Museum sights in Cologne
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A
Römisch-Germanisches Museum
Anyone even remotely interested in Roman history should not skip the extraordinary Römisch-Germanisches Museum, adjacent to the Dom. Sculptures and ruins displayed outside are merely the overture to a full symphony of Roman artefacts found along the Rhine. Highlights include the giant Poblicius tomb (AD 30-40), the magnificent 3rd-century Dionysus mosaic around which the museum was built, and astonishingly well-preserved glass items. Insight into daily Roman life is gained from such items as toys, tweezers, lamps and jewellery, the designs of which have changed surprisingly little since.
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B
Museum Ludwig
The distinctive building facade and unorthodox roofline signal that the Museum Ludwig is no ordinary museum. Considered a mecca of postmodern art, it actually presents a survey of all major 20th-century genres. There's plenty of American pop art, including Andy Warhol's Brillo Boxes, alongside a comprehensive Picasso collection and plenty of works by Sigmar Polke. Fans of German expressionism will get their fill here as much as those with a penchant for such Russian avant-gardists as Kasimir Malewitsch and Ljubow Popowa.
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C
Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum
In a 19th-century customs building near the Schokoladen Museum, the Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum is an imaginative, if Germany-focused, tribute to the sporting life from antiquity to today. There are exhibits on the 1936 Berlin and 1972 Munich Olympic Games and on such modern-day heroes as Steffi Graf and Michael Schumacher. Interactive displays allow you to experience a bobsled run or a bike race, and on the miniature football field on the rooftop you can kick with a view of the cathedral.
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D
Schokoladen Museum
You don't have to have a sweet tooth to enjoy the Schokoladen Museum, a high-tech temple to the art of chocolate-making. Exhibits on the origin of the 'elixir of the gods', as the Aztecs called it, and the cocoa-growing process are followed by a live-production factory tour and a stop at a chocolate fountain for a sample. Upstairs are departments on the cultural history of chocolate, advertising, and porcelain and other accessories. Stock up on your favourite flavours at the downstairs shop.
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E
Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum
Inside a bank branch is the Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum, with graphics and sculptures by the acclaimed socialist artist. A highlight is the haunting cycle called Ein Weberaufstand (A Weavers' Revolt, 1897). Enter through the arcade, then take the glass-bubble lift to the 4th floor.
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F
Museum Schnütgen
East of the Neumarkt, the newly created Cultural Quarter encompasses an extension of the Museum Schnütgen, a repository of medieval religious art and sculpture. Part of the exhibit will continue to be shown in the beautiful setting of the Romanesque Cäcilienkirche (Cecily Church).
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G
Museum Für Angewandte Kunst
The Museum für Angewandte Kunst consists of a series of period rooms tracing European design from the Middle Ages to today. Keep an eye out for a 15th-century Venetian wedding goblet, a silver service by Henry van de Velde and life-sized animals made of Meissen porcelain.
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H
Kölnisches Stadtmuseum
The Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, in the former medieval armoury, explores all facets of Cologne history. There are exhibits on Carnival, Kölsch (the local beer), eau de cologne and other things that make the city unique.
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