European open air museums are fun and educational

Sweden's Skansen was Europe's first open-air museum with its historic buildings from all over the country  (wikipedia.com)

EUROPE — There are museums and there are museums. Traditional museum lovers swear by them. Others probably not so much. But in Europe, there are special outdoor museums scattered throughout the continent which have a little bit of something for everyone.

When most people think of museums they conjure corridors filled with paintings or sculptures from the past or galleries filled with artifacts from ancient civilizations. In the latter part of the 19th century in Scandinavia however, a new concept was created with arguably more appeal to the masses; the outdoor museum.

Ballenberg is Switzerland's only
outdoor museum
(MySwitzerland.com)

Today there are literally hundreds of open-air museums scattered throughout Europe. Frequently known as Folk Museums or Museums of Buildings, these collections exhibit buildings and artifacts, as the name implies, out-of-doors.

Many, if not most, living history museums feature costumed interpreters who characterize portrayals of life in another day and time. Not only do these "actors" converse with visitors about the lifestyles and historical events of the time they represent, they also perform household tasks and occupations of the era they represent.

A casual stroll through an open-air museum is part of the adventure  (en.wikimedia.org)

Don't try to trick them because, like the guards at Buckingham Palace who do not smile, the re-enactors will not break character.

The original concept was to bring typical historic farm houses and styles of architecture from various parts of a country to a single location so visitors could take stroll through collections of their native ancestry.

Outdoor museums are like
living history (wikipedia.com)

Since then the idea of "living history" parks has evolved to include animals, crops, native clothing and even folk music and dancing of a particular period.

The common denominator to all open-air museums, including the early 19th century versions, is to present the heritage of every day life by the people who lived and worked within a particular society. European outdoor museums are heavily interactive allowing patrons to participate in the experience in ways traditional exhibitions cannot match.

Much of the charm of open-air museums is the live animals on
the grounds (wikipedia.org)

The first proponent for an open-air museum was Charles de Bonstetten of Switzerland in the 1790s whose idea evolved after viewing an exhibition of peasant costumes at Frederikborg Castle in Denmark.

Though Bonstetten failed to garner much support for his concept, in 1867, a private citizen in Norway transferred some historic buildings to a site just outside of Oslo. Soon after, in a burst of inspiration, King Oscar II established his own collection nearby. Those buildings were later inherited by the Norwegian Folk Museum.

Horse-drawn carriages add to the ambiance (wikipedia.org)

By 1891 the first major open-air museum opened in Stockholm, Sweden and, today, Skansen remains one of the most popular outdoor parks in Europe. Skansen's success was the turning point for other open-air facilities throughout the continent.

Germany's Freilicht Museum
features half-timbered houses
(wikipedia.org)

As a result, contemporary Europe offers hundreds of similar attractions, though, oddly enough, the first historic building to be erected at Skansen came from Norway.

Travelers who wish to immerse themselves into a culture and absorb it through their pores should take an opportunity whenever possible to visit one or more open-air museums. Not only will the historic buildings, landscaping, animals, costumes and folklore capture your imagination, so, too, will the food that is available on the grounds.

Listed below are five of the best:

An old village at Skansen  (wikipedia.org)

Skansen (Stockholm, Sweden): As the original open-air museum, Skansen has its own history as well as that of the country. Skansen is a miniature historical rendition of the country represented in buildings ranging from farmsteads in Skåne in the south to the indigenous Sami (Lapps) of the north.

Venues range from the early 16^th century to the first half of the 20^th century and the park features domestic and wild animals, folk music, dancing and costumed performers who demonstrate the social conditions of each period.

The Dala Horse is a symbol of Sweden and a favorite with children (wikipedia.org)

Only three of the roughly 150 building are not original,  though they were painstakingly copied from examples that were found.

Perhaps most popular for children is the traditional bright red carved wooden statue of a horse from the province of Dalarna. Known as the Dala horse, it was originally a children's toy but today it has become a symbol of Sweden.

A fun way to reach Skansen is by the funicular that has been operating since 1897 on the northwest side of the property.

Seurasaari is a forested island park in the heart of Helsinki.
(wikipedia.org)

Seurasasri (Helsinki, Finland):  Seurasaari is an island in Helsinki consisting mainly of old wooden buildings from other parts of the country. What makes Seurasaari different is that it is situated in a heavily forested landscape inhabited by an abundance of wildlife.

The island is most popular on Midsummer’s Day when Finns gather to celebrate the longest day of the year.

A bride is chosen to be married at the park chapel. Following the service, she and her new husband are rowed in longboats to a small outcropping of rock where a bonfire of longboats standing on end concludes the festivities at 10 o'clock.

A lovely chalet-style farmhouse at Ballenberg in Brienz, Switzerland  (wikipedia.org)

Ballenberg (Brienz, Switzerland): Though a native of Switzerland conceived the original idea open-air museums, it took the Swiss longer than usual to open the only museum of its kind in the country.

Serious consideration for the project didn't occur until 1963, but it was 1978 before Ballenberg became a reality as one of the newest outdoor museums in Europe.

Ballenberg, near Interlaken, features over 100 rural houses and farm buildings from all over the country. Since the structures could not be maintained in their natural environment, each was carefully dismantled and then re-built on 165 acres of land.

Ballenberg is a living museum where master craftsmen work with traditional tools to create exhibits and provide insights into the early history of the country. In addition a few hundred domestic animals on the property give it an animated ambiance as life was hundreds of years ago.

Germany's open air museum not only has historic buildings but
plenty of role playing artisans as well  (wikipedia)

Black Forest Open Air Museum (Germany): In German the word for Open Air Museum is Freilichtmuseum or “Free Light Museum.” The Black Forest Open Air Museum focuses upon six fully furnished farmhouses with the centerpiece being the Vogtsbauerhof which was actually constructed on the site in 1612.

The oldest building in the park however, was built in 1599. The Hippenseppenhof from Furtwangen-Katzensteig features costumes and clocks from the region.

With more outdoor museums than any other European country, the Black Forest Museum is the most visited open-air museum in Germany welcoming over 13-million visitors since it opened in 1964.

The Old Town in Denmark offers insights into early urban life more than focusing on rural history  (wikipedia.org)

The Old Town (Aarhus, Denmark): When The Old Town opened in 1914, it was the first open-air museum to focus upon urban history rather than rural culture. Situated in the Aarhus Botanical Gardens, The Old Town remains one of only a few Danish museums outside of Copenhagen.

The property is organized into 5 exhibits with varied themes, including a small village mainly featuring half-timbered structures built between 1550 and the late 19th century in various parts of the country.

An early stable at Seurasaari in Helsinki, Finland  (wikipedia.org)

Europe is filled with open-air treasures that are frequently overlooked by American travelers. For something new and different, take time to savor the open-air of the Continent.