Germanisches Nationalmuseum

The Germanic National Museum (Germanisches Nationalmuseum), which was first opened in 1852 has been housed in the former Carthusian monastery since 1857. Although this forms the core of the museum, the complex as a whole consists of an impressive mixture of different architectural styles. The vast collections, for which you'd be well-advised to put several hours aside, cover the middle ages, paintings, sculpture, scientific and musical instruments, tapestries and much more. As you approach the museum's main entrance you may wonder what the 27 columns that flank the path symbolize. They form part of the Street of Human Rights by Dani Karavan. Each column is engraved with a declaration from the United Nations Human Rights charter and each is written in a different language. The amazing collection of artifacts holds as much fascination for children as it does it for adults. Also worth visiting are the many lectures, concerts and other events that are held here.