History Museums Worldwide
Museums that tell the story of the past – from a region’s cultural history to the events of the 20th century.
History Museums Worldwide: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 1,852 history museums worldwide, spread across 3 countries and 1,037 towns and cities. Of these, 1,450 are in Germany, 296 in Denmark, and 106 in the Netherlands.
Among regions, North Rhine-Westphalia (223), Bavaria (221), and Baden-Württemberg (171) have the most; among cities, Berlin (62), Hamburg (33), and Amsterdam (24) lead the way.
350 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs €6 at the median, and the middle half charge between €4.50 and €9.50.
501 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 1,152 offer dedicated programs for families, and 620 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 history museums worldwide
The best-known history museums worldwide
Schloss NeuschwansteinCastles & Palaces · Schwangau
RijksmuseumArt · Amsterdam
WartburgCastles & Palaces · Eisenach
KronborgCastles & Palaces · Helsingør
Schloss NymphenburgCastles & Palaces · Munich
Schloss CharlottenburgCastles & Palaces · Berlin
Burg HohenzollernCastles & Palaces · Bisingen
Neues MuseumArchaeology · Berlin
Würzburger ResidenzCastles & Palaces · Würzburg
Zisterzienserabtei MaulbronnCastles & Palaces · Maulbronn
History museums worldwide with free admission
Jüdisches Museum BerlinHistory · Berlin
East Side GalleryArt · Berlin
KZ-Gedenkstätte Mittelbau-DoraMemorial · Nordhausen
Deutscher DomHistory · Berlin
Topographie des TerrorsMemorial · Berlin
Gedenkstätte PlötzenseeMemorial · Berlin
Gedenkstätte Berliner MauerMemorial · Berlin
Gedenkstätte HadamarMemorial · Hadamar
Museum Berlin-KarlshorstHistory · Berlin
Alte Synagoge EssenWorld cultures · Essen
History museums worldwide with programs for families
- RijksmuseumArt · Amsterdam
- WartburgCastles & Palaces · Eisenach
- KronborgCastles & Palaces · Helsingør
- Schloss NymphenburgCastles & Palaces · Munich
- Schloss CharlottenburgCastles & Palaces · Berlin
- Burg HohenzollernCastles & Palaces · Bisingen
- Neues MuseumArchaeology · Berlin
- Würzburger ResidenzCastles & Palaces · Würzburg
- Zisterzienserabtei MaulbronnCastles & Palaces · Maulbronn
Bode-MuseumArt · Berlin
Wheelchair-accessible history museums worldwide
- RijksmuseumArt · Amsterdam
- Neues MuseumArchaeology · Berlin
- Würzburger ResidenzCastles & Palaces · Würzburg
- Jüdisches Museum BerlinHistory · Berlin
Markgräfliches OpernhausCastles & Palaces · Bayreuth
NationalmuseetHistory · Copenhagen
Deutsches Historisches MuseumHistory · Berlin
BMW-MuseumTechnology · Munich
Ir. D.F. WoudagemaalTechnology · Lemmer
Wereldmuseum AmsterdamWorld cultures · Amsterdam
History museums worldwide with the highest published visitor numbers
- Topographie des TerrorsMemorial · Berlin
Anne Frank HuisMemorial · Amsterdam- Schloss NeuschwansteinCastles & Palaces · Schwangau
Heidelberger SchlossCastles & Palaces · Heidelberg
KZ-Gedenkstätte DachauMemorial · Dachau
Mercedes-Benz MuseumTechnology · Stuttgart
MauermuseumHistory · Berlin- BMW-MuseumTechnology · Munich
Schloss SchwetzingenCastles & Palaces · Schwetzingen
Humboldt ForumWorld cultures · Berlin
Current special exhibitions at history museums worldwide
- WORNRijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until March 21, 2027
- Carel Visser in de RijksmuseumtuinenRijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until October 25, 2026
- Nieuw in de 20ste eeuwRijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until November 9, 2026
- Willem de Kooning at workRijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until January 17, 2027
- Document Nederland: Nieuwe EnergieRijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until January 17, 2027
- Tekenen!Rijksmuseum · Amsterdam · until May 23, 2027
- Schätze, Schutt, Skurrilitäten. Geschichten von der BaustelleWartburg · Eisenach · until March 25, 2027
- Reitzeuge Kurfürst Max EmanuelsSchloss Nymphenburg · Munich
- verzuckert. Die Kunst des königlichen DessertsSchloss Charlottenburg · Berlin · until January 9, 2028
- 100 Jahre Wörterbuch der ägyptischen SpracheNeues Museum · Berlin · until December 31, 2026
By country
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many history museums are there worldwide?
Our directory currently lists 1,852 history museums worldwide across 1,037 towns and cities.
What are the best-known history museums worldwide?
Some of the best known are Schloss Neuschwanstein, Rijksmuseum, Wartburg, Kronborg, and Schloss Nymphenburg.
Which history museums worldwide offer free admission?
350 museums are free to visit – for example Jüdisches Museum Berlin, East Side Gallery, KZ-Gedenkstätte Mittelbau-Dora, and Deutscher Dom.
Which history museums worldwide are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 386 are open, such as Schloss Neuschwanstein, Rijksmuseum, and Wartburg.
Which history museums worldwide are wheelchair accessible?
501 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Rijksmuseum, Neues Museum, and Würzburger Residenz. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit history museums worldwide?
A regular adult ticket costs €6 at the median, with prices ranging from €1 to €28. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · Natural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums