LearningCenters, Leeuwarden

The mills in the province of Groningen provide a wonderful image of agricultural developments. The mills had their own specific function; there are flourmills, hulling mills, sawmills and water mills. The Groninger Molenhuis supports mill owners in keeping or restoring their mills. https://toerisme.groningen.nl/en/see-and-do/bezienswaardigheden/molens

The Rijksmuseum is one of Amsterdam’s grandest and most popular museums. Its vast collection showcases iconic art and a wide variety of artefacts that reflect more than 800 years of Dutch and global history, including jaw dropping paintings by the likes of Rembrandt, Van Gogh and countless more Dutch greats. With 80 galleries and 8000 objects on display, there’s never enough time to view the complete collection of treasures! Before you’re even inside the museum, you can enjoy the artistic whimsy of the sculpture-filled garden designed by Pierre Cuypers in 1901. Among the intricate topiaries, water features and colourful flowerbeds, an enormous wingnut tree looks over the play areas, installations and temporary exhibitions in the summer. And also its is only in Amsterdam would a national museum allow cyclists to speed right through it! The Rijksmuseum’s passageway connects the two halves of the atrium, with glass panels giving passers by a glimpse into the museum’s grand interior. The passage’s excellent acoustics make it popular among street musicians. https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/things-to-do/museums-and-galleries/top-10-rijksmuseum-highlights

The Seaside City is opening up a new chapter in its history. The “Havenwelten Bremerhaven” (Harbor Worlds Bremerhaven) are being built in the city at the River Weser dyke. At present it is still the largest municipal construction project on the North Sea coast, but it will soon be a maritime tourism resort with unique attractions: Climate House® Bremerhaven 8° East, Atlantic Hotel Sail City with the look-out-platform, Mediterraneo, Lloyd Marina and living at the dyke. https://www.bremerhaven.de/en/tourism/ships-harbors/around-the-harbor-worlds.23130.html

EcoHuis is Antwerp’s green epicentre. Here you can find out how to build and live sustainably in the city. Visitors with green fingers learn how best to create their own ecological city garden and which animals and plants thrive in the city. Visit the Ecocafé for delicious treats and healthy snacks and juices as well as organic veggie meals. https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/ecohouse

The Zwin Nature Park is an interactive nature experience park for the entire family. Discover the different elements! Check in at the entrance to the exhibition with your boarding card and ... fly alongside your Zwin migratory bird. Besides experiencing an exciting journey full of adventure and surprise, you will learn a great deal about the fascinating world of birds. Among other things you will find out how they fly accurately and how they prepare for their long migratory journey. And why every year thousands of birds land in the Zwin, plus lots more besides. You will never get closer to nature as you will do in the Zwin Nature Park. The park’s cabin trail will guide you through numerous exciting points or huts: A feeding hut from where you can admire the birds from a very short distance or the story hut, where our birds are ringed and several presentations are given. Fly alongside your Zwin migratory bird. Besides experiencing an exciting journey full of adventure and surprise, you will learn a great deal about the fascinating world of birds. Aslo be sure to make time go up to panorama tower. From here you have a wonderful vantage point to embrace the beauty of the Zwin Plain, the Zwin dunes and polders and even the sea! http://www.zwin.be/en/discover-park

Discover in the visitors centre the fascinating and tumultuous history of 2000 years Zwin region: the reclamation of the polders, the unique scale model of the port town of Sluis arround 1400, wars in the region, the emergence of the villages of Duinbergen and Het Zoute, the development of tourism. Children love Fonske and his wonderful stories. Fonske is the son of a fisherman and lives in the museum. He’s really good at telling visitors about life on board a fishing vessel or how to catch shrimp. A visit to Fonske’s attic is highly recommended. Make a fort with puzzle pieces or dive into his dress up trunk and step out as a bold pirate. In the old school building (1899) you can immerse yourself in the hard life of the fishermen and their families. Taste the particular people's culture. Take a seat on the school desks. https://www.myknokke-heist.be/en/museum-zwin-region-sincfala

The For Freedom Museum shows the bleak times of the Second World War in a dazzling, realistic way. No single inhabitant of the Zwin region and western Zeeland Flanders was spared hardship and repression between 1940 and 1944. This black period in our history forms the main theme of the museum. True-to-life dioramas (goggle-boxes) immerse you in the regional history from 10 May 1940 to 3 November 1944, the day that the thundering guns finally grew silent in the Zwin region. The museum houses three impressive collections. Patrick Tierssoone and Freddy Jones, two old school friends with a passion for history, make available their unique collections of original vehicles and uniforms. The Belgian Aviation History Association (Bahaat), a recognised association of aviation archaeologists, is the third partner with an imposing exhibition of excavated aircraft remains. https://www.myknokke-heist.be/en/freedom-museum

Unavoidable icon of Brussels en Belgium, important place for international tourism, unique creation in the history of architecture and emblematic vestige of the World fair in Brussels, the Atomium is today the most popular tourist attraction of Europe’s Capital. The Atomium was constructed for the first post-war universal world exhibition (EXPO 58) The nine spheres represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. They represent the faith one had in the power of science and moreover in nuclear power. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Atomium

Ghent is proud of its industrial past, and that makes the Museum of Industry a hotspot for many Ghent locals: a sight in Ghent that needs to be on your to-do list for your city trip. Much of the industrial heritage that bore witness to the first and second industrial revolutions was scrapped and demolished from the 1970s onwards. Ghent City Council has made efforts to preserve machines and objects. In the main exhibition “About people and machinery” the Museum of Industry tells the story of the industrial revolutions. In addition, the museum features two other exhibitions. “Three centuries of graphic industry” will show you the evolution of the printing industry over the past 300 years. In “From cotton plant to finished product” you will discover how cotton is processed as well as the different weaving methods. https://visit.gent.be/en/see-do/museum-industry

Near the Basilica, the Belgian Chocolate Village is one of the largest museums dedicated to chocolate. The scenographic tour displays and explains the stages of the manufacture of chocolate, its uses, its history, its benefits, its economy and its diversity. It appeals to all the visitor’s senses while a tropical greenhouse reproduces the conditions of cocoa cultivation. Thanks to the chocolate workshop integrated in the museum tour you experience the daily work of the artisan chocolate makers who let you taste their last creations. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Belgian-Chocolate-Village

The STAM is the ideal place to start your cultural holiday in Ghent, an unmistakeably contemporary building against a historic backdrop. Ghent is a city of every era, and the same applies to the modern Ghent City Museum: the 14th-century abbey, 17th-century convent and new 21st-century building all form part of the STAM. The STAM tells the story of Ghent from the Middle Ages to the present day, with imaginative collections and interactive multimedia. The past, present and future of the city are presented in a clear and interesting way: from mediaeval metropolis to city of knowledge and culture. The eye-catcher at Ghent City Museum, the STAM, is a gigantic aerial photograph of Ghent (measuring 300 m2!) that you are allowed to walk all over. Use the multimedia app to see Ghent in detail in four different centuries. ‘Views of Ghent’ shows a view of the city in 1534, maps from 1641 and 1912 and a contemporary aerial photograph. Ghent’s ‘arts quarter’ is not only home to impressive historic buildings, but also to quiet green spaces, parks and gardens where you can fully recharge your batteries. https://visit.gent.be/en/stam?from_category=3332&context=tourist

The Belgian Comic Strip Center has been honouring the creators and heroes of the 9th Art for more than 25 years. The regularly renewed permanent exhibitions and a diversified programme of temporary exhibitions enable visitors to discover the countless aspects of comics art. Tintin and the Smurfs lead the way towards further adventures, an encounter with a world where creativity has no limits. Enhanced by an exceptional Art Nouveau home designed by Victor Horta, the Belgian Comic Strip Center is just as much a tribute to the pioneers as a glimpse of contemporary comics art. https://visit.brussels/en/place/The-Belgian-Comic-Strip-Center

The Museum August Kestner is named after August Kestner (1777-1853), who collected a considerable number of Egyptian and Greco-Roman cabaret as well as other works of art during his time as Hanoverian ambassador in Rome. The Museum August Kestner as the oldest municipal museum in the state capital of Hanover is enclosed by a listed glass-concrete façade (1961). Inside are still parts of the staircase and the side wings and almost the entire entrance facade of the original first museum building. As the only building in Hanover and far away, the Museum August Kestner shows 6000 years of applied art in four collection areas: Ancient and Egyptian cultures, applied art from the Middle Ages to modern design and one of the largest collections of coins and medals in northern Germany. Several special exhibitions per year also inform about special topics and place objects of the collection areas in a special context. https://www.hannover.de/Museum-August-Kestner/Das-Museum-August-Kestner

How do you go about explaining how the European Parliament works, in a simple and sexy way? The Parlamentarium takes on the challenge with interactive tools such as a 360° digital film, role playing for school children and an interactive floor map. The Parlamentarium is open every day, visits are completely free and can be experienced in no less than 24 European languages. Suitable for individual visitors, schools and families. The ins and outs of how the European Parliament works, how European unification came about and how Members of the European Parliament address todays challenges are explained in an easy and accessible way in what is the largest parliamentary visitors’ centre in Europe. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Parlamentarium

The Horta Museum is established in the private house and studio of the famous architect, Victor Horta (1861 - 1947). Built between 1898 and 1901, the two buildings are characteristic of Art Nouveau at its peak. The house has kept intact most of its interior decors: mosaics, stained-glass windows, furniture, paintings and murals form a collection whose every detail evokes harmony and sophistication. The museum is also a centre for research into Victor Horta and Art Nouveau. The architect's personal archives, a collection of blueprints for his buildings and a library are open to the public by arrangement. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Museum-Horta

The Forest and Waters Museum is located in the Domaine de Bérinzenne in Spa. Come and discover the many secrets of the fauna and flora of the Fagnes. Through murals, stuffed animals, interactive modules and its cheerful mascot, the Musée de la Forêt et des Eaux offers a real immersion in the enchanting natural world of the Spa region. Wander from one room to another and listen to birds singing, streams flowing, observe wild animals and learn about the famous Spa water and forestry. A new theme is chosen every year, inspiring an exhibition and an adventure: a treasure hunt for children to make the most of the site. The museum is nestled at the heart of the Domaine de Bérinzenne, the perfect start for walks in the Fagne regio and home for the CRIE de Spa welcome centre. http://walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/musee-de-la-foret-et-des-eaux-domaine-de-berinzenne

The university Aquarium-Museum, pole of excellence of animal biodiversity, has been labelled « Museological Institution of Category A » by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and has been accredited « Tourist Attraction 4 suns » by the Public Service of Wallonia. Approximately 2,500 representatives of 250 species of ocean, sea, lake and river fish from around the world populate the 46 pools of the Aquarium and nearly 20,000 stuffed animals from every continent are exhibited at the museum. https://www.visitezliege.be/en/aquarium-museum

Animal park visitors can not only drive environmentally friendly with SWN buses ( line 16 from the central bus station directly to the zoo) but also save money by purchasing a combined ticket when entering Tierpark Neumünster. https://www.tierparkneumuenster.de/index.php/tierpark/eintrittspreise

April 3rd 1995 - On this day the Amandine entered Oostende harbour for the last time. On this day it dropped anchor for the very last time. The crew disembarked, swallowed hard and went home without looking back. The last page in Oostende's book on Iceland Fishing had been turned. Now, 13 years later, the Amandine has started her second career, a career as an interactive museum. It has taken two years of hard and concentrated work in the old shipyard 'Seghers' to restore the ship to its former glory. But today is the day. Today you can see the ship at the renovated Visserskaai in the heart of Oostende. https://www.visitoostende.be/en/museum-amandine

Flensburg is a historic seaport and trading post. The Flensburg maritime museum explains the maritime history of the city with all of its stories about the port and merchant courtyards, the ships and shipowners, and the machinists and captains as well as their typical day on board. These are stories from far-off lands as well as from the coast of the homeland. Stories from the Danish West Indies about sugar, rum and slavery. Stories from the firth about butter transporters and women who spoke the Petuh dialect. Stories from the shipyard about engineers, riveters and welders. The museum offers a rich experience for all of the senses. It features interactive, hands-on stations that require you to participate, watch, listen and marvel, making a visit to the museum a journey of discovery for sailors of all ages. Special exhibits, promotional days, holiday programmes, tours of the museum and the city, knot-tying courses, rum tastings, concerts, readings and presentations create a rich variety. Feel free to browse the museum gift shop and pass time in the Café. https://www.flensburger-foerde.de/en/experience-culture/museums/maritime-museum/

THE WADDEN SEA CENTRE 1000 m2 exhibition is a journey through the landscape of the Wadden Sea, as seen through the millions of migratory birds. You get to see at close quarters the world of birds which normally is only seen at a distance. You enter into the large swarms of birds, feel them and travel on with them. http://www.visitribe.com/ln-int/wadden-sea-centre-gate-unesco-world-heritage-gdk610542

The Museum of Laundry, in the old part of the city, offers you a journey through the history of soap, laundry and the living and working conditions of laundresses in Spa. Some twenty rooms tell you how women - and sometimes men - did the laundry from antiquity to the present day. You can admire the first wooden washing machines, discover the products used before the invention of soap, see amazing machines working... and learn how soap was invented and which processes were found to whiten linen. http://walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/produit/attractions/activites/musea/discoveries/musee-de-la-lessive-laundry-museum-in-spa/9258

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of merchants during the Middle Ages and experience the rise and fall of the erstwhile trading power. European history is brought to life in the Hansemuseum which provides the perfect setting for the phenomenon of the Hanseatic League. Nobody can deny that the Hanseatic League played a key role in German and European history and is still present in many people's minds today. Half a millennium passed from its rise as a trading power until its fall. The European Hansemuseum provides answers to many questions, such as how the Hanseatic League was able to survive over such a long period. Submerge yourself in the world and life during the era of the Hanseatic League and be a witness to oaths, diplomatic negotiations, piracy, trade boycotts, wars and the suffering during the great plague epidemic. https://www.luebeck-tourism.de/culture/museums/european-hansemuseum.html

An unusual and incredibly educational museum, a sumptuous temple to Neoclassical art and the art of living in the First Empire, with countless evocative reminders of the Napoleonic era. Its prestigious collection of exotic clocks (1795-1815) is one of the largest in the world and includes some really exceptional pieces including the stunning “Paul et Virginie” clock by the bronzemaker Thomire, commissioned by Bonaparte himself in 1802. The theme of the “noble savage”, nurtured by Defoe (Robinson Crusoe), Bernardin de St-Pierre (Paul et Virginie) and Chateaubriand (Atala) is explored in a magnificent collection, which is well worth a visit. The museum also includes a remarkable collection of porcelain pieces by the best manufacturers from Paris and Brussels, as well as exquisite gold work, exceptional gilded bronze pieces, antique jewellery (including some stunning cameos) and an array of incredibly rare and fascinating objects. http://www.visitmons.co.uk/agenda/culture-is-here/partner-sites-and-museums/francois-duesberg-museum

Cultural Botanical Garden is one of Odense's green parks, but with its own distinctive character. The garden has several functions, as the municipality wants it used both as a common green area, inspiration garden for garden lovers and as a training location for kindergartens and schools. http://www.visitodense.com/ln-int/botanical-garden-gdk1087680

Experience the history of printing, book and writing "live": In the centre of the old town of Mainz, opposite the cathedral, is one of the oldest book and printing museums in the world. The Gutenberg Museum, founded by citizens of Mainz in 1900, is dedicated to the “man of the millennium” Johannes Gutenberg and his inventions. The museum's greatest treasures include two original Gutenberg Bibles from the mid-15th century. The reconstructed Gutenberg workshop is also one of the main attractions. Every day it is demonstrated every hour how printing was done in Gutenberg's time. A modern film introduces Gutenberg's life and work. With the audio guide (German, English, French) you can then go on a "listening tour" and get to know the highlights of the house in German, English and French. Five "extra tours" take you through individual departments. In the Gutenberg Museum, you can see printing presses from many centuries and get comprehensive information about European and non-European printing technology, the book art of many centuries, the history of paper and writing, the history of the press and much more. Our special collections include commercial and ex-libris, graphics and posters, press prints (small publishers) and artist books, which you are welcome to view in the Gutenberg Library (advance registration). In changing special exhibitions, examples of historical and modern book and print art and typography are shown and the link is drawn to the 21st century. https://www.mainz-tourismus.com/entdecken-erleben/kultur-erleben/museen/gutenberg-museum/

The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences is the oldest of the University of Cambridge museums, having been established in 1728 as the Woodwardian Museum. Since then the collection has grown from about 10,000 fossils, minerals and rocks, to at least 2 million. A walk through the museum will take you on a 4.5 billion year journey through time, from the meteoritic building blocks of planets, to the thousands of fossils of animals and plants that illustrate the evolution of life in the oceans, on land and in the air. Also a major teaching and research resource in the Department of Earth Sciences, the Sedgwick Museum collections are a national treasure. http://www.sedgwickmuseum.org/

Since its opening in 1846, Cambridge University Botanic Garden (CUBG) has been an inspiration for gardeners, an exciting introduction to the natural world for families and an oasis for all its visitors. Supporting leading scientific research and welcoming 300,000 visitors a year, CUBG is one of the largest University-owned botanic gardens in the world. The Garden’s living plant collection of over 8,000 species is spread across 40 acres of landscaped gardens. The collection, which includes iconic, threatened and endangered trees and plants, supports University research which focusses on meeting many of the world’s greatest future challenges (such as food security, climate change and medicine). The Garden also inspires schools, the local community and visitors from around the world about the importance of plants and plant science, horticulture and the joy of gardening. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Page.aspx?p=27&ix=2702&pid=2&prcid=36&ppid=0

National Museum of History and Art, archeological section. The museum has a large archaeological collection, particularly of objects discovered during the various excavations: sarcophaguses, tools, coins, jewels, grave markers, etc. the most outstanding objects being found in the excavations at Dalheim (Ricciacus) and Titelberg. The visual arts section of this museum in the capital offers the possibility of admiring a wide range of Luxembourgish painting from the 18th to the 20th century, including the post-impressionist watercolours of Sosthène Weis, paintings by Joseph Kutter, Dominique Lang, Eugène Mousset, Jean-Pierre Beckius, Nico Klopp and Auguste Trémont as well as sculptures by Auguste Trémont and Lucien Wercollier. While the museum also houses ancient sculptures and paintings (including a Charity attributed to Cranach), it also has a collection of contemporary art of undeniable originality. https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/museum/national-museum-of-history-and-art-luxembourg

The new building of the National Museum of Natural History opened its doors to the public in December 1996. In this modern museum are presented in ten exhibition rooms the people, the regions and landscapes of Luxembourg and the development of life on earth as well as the origin of the universe. http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/museum/national-museum-of-natural-history-natur-musee-luxembourg

You will find something for all the family in Kent's only Designated museum. Exhibits of national and international importance are housed in the Museum's galleries, which tell the story of how the Royal Engineers have helped the British Army live, move and fight since the time of William the Conqueror. See the diverse collection with highlights including Wellington's map from Waterloo, Zulu War weapons, a Harrier Jump Jet, 25 Victoria Crosses and an enormous V2 Rocket. Discover why a large section of the Berlin Wall now lives in the Museum and how one soldier gained the respect of the Chinese emperor. There really is something for everyone at this unique museum. https://www.visitmedway.org/attractions/royal-engineers-museum-library-archive-2454/

Britain’s very first museum of Huguenot history has opened its doors to the public. Following a £1.5 million development project, Rochester’s museum tells the dramatic story of the Huguenots, their persecution in France, escape to Britain and the trades, crafts and skills they brought with them that has since contributed to the formation of modern Britain. Alongside beautiful new galleries displaying objects never seen by the public before, the museum also has a vibrant and engaging learning space. Here visitors will be able to further their learning either through a craft workshop, talk, lecture, film screening or cross-curricular schools session. https://www.visitmedway.org/attractions/huguenot-museum-2165/

The rich history of Sacrewell’s multi-award winning Grade II* listed, 18th century watermill goes back, as far as we know, to 1086 and the Domesday Book, although the lie of the land suggests the Romans were using water power at Sacrewell hundreds of years earlier – perhaps even from the sacred well that gives Sacrewell its name. https://www.sacrewell.org.uk/about/watermill-and-heritage/