With Halloween just around the corner, our top seven museum picks across Europe will definitely send shivers down your spine, even if you’re the keenest thrill seeker. Europe is home to many a spooky location, from macabre museums filled with the instruments of torture, to silent cities abandoned for decades. We have rounded up the seven most scream-worthy locations to visit this spooky season.
Be prepared to be scared.
Le Musee des Vampires, Paris
Yes, Paris is home to an array of outstanding landmarks, but the city has a hidden, darker history. One particular sinister setting is the Vampire Museum, the only of its kind in the world. Fans of these demonic, fanged fiends will revel in the exhibitions here. Explore the history and culture of vampiric legends and marvel at the autographs from every Hollywood actor that has ever played the famous Count Dracula. Just be sure to check yourself for bite marks afterwards.
Torture Museum, Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s Torture Museum is definitely more of a trick than a treat and it will guide you into the dark Middle Ages and their painful past.
Discover the torturous methods used throughout history to punish people or extract secrets. How do Skullcracker, Judas Cradle and Thumb Screws sound? The museum will talk you through torture methods used to hundreds of years ago to encourage confessions, whether that’s to crimes or even suspected acts of witchcraft. You’ll be fine, as long as you’re not hiding anything…
Clown Museum, Leipzig
If clowns, with their bright, wide smiles, ghastly white faces and disturbing laughs, give you the chills then head to the Clown Museum in Leipzig, Germany for a thoroughly terrifying experience. The museum has more than 3,000 clown figures from around the world. It started as a gallery of clown paintings by the Circus Clowns Club that was formed in 1946, and now is a combination of museum, gallery, archive and a library reference for anything to do with clowning around.
Les Catacombes, Paris
The catacombs of Paris, a secret, labyrinthine network of tunnels that exists beneath the city streets, are lined with over six million human remains. The catacombs were created as a burial ground to reduce over-crowding in cemeteries in the late 18th century. Bones and skulls are presented perturbingly on the ceilings and walls in different patterns throughout the various tunnels and rooms. The eerie, haunting feeling you get in the chambers deep underground make it perfect for Halloween.
Sewer Museum, Brussels
Fancy something quirky, dark and mysterious? Brussels’ hidden Sewer Museum is just that. Unlike other museums, it is still an active attraction, but don’t worry – the footpaths are regularly cleaned. Whilst you are underground you can find a historian or sewer worker to answer any questions you have and they can give you an insight into the history of these centuries-old sewer tunnels. The museum is an opportunity to see the city from a whole new perspective.
Ghost City, Doel
Ever fancied visiting an abandoned city? Doel’s forgotten town has been losing residents for decades, with only a handful left, giving off an unnerving, dystopian feel and attracting tourists with its bizarre atmosphere.
You may need to be quick to visit though, as for years there has been talks of its demolition to make way for a new harbour. This has added to its post-apocalyptic feel, with artists using the streets as a blank canvas for artwork and graffiti as a silent protest, making it a dream visit for any photographer.
Bodmin Jail, Cornwall
Said to be the most haunted venue in Britain, Bodmin Jail was built in 1779 and is now the perfect destination for anyone wanting to go ghost-hunting. Steeped in history, the jail is an insight into life behind bars in the 18th century. Visitors can explore the cells and understand the life lead by prisoners, right down to the only working execution pit in the UK. There’s also a host of events taking place across Halloween, from after dark tours, to murder mystery nights.
