this café-filled, riverside city.
Madrid’s Royal Collections Gallery
In Madrid’s Plaza de la Armería, the modernist Royal Collections Gallery houses prized possessions of Spanish monarchs, including Goya paintings and 17th-century horse carriages. It exhibits bright spaces and works like Luisa Roldán’s 1692 Saint Michael Slaying the Devil. Director Leticia Ruiz describes it as “a museum of museums” with extraordinary pieces.
Battersea Power Station is located in London, England
From the 1930s to the 1980s, this massive coal plant supplied up to a fifth of London’s power. After a $6 billion renovation, the 1.5 million-square-foot building is now a trendy shopping, dining, and entertainment destination. Repurposed features include Control Room B, now a cocktail bar surrounded by vintage controls, and Lift 109, offering a panoramic view from one of Battersea’s iconic smokestacks. The Art’otel onsite features a rooftop pool and art gallery for visitors to enjoy.
Istanbul Modern, located in Istanbul, Turkey
In Istanbul’s Karaköy neighborhood, Renzo Piano’s 110,000-square-foot exhibition space showcases Turkish and global contemporary art. Its gleaming aluminum exterior reflects the nearby Bosporus, while vast, glass-filled galleries display Fahrelnissa Zeid’s large abstract paintings and Ayşe Erkmen’s vibrant sculptures. The rooftop features a café and an infinity “pond,” providing stunning views of Asia across the water.
Middle East & Africa
Marrakech Art Place in Morocco
In the heart of Marrakech’s Kasbah, the MAP (Monde des Arts et de la Parure) museum celebrates the timeless beauty of human adornment, showcasing a diverse array of cultural artifacts, from Montenegro’s carnelian-inlaid belts to Moroccan silk caftans and Bedouin silver brooches. Curator Alaa Eddine Sagid says these treasures glimpse humanity’s earliest artistic expressions. Visitors can also enjoy a rooftop restaurant serving fattoush salad and browse the onsite store for their bijoux. Despite the region’s devastating earthquake in September 2023, the museum remains unscathed, welcoming visitors to explore its rich heritage.
Johannesburg, South Africa
The Manor stands as a project space conceived by renowned visual artist Trevor Stuurman, who is known for collaborating with Beyoncé. Here, exhibitions and themed gatherings spotlight contemporary African culture and experiences. Guests can enjoy curated menus by influential South African chef Mo Mosoneke, soulful music performances by local bands, and compelling artworks by emerging artists. With events often selling out fast, staying updated via their website is wise.
Asia
Chinggis Khaan Museum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Travelers passing through Mongolia’s bustling capital, Ulaanbaatar, often rush to yurt resorts in the expansive Gobi Desert or trek through Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. However, taking an extra night in “U.B.” to explore the impressive new museum is worthwhile. The museum showcases Mongolia’s history, archaeological treasures like dinosaur bones and ancient stone carvings, and the legacy of Chinggis Khaan, the legendary warrior king. Undraa Buyannemekh, president of Nomadic Expeditions, highlights the museum’s display of traditional saddles, horse-headed fiddles, and other artifacts that illustrate the enduring cultural heritage of Mongolia over the centuries.
(MAP) Museum of Art and Photography in Bengaluru, India
The goal behind erecting this new art museum in the vibrant heart of India’s third-largest city was to offer residents convenient access to its galleries, dining facilities, and lecture halls. Founder Abhishek Poddar emphasizes the goal of sharing over 60,000 diverse artworks, ranging from 19th-century wood carvings to Bollywood memorabilia, with a broader audience, believing that the right atmosphere can work wonders in engaging people with art.
Guangzhou Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
With its facade adorned in 21,008 glass pieces resembling blooming lotus flowers and a grand five-story atrium, the Guangzhou Art Museum exudes unabashed extravagance. Situated along the Pearl River in China’s fifth largest city, home to 18 million residents, this iconic landmark showcases seven floors of exhibitions spanning Chinese paintings, watercolors, calligraphy, sculptures, illustrations, comic books, lacquerware, and photography, spanning ancient to contemporary eras.
Australia & New Zealand
Ōmataroa Eco-Tours, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Operating under Māori ownership and management, this tour company offers guided trips through the Ōmataroa forest along the North Island’s semi-coastal region. Visitors learn about native flora like the rewa-rewa tree and fauna like the kārearea, New Zealand’s sole native falcon species. According to tour manager Jade Elliot, participants are led by tangata whenua, individuals with ancestral knowledge passed down through generations. With luck, tourists may even catch sight of the national bird, the kiwi.
Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui, New Zealand
After its anticipated reopening in 2024, the renovated Sarjeant Gallery on New Zealand’s North Island will showcase an impressive array of international and New Zealand art spanning 400 years. The original 1919 domed building, crafted from Ōamaru stone, has been reinforced to withstand earthquakes and meticulously restored. A new wing featuring sleek black granite and glass exteriors incorporates light-catching elements that mirror the river’s shimmering reflections. The extensive Sarjeant collection comprises over 9,000 pieces, ranging from early pictorialist photography to WWII-era political cartoons, avant-garde sculptures, and works by prominent New Zealand modernist painters like Edith Collier and Colin McCahon.
New South Wales in Sydney, Australia Art Gallery
In December, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, established 153 years ago, unveiled a striking new addition to its museum complex: the SANAA-designed Sydney Modern Project. Featuring glass-walled galleries, the expansion showcases a diverse range of artworks by both international and Australian artists, including large-scale videos and Indigenous sculptures and paintings from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. One of the interactive installations, titled “Archive of Mind” by Korean artist Kimsooja, invites visitors to shape clay balls and stack them on a massive wooden table alongside hundreds of others. According to Michael Brand, the museum’s director, the installation has been top-rated, with countless clay balls crafted by visitors from around the globe.
Conclusion:
Explore and engage with diverse traditions, communities, and histories—from Morocco to Mongolia and New Orleans to New Zealand—encouraging deeper exploration and understanding today.
