green_acorn Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 G'day all, I am in the planning stages for my next trip to the UK and Europe and am particularly keen to visit some military museums of France, Germany and Belgium that will help me gain a broader perspective of the Great War and other conflicts (I'd do Russia as well if it wasn't so restrictive). Being here in Australia I don't know of many, or more particularly where they are located, and would greatly appreciate any recommendations, advice, addresses and weblinks. The thread could possibly also be seen as a way to make a one-stop thread to all of the "must see" museums and collections for all to use. Greatly looking forward to your input, Regards, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 Hi Hendo, see below for two MUST SEE museums in Belgium. The one at Zonnebeke is in my opinion one the very best anywhere and you must visit. The one at Hooge on the Menin rd is also highly recommended. I dare say that many other suggestions will be forthcoming but please do not miss these two. Museum Zonnebeke http://www.passchendaele.be/eng/museumEN.html Museum Hooge Crater http://www.hoogecrater.com/en/museum Regards Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 Dixsmuide - Tower with its museum and Trenches of death just down the road. http://www.ijzertoren.org/ Click on EN in top left hand corner of site. http://www.trabel.com/diksmuide/diksmuide-trench.htm Steve M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 I don't know where in Germany you're planning to visit, but if in the area, the Zeppelin Museum at Friedrichshafen is wonderful. Its location on the edge of the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz), looking across to Switzerland and Austria, is superb and there are lots of pleasurable things to do in the area. Zeppelin Museum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmaasz Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 The In Flanders Field museum in Ypres (Ieper), the Historial in Peronne, and I know some people don't like it but the Hill 62 museum at Sanctuary Wood is worth a call, and is quite near the Hooge museum which I agree is very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 10 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2009 Seadog and pmaasz, Thank you, I will lbe revisiting each as part of a few days around Ypre and the Somme, going over places I missed in 2005. Steve, Thank you for those two, I did not get to them in 2005 are their Belgium Army Museums I could visit, as well as similar French and German ones handing to the border area (Though I can travel further by ICE Train) Does Bavaria have a museum of its soldiers service? Cheers, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 Jack Sheldon gave me a tip about this one. Utterly brilliant. The main hall of the castle is occupied by regimental colours of various Bavarian regiments - jaw-dropping. Bavarian Army Museum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salfordian Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 G'day all, I am in the planning stages for my next trip to the UK and Europe and am particularly keen to visit some military museums of France, Germany and Belgium that will help me gain a broader perspective of the Great War and other conflicts (I'd do Russia as well if it wasn't so restrictive). Being here in Australia I don't know of many, or more particularly where they are located, and would greatly appreciate any recommendations, advice, addresses and weblinks. The thread could possibly also be seen as a way to make a one-stop thread to all of the "must see" museums and collections for all to use. Greatly looking forward to your input, Regards, Hendo Peronne Museum. Verdun and Hooge crater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 11 November , 2009 Share Posted 11 November , 2009 no one mention the best museum in ieper up by the lille gate !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesCroft Posted 11 November , 2009 Share Posted 11 November , 2009 http://www.delvillewood.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain mchenry Posted 11 November , 2009 Share Posted 11 November , 2009 Just a small selection of personal favourites Belgium: Hooge Crater - Nr Ypres Passendale Museum - Zonnebeke Atlantic Wall Museum - Nr Ostend Royal Army Museum - Brussels France: Fleury - Verdun La Linge - Nr Munster Historial - Perrone Wellington Quarries- Arras Germany Tank Museum - Munster Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 11 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2009 Jack Sheldon gave me a tip about this one. Utterly brilliant. The main hall of the castle is occupied by regimental colours of various Bavarian regiments - jaw-dropping. Bavarian Army Museum Is the collection of colours as good as the set at the Musée de l'Armée, Invalides? I tripped over my jaw in the Turenne room and Soliders Chapel. I was very much hoping to elicit the Bavarian Museum Link! Thanks to Broomers' I have found these links: Royal Military Museum of Belgium Prague Military Museums A Great Resource of European and UK Military Museums French Armour Museum English Page Cheers, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmor58 Posted 11 November , 2009 Share Posted 11 November , 2009 The dugout experience at the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 in Zonnebeke is my favoutite. I consider it to be a Must See. Jasmor58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 11 November , 2009 Share Posted 11 November , 2009 Jasmor I totally agree. I did expect a "theme park" type of experience in the dugout but no, it was remarkable and is highly recommended. When I took a party of adults to the dugout experience two of them would not proceed and actually retraced their steps as it is so realistic. This experience plus the superb exhibits of mining warfare on the Salient were the high points for me. I know this will sound silly but I have stood outside the museum and tried to work out how the dugout experience is actually constructed and I still cannot. If anyone can add details of those who conceived this superb place plus those who designed the exhibits I would be very grateful. So far I have not visited any WW1 museum that has impressed me as much as Zonnebeke. Finally the setting of the Museum in the Chateau grounds certainly adds to the experience. For the quality of the exhibits the Museum under the Basilica in Albert on the Somme also gets my vote every time. Albert Museum here: http://www.warmuseums.nl/gal/144gal.htm Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 12 November , 2009 Share Posted 12 November , 2009 Royal Military Museum in Brussels is a personal favourite, though I've not yet done a battlefield tour (shame!!!) so I'm watching the suggestions roll in with interest. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 14 November , 2009 Share Posted 14 November , 2009 G'day all, I am in the planning stages for my next trip to the UK and Europe and am particularly keen to visit some military museums of France, Germany and Belgium that will help me gain a broader perspective of the Great War and other conflicts (I'd do Russia as well if it wasn't so restrictive). Being here in Australia I don't know of many, or more particularly where they are located, and would greatly appreciate any recommendations, advice, addresses and weblinks. The thread could possibly also be seen as a way to make a one-stop thread to all of the "must see" museums and collections for all to use. Greatly looking forward to your input, Regards, Hendo There's a brilliant one in Maldon (Essex) UK - Combined Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 14 November , 2009 Share Posted 14 November , 2009 There's a brilliant one in Maldon (Essex) UK - Combined Sorry - don't know what happened there! As I was saying - Combined Military Services Museum in Maldon, Essex. Started as one man's collection (a mate of mine) now on three floors and with a massive range of stuff thanks to Lottery Grants and donations of material from MoD collections etc. A real hidden gem. A Great War exhibition on at the moment. Regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 15 November , 2009 Share Posted 15 November , 2009 Fleury Memorial at Verdun, Jean-Paul de Vries's amazing personal collection at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon: http://www.romagne14-18.com/en/exposition-guided-walks.html the Mine Warfare museum at the Butte de Vauquois: http://pagesperso-orange.fr/vauquois.guerre.14.18/ To see this one you'll need to be there on the morning of the first Sunday in the month Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evolution Posted 16 November , 2009 Share Posted 16 November , 2009 I think a museum that can not be missed is the one on the top floor of the Marie in Frommeles, but you do need to phone in advance, they will open it for you, they like at least a week! If there is a annerversary happing then it will be open, you can also ask if it is possable to visit the mortor pit and the bunkers they have been opening while you are there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 19 November , 2009 Share Posted 19 November , 2009 The Franco-Australian Museum, at Villers-Bretonneux, nr Amiens; within a few km of it, there is also the Australian National Memorial, and the Australian Corps Memorial Park, at Le Hamel (though neither of these two is a museum). Fromelles museum is excellent, and of course you would want to see the Cobbers memorial on the site of the battle there, as well as the adjacent VC Corner cemetery. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 19 November , 2009 Share Posted 19 November , 2009 The museum at Agincourt - excellent. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 19 November , 2009 Share Posted 19 November , 2009 Its been said before but the Royal Military Museum in Brussels is really really fine, first visit this year but going back next year. If you want to see a 2nd World War Railway gun, Battery Todt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 20 November , 2009 Share Posted 20 November , 2009 Thanks for flagging up Batterie Todt Marti, It gives me an excuse to post this. Well worth a visit. The WW2 German K5 280mm (11 inch) railway gun brought from Russia. This is one of only two surviving examples, the other one being at Aberdeen Proving Ground USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 20 November , 2009 Share Posted 20 November , 2009 On the age-old principle that a picture is worth lots of words, here is one taken in the Hooge Crater Museum, Menin Rd, Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 20 November , 2009 Share Posted 20 November , 2009 And two taken in the Musee des Abris under the Basilica, Albert, France. Note the German message shell (bottom middle with the hole) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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