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Best quirky museums around the world

Perfume, ice-cream and chocolate museums – discover the world's best quirky museums.
Are you a lover of museums but not sure which ones to visit? That’s where we come in handy. One of the best things about going on holiday abroad is exploring the breadth of galleries and exhibitions, but it can be hard to fit them all into one trip, especially when there’s also vital sunbathing to be done – meaning it’s essential to visit the best and quirkiest ones. So, in honour of National Museum Day on Thursday 18th May 2017, we’ve selected six quirky museums around the world to help you build your show-stopping ‘must visit’ itinerary.

Our pick of quirky museums ticks off short-haul destinations, like Paris and Marrakech, as well as more far-flung places, like Los Angeles and Cancun. So, whether you’re after something family-friendly, romantic, uber-cool, educational, or just something different, you can bet we’ve got it covered. We’re talking everything from a chocolate museum in New York to a Lava Centre in Iceland. Keep reading to find out which ones you can visit this year…

GRAND MUSEE DU PARFUM, PARIS, FRANCE

Did you know perfume dates all the way back to ancient Egypt? That’s right. It was once believed burning incense was a way of communicating with the gods. But, it wasn’t until the reign of Louis XIV that perfume became an established industry in France. And that’s why we can’t think of anything better for perfume-lovers than the Grand Musée du Parfum. The best-smelling museum is set in a 19th-century mansion which was once owned by world-famous fashion designer, Christian Lacroix, so you can expect dreamy interiors. Just a few of the highlights include the flower-filled garden which has been planted with aromatic plants like the jasmine flower. There are also beautiful illustrations of many different plants used to make perfumes which visitors can learn about. And, later this year, you’ll get the chance to dine al fresco in the flower garden, so you’ll get to soak up the stunning scents as you tuck into a mouth-watering Parisian meal. Très chic.

Address: 73 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30am-7.00pm
Price: Adult tickets from £12.00
Website: http://www.musee-parfum-paris.fragonard.com
Phone: +(33) 014-265-2544

THE LAVA CENTRE, HVOLSVOLLUR, ICELAND

The highly-anticipated Lava Centre is due to open on 1st June 2017. It’s dedicated to the study of volcanoes and earthquakes which are both very common in Iceland. You’ll find the Lava Centre in Hvolsvöllur which is just over an hour's’ drive away from Reykjavik. The museum is an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes and the creation of Iceland over millions of years which promises to take you into ‘the heart’ of the country. The main draw, though, is the 360-degree viewing deck, where you’ll get to scale real-life volcanoes. Think Eyjafjallajökull, Katla and Hekla, to name a few. Eyjafjallajökull (pronounced ei-ya-fyat-la-yer-kitle) is renowned for causing the huge ash cloud which disrupted air travel around Europe back in April 2010, so it’s really impressive. Elsewhere, you can learn about the powerful forces that regularly interrupt the daily lives of the locals – and you’ll even get the chance to get up close and personal with sizzling volcano simulators. And when it’s time for a tea break, there’s an Icelandic-themed restaurant to keep you fuelled up, plus a gift shop where you’ll be able to purchase souvenirs.

Address: Lava Centre, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
Opening times: Daily, 9.00am-7.00pm
Price: Adult tickets from £21.00
Website: http://lavacentre.is/
Phone: +(354)891-9820

MUSEE YVES SAINT LAURENT MARRAKECH, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

Thinking about visiting Marrakech? We don’t blame you. Morocco's fourth largest city is popping up all over Instagram feeds this year, thanks to its wealth of beautiful gardens, palaces and mosques that really are worth a snap (or ten) for the popular social media app. We think you should visit Marrakech in October 2017 which is when the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech is due to open. The terracotta-bricked museum is nestled in Jardin Majorelle (AKA renowned late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s garden), which is marked by striking cobalt-blue buildings and much-loved cacti plants – so it’s basically a haven for budding photographers. The museum will play host to Yves Saint Laurent’s impressive private collection, which will feature 5,000 items of clothing, 15,000 haute couture accessories, as well as tens of thousands of sketches and various objects.

Address: Rue Yves Saint Laurent، Marrakech 40090, Morocco
Opening times: to be confirmed
Price: to be confirmed
Website: http://www.museeyslmarrakech.com/fr
Phone: +(212)524-313-047

MUSEUM OF ICE CREAM, LOS ANGELES, AMERICA

Yep, you read that correctly. The Instagram-worthy Museum of Ice Cream recently opened in April 2017 in Los Angeles (it’s already sold out, so you’ll need to stay tuned for more tickets) – and it’s really caused a stir on social media, too. A-list celebs such as Kim Kardashian West, Katy Perry, and Gwyneth Paltrow have already made tracks for the brightly-coloured museum, so you can expect nothing but uber-cool features. Inside the museum’s grounds, you’ll get to smell scented walls, pose next to huge gummy bears, relax on supersized ice lollies, and you can even listen to fun facts about soft scoop on the vintage-esque telephones told by actor Seth Rogen. And did we mention there’s a giant pit of brightly-coloured sprinkles which you can lay down in, too? Bon appétit!

Address: 2018 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021, USA
Opening times: Wednesday to Monday, 11.00am-10.00pm
Price: Adult tickets from £17.00
Website: https://www.museumoficecream.com
Phone: +(1)888-718-4253

CANCUN STREET ART MUSEUM, CANCUN, MEXICO

Fancy visiting a museum with a difference? If you’re nodding, then Cancun’s Street Art Museum is one to tick off this year. Since March 2017, the streets of Downtown Cancun have been transformed into an open-air display of the city’s best-looking artworks. So far, four buildings have been covered in beautiful murals with the aim of reflecting the culture of the local communities. The artfully-adorned walls also portray a message of ecotourism and ocean conservation, hoping to raise awareness of the benefits of these to both locals and holidaymakers. Plus, eight additional buildings have been signed up for an artistic makeover that will commence in July 2017, so it’s the perfect time to add Mexico to your holiday wish list.

Address: Downtown, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

CHOCOLATE MUSEUM, NEW YORK, AMERICA

Chocolate Museum. New York. Need we say more? This scrummy museum is the first of its kind to land in the Big Apple, making it one of the most popular new attractions in New York. The museum features a self-guided tour, where you’ll get to discover the journey of the sweet stuff from tree to bar. The museum also features a kids’ corner, where children can search for ‘undiscovered artefacts’ in a sand pit and play chocolate shop proprietor with a toy kitchen and cash register. And for the adults? Well, you’ll get to sample original Mayan hot chocolate that’s been freshly ground by hand, or you can attend a bon-bon making demonstration, and you can even sign up for a lesson where a chocolatier will show you how to sculpt your own creations. Are you drooling, yet?

Address: Jacques Torres Chocolate, Choco-Story NY, 350 Hudson Street, New York, NY, 10014, USA
Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday, 10.00am-5.00pm
Price: Adult tickets from £7.00.
Website: http://www.mrchocolate.com/museum/
Phone: +(1)917-261-4252
Now you know everything about these quirky museums, it’s time to visit.

Book your break today.

Or, if you liked reading this, you might also want to find out about the World Heritage Sites with the wow-factor, and the best places to visit in New York. 

Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles. 

Author: Olivia Hunt

Last updated: 18.05.2017

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