The Museum of the Second World War, in northern Poland, houses the most extensive collection of artifacts from the conflict. It is divided chronologically into three sections: ‘the road to war’, ‘the horror of war’ and ‘the long shadow of war’. Each focuses on the Polish experience, against a backdrop of the wider world context and instills in visitors the long- term impact of the deadliest battles in history. Some of the more personal exhibits
— detailing the lives and experiences of civilians — are not for the fainthearted. But this museum stands as a monument to events that should never be forgotten. DON’T MISS: Personal effects — including letters, diaries and photographs — from those who experienced the war. The museum also hosts screenings of US and European movies.
British Museum, London Founded in 1753, the British Museum is the world’s oldest national public museum and continues to offer free entry. With a vast collection of eight million
artifacts from around the globe, the London landmark documents human culture from the earliest civilizations to the modern era. Among the 80,000 artifacts on display at any one time, the Ancient Egyptian collection is arguably the most impressive: mummies lie beside statues and totems stand almost as tall as the grand, neoclassical ceilings. Equally impressive is the two-acre Great
Court at the heart of the building. Connecting each section of the museum under an impressive, curved glass and steel roof, it’s the largest covered square in Europe. DON’T MISS: The Rosetta Stone, the historical tool used to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Below: Museum of the Second World War, Gdan´sk, Poland. Opposite: St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Rome; spiral staircase, Vatican Museums