Interesting to see Roman ruins underneath a German city, but since Cologne was a provincial…read morecapital, there they are! This is an underground excavation of the governor's residence, and if you're a fan of ancient history then it's worth the €3,50. For that matter, even if you're not a huge history fan, it's a unique feature of Cologne and probably worth it. There is only one small room of displays, and they are almost all in German, but they appear to be quite professionally done. There is also a stretch of Roman sewer tunnel you can walk though; while interesting there aren't any displays or anything in it, it's just a long hallway. The ruins themselves are in a huge room with a walkway running around and through it. The signs in this area are in both German and English. Not someplace you should expect to spend hours, but if you like this stuff you should probably upgrade to the €10 ticket that includes admission to the Romisch Germanische Museum (next to the cathedral) that has a lot more displays.

The praetorium was the residencs of the roman proconsul in Köln (…read moreCOLONIA CLAVDIA ARA AGRIPPINENSIVM). It was the military and civil administration department of the roman province "Niedergermanien". Today you can look at the ruins that are located under a house in the " Kleine Budengasse". Probably that is only interesting for people who are interested in roman history and/or archaeology. I think all other people can save the EUR 2,50 for the entry...

When you think of Germany, a couple of things come to mind: one of which, for better or for worse,…read moreis WWI and WWII. This dark period in Germany's history still plays a part in German culture today. While in Cologne, I wanted to make sure I visited NS-Dokumentationszentrum. What a mouthful! We stopped by this war museum for a couple of hours. There were some things I liked, and some things I didn't like. One, it's affordable. I'm always going to appreciate that. Two, they have an audio guide. When time allows, an audio guide is a great way to get the most out of a museum. You'll see a bunch of pictures and information on the rise of the Nazi party, the World Wars, and the eventual collapse post-war. The museum is actually on the site of some Nazi activity. On the flip side, there's no A/C in the museum. Not easy for an American (we love our air conditioning). I also would have appreciated a little more sophistication in the presentation of all of the material in the museum. It wasn't bad by any means, but it could have been better. Nevertheless, it's well worth your time when visiting Cologne. It's an important part of world history, and you're getting it directly from the source.

A necessary stop to appreciate the dark side of history. Allot yourself at least 2 hours to read…read moreall the placards. Audio is available in most languages for a nominal fee, Google Translate was helpful for the written displays. The most heavy moment is walking thru the basement cells and seeing the hopeless scratchings on the walls from former prisoners.

This a great museum to visit!! There's TONS of Picasso paintings and a couple of Warhol ones. I…read morewould say it would take a couple of hours to thoroughly go through everything, not including the special exhibit. Don't miss the rooftop! There's a couple of cool art installations there as well as a gorgeous view of Cologne Cathedral!!

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.

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!