The most inspiring museums on the Danube

The length of the Danube is packed with intriguing cities, each with their own set of remarkable museums, galleries and exhibitions. When you take our 8 Day Danube Cruise, you get plenty of time to explore the likes of Vienna and Budapest at your leisure, but with so many great things to see it helps to have an idea of what’s on offer.

Here are a few of the best museums on the Danube.

Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) - Vienna

The romantic city of Vienna certainly isn't lacking when it comes to culture and history. After all, Mozart spent a great deal of time here producing some of his most iconic works. Yet while music is as much a part of Vienna as the Danube itself, it’s the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) that we recommend you visit if you only have time for one museum. This magnificent gallery, located close to the equally brilliant Imperial Palace, was built in 1891 to house the imperial family's art collections. Today, the art museum contains one of the biggest and best collections in the world, with a number of iconic pieces hanging on its walls. On top of the largest Bruegel collection in existence, you will find Raphael’s "Madonna in the Meadow," as well as works from Rubens, Velasquez, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Address: Maria-Theresien-Platz , 1010 Wien

The House of Terror Museum - Budapest

With a name like the House of Terror, you know that you are in for a grisly time in this museum. Housed in the former communist secret police headquarters, this horrifying, yet intriguing museum documents the fate of those who fell foul to the Hungarian fascist and communist regimes of the 20th century.

Many of those who disappeared into the halls of this wicked building were detained, questioned, tortured and even killed here and the exhibitions at the museum take you through the hopeless tales. As the most interesting chapters of history are often the darkest, this museum tops the lot for Budapest. Address: 1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 60.Andrássy út 60.

Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelaende - Nuremberg

Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds, or Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelaende, is one of the most fascinating relics from Nazi Germany. This huge parade ground was once the platform from which the Nazis would host their famous rallies and displays of power. Some 50,000 people could attend the rallies from the viewing gallery and by taking in the permanent exhibition "Fascination and Terror", you will gain a better understanding of the effects that these authoritarian displays might have had on the German people.  Address: Bayernstraße 110 90478 Nürnberg

LENTOS Kunstmuseum (LENTOS Art Museum) - Linz

As a former European capital of culture in 2009, Linz has plenty of clout in the museum department. Explore the realms of biology, Austrian history, literature, and more - there’s even a cowboy museum, if Stetson hats and the Wild West are your thing. However, the pick of the bunch has to be the LENTOS Art Museum. One of Austria’s most important art galleries, LENTOS boasts a stunning collection of Modern Art ranging from the thought-provoking to the downright bizarre.

The building itself is an impressive sight at night as it lights up in different colours.  As it’s right on the banks of the Danube, you may catch a glimpse of this impressive museum in the evening as you settle down to dinner. Address:  Ernst-Koref-Promenade 1, 4020 Linz, Austria

Bratislava City Museum (Mestske Muzeum) - Bratislava

Learn all about the rich history of Bratislava and the surrounding region in this concise and fascinating museum. The museum was established in 1868 and documents the earliest periods of Slovakia right up until the 20th century. Split into eight museums throughout the city, the main one is the Museum of the City History, which covers every aspect of Bratislava from culture to social life. To top off your visit, head up the tower and enjoy the sensational views of the city's Old Town. Address: Radnicna ul 1, Bratislava 815 18, Slovakia (Staré Mesto)

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