I had a few hours before my flight and Museum Ludwig was the perfect activity to fill in that time…read more This place is massive (3 floors!), so wear your comfortable walking shoes as there is a giant staircase (elevators too of course). It's next to the main train station as well, so it's a great spot to burn time before a flight or train. I only had about 2 hours and it wasn't enough--give yourself the full afternoon or at least 3 hours! They offer a free service desk for jackets and purses. However, don't bring a large tote--they have a strict size limit and you'll have to leave it at the desk. Even if you aren't an "art person," the sheer variety here from Pop Art to Surrealism keeps it from feeling boring. Each room felt well-curated and combined with the high ceilings, there was an openness that allowed each art piece to breathe and have it's moment. Do not sleep on the gift shop. I found some nice trinkets for my desk and souvenirs for friends + family.

Museum Ludwig is the most popular museum in Cologne on TripAdvisor and one of the top attractions…read moreoverall in the city, and for good reason. I stopped by on a Sunday evening for two hours before they closed. Ideally, you'd like to spend 3-4 hours here, especially if you do the audio guide. Museum Ludwig is Cologne's preeminent museum of contemporary art. You'll find works of art from pretty much every major artist who painted in this style. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Rene Magritte, etc. It's a feast of riches so I'm only scratching the surface. Beyond the quality of the art, something else I care about at museums is how the exhibitions are laid out. Here, it's intuitive. It's pretty easy to go from room to room without worrying about missing something. Some museums aren't laid out in the best way logistically---Museum Ludwig is. There are three floors. Start at the top and then make your way down. Outside of the layout and the artwork, the final piece for me is comfort. You have that here, too. There's air conditioning which certainly is not a guarantee in Europe. You have free lockers. You have free WiFi. Well done all-around. If you're visiting Cologne, Museum Ludwig should definitely be part of your itinerary.

This museum contains an OVERWHELMING number of artifacts. I'm confused why there isn't more public…read morenotice of this museum. Perhaps it is because the display of the collection is 'old-fashioned.' Be prepared because you will see so much of areas which might be of interest. 1) 3 Euros/adult , 2) Need to show some sort of ID so that they can record the information, 3) Just off the bus line #15 from the hauptbahnhof, 4) 99% of the collection is displayed indoors, 5) Sorry if your German translation isn't up to par, all the description placards are in German.

It is free, it is extensive, it has evil Russian propaganda. Do I need to say more?…read more I do have to take off a star for not accommodating stupid Americans like me. Even with the audio guide, there are some parts of the museum that you will just have to squint at intelligently, take pictures thinking that you will translate when you get home (you won't), and move on with the other children to the big tank. Big tanks require no translation. Neither does the life-sized canoe crashing through the wall with life jackets pouring out of it (bet you're going now, aren't you?)

This is one of the best museums to visit if you are at all interested in contemporary German…read morehistory (WWII and on). While it is a bit frustrating if you don't know German (only the major captions on signs are translated into English, though I heard you can ask for an English guide), the fact that it's free more than makes up for it. Regardless of my utter lack of German language ability, I still managed to spend hours in this museum. The best part? Admission is absolutely FREE. Definitely a must-see attraction in Bonn. Go with German locals if you can; it'll likely make your visit much more meaningful. Note: You will be asked to turn in your personal belongings at the coat check. Also, there is a direct entrance to the museum from the Heussallee/Museumsmeile U-Bahn station, on the western side of Friedrich-Ebert-Allee -- going through this entrance will actually allow you to see a neat car and train.

I enjoyed the one exhibit but our visit was a bit short. Maybe they're doing a lot of construction…read moreand changing out a number of exhibits, because there was really only the one thing to look out. "Captivate!" is curated by German supermodel Claudia Schiffer who is a native of the North Thine-Westphalia district making the Düsseldorf Kunstpalast a good choice. The exhibit takes us through the golden age of fashion and supermodels. Photographs, more photographs, some memorabilia and lots of captions in both German and English. I enjoyed it but would like to have seen more art. If there's more going on here, we couldn't find it. [Review 16376 overall - 181 in Germany - 1883 of 2021.]

Beautiful Museum! The parking is a little tricky but there is plenty of it once you get footed! The…read moremuseum is relatively large on the inside! The staff are friendly, attentive and super informative! Although I've been to Dusseldorf a few times now, this was my first time visiting the museum to see "PS Ich Liebe Dich" And I was wonderfully impressed with how organized and informative the exhibit was! Can't wait to come back!

Dear tourists, if interested in modern art and architecture, this is your place to go!…read moreGreat old-modern-combination, probably one of the best architectural highlights in town. Art showed is truly modern (21st century, got it?) And rooms are dedicated to a huge range of different artists. This eclectic concept plus room in the basement for bigger expositions make this museum a good example of its kind. Not to talk of the tomas saraceno installation which can be entered (right.) Until end of 2014.

Go for the In Orbit installation. After donning a special suit and shoes, climb in to the exhibit…read morebut be forewarned : trying to walk on three layers of nets suspended 90 feet in the air isn't for the faint of heart. You can always take a break and lounge on the clear plastic orbs. Afterwards, come back to earth and visit the crazy spider exhibit: intricate webs are suspended from sheet glass. A guard is positioned in the room that visitors don't sneak in a can or two of Raid. Another exhibit featured rows of suspended fabric for the visitor to weave in and out of. After winding through, be rewarded with a highly unusual film short. This museum doesn't have as much art as the sister museum, K20, but it's well worth a visit. We were there in January and it wasn't busy- only a few minute wait to go up "In Orbit" The building is beautiful and spacious; we didn't even see the entire museum but would consider returning next time in Düsseldorf. Quite a few of the exhibits are admittedly unusual but it's still and enjoyable way to spend an afternoon doing something a bit out of the ordinary- especially if you've got painting and sculpture overload.

The Lindt Chocolate Museum itself is beautiful, informative, and genuinely enjoyable. The exhibits…read moreare well designed, the chocolate history is fascinating, the tasting stations are everything you'd hope for and staff interactions enhanced our experience. Up until the very end, our visit was truly wonderful. Sadly, the way we were treated by staff as we were leaving completely overshadowed what had been a great experience. While we were calmly waiting near the exit for family members who were finishing in the gift shop -- where they had just spent a couple hundred euros -- staff members became abruptly rude and aggressively chased us out of the building. Even more unacceptable, one family member was refused access to the restroom, despite being an active, paying customer who had just made a substantial purchase. The tone used with us was unkind, unnecessary, and frankly shocking for a company that promotes hospitality. Because of this final interaction, we would not return, and it's very unfortunate -- because everything else about the museum was excellent. A guest's last experience matters, and ours left us feeling disrespected and unwelcome.

Lots of complaints of crowds.... Arrive early, less people…read more We got here early and there was no line. Super comfortable and not crowded. The kids ordered chocolate and that takes 45 minutes so we went to the cafe shop and ordered some things to tide us over while we waited. By the time we left the lines were ridiculous, the entrance was super crowded and there were far too many people for my liking. Probably would not have paid to go into the museum had the crowds been there when we arrived. You can get chocolate during tour, when you walk in and during the tour itself. Lots of history. It was interesting. 44.50€ for a family, feels expensive for what it is, but a decent way to waste time. You can go in and get cake and coffee, chocolate or drinks and skip the tour.

By 50 AD Cologne was the largest Roman settlement north of the Alps with a population of 45,000…read more The Romans called it Colonia, Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (Colony of Claudius and Altar of the Agrippines). It was the massive Roman settlement that is the basis of the museum's collection. The first major find occurred in 1941 when while digging for an air raid shelter a large mosaic floor tile from a first century Roman Villa was discovered. It depicted the world of Dionysos (220/23). The find and other artifacts found represents the basis of the museums collection. Other notable objects are the reconstructed sepulcher of legionnaire Lucius Publicus (40 AD), the largest collection of Roman glass vessels and a unique collection of Roman and Medieval jewelry. The museum has three floors for viewing and countless objects. The Adult admission price is 9 Euros. Large bags are checked at the front desk. No credit cards are accepted. Some English translations and no English audio. the Cologne Welcome Card gets you a 20% discount. It's open Tues-Sundays 10-5. It's rather old school in the way objects are displayed with limited interaction and technology but the objects are well lit and there is much natural sunlight. I was impressed by the collection itself.

One of my all-time favorite museums!…read more After my first visit 6 years ago and then later while I studied in Cologne 4 years ago, the Romisch-Germanisches Museum came to feel like a home, connecting and emphasizing years of study at university in the US and bringing the culture and art of the Romans to life again. It highlights the history of Cologne as a "colonia" of Rome under the early emperors (from which its name derives) and its transition into Late Antiquity. The highlights of any visit are the in situ mosaic of Bacchus and funerary monument of Publicius, around which the museum is constructed and centers. Thanks to this set-up, you can view the mosaic from multiple levels and angles, taking it in in all its glory. The rest of the museum tour and collection is arrayed on a few floors and allows you to get up close and personal with the statues, busts, and other artifacts. Unless you're working on an archaeological site, this is the closest you'll get to such objects. I have loved every visit here and will definitely be back when I can!