If you’re looking for fresh cultural inspiration the European Museum of the Year Awards (EMYA) are a great place to start. Each year, these prestigious awards highlight the most innovative, engaging and socially relevant museums across the continent. Three German museums were singled out with awards and special commendations this year – and a number of others lie just beyond the country’s borders. From hands-on sensory exhibitions and child-friendly creative spaces to thought-provoking historical sites and entire towns recreated in detail, this year’s line-up shows
that museums today are anything but static. Germany’s standout museums in 2026 Several museums in Germany performed strongly with the judges this year, including one prize-winner and two highly commended institutions. The AlpenStadtMuseum in Sonthofen (Bavaria) won the Siletto Prize for community participation. Housed in a beautifully restored 16th‑century farmhouse, the Alpine Town Museum unfolds across a series of exhibitions featuring objects, photographs and personal stories. As you move through the building, you’ll find yourself listening to personal stories, exploring everyday artefacts contributed by local
residents, interactive stations and digital installations all designed to tell the story of Sonthofen. Local residents help choose what is shown and how it is interpreted, turning the museum into a kind of shared living archive. The overall effect is warm, accessible and deeply human – less a static exhibition than a place of conversation and connection. READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn launches new family ticket for summer travel Sonthofen itself lies in the Allgäu region in southern Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. It’s around
two hours by train or car from Munich, making it an easy and rewarding day or weekend trip, especially if you’re looking to combine culture with a visit to the Alps. Further south, the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre near Berchtesgaden tackles one of the most difficult chapters of German history – and it does so in a way that is both rigorous and deeply affecting. Set into the mountainside on what was once a key site of the Nazi leadership, the museum combines a modern exhibition
space with access to parts of the original underground bunker system. As you move through the galleries, you encounter photographs, documents and multimedia displays that trace how decisions made here shaped events across Europe. Then, descending into the bunker complex itself, you experience the physical setting where power was exercised, creating a stark contrast between the serene Alpine landscape outside and the historical reality it conceals. The museum’s mission is clear: to confront this history directly and encourage critical reflection. It may not be an
easy visit, but it is an important and thoughtful one, particularly for anyone interested in modern history or political responsibility. READ ALSO: 8 easy and fun ways to learn more about Germany The site lies above Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, close to the Austrian border, and is about two hours by car or train from Munich and just under 30 minutes from Salzburg — making it an accessible stop on a wider trip through the Alpine region. For something completely different, head to Holzminden in Lower
Saxony to visit Sensoria – the House of Fragrances and Flavours, one of the most unusual museums in Europe. From the moment you enter, it’s clear this is a museum that you smell and touch. Spread across several floors and themed zones, the space is filled with interactive stations where you can test your sense of smell, explore how flavours are created and even design your own perfume from a vast palette of scents. Exhibits combine science and storytelling, explaining how smell and taste work
while also linking them to memory, culture and everyday life. Holzminden itself sits on the River Weser, in Lower Saxony, around an hour and a half from Hanover by train or car and within easy reach of Göttingen. The overall winner – and easy trips beyond Germany The big winner of 2026 was Den Gamle By in Aarhus, Denmark. Rather than simply displaying history, this “living museum” recreates entire streets and neighbourhoods from different time periods. You can walk through 19th-century houses, or step into
more decades, like a 1970s neighbourhood, for example, all brought to life with immersive details and everyday stories. If you live in northern Germany, it’s surprisingly accessible. From Hamburg, it’s a roughly three hour drive. A number of other prize-winning museums are also within relatively easy reach of Germany, depending where you live. READ ALSO: How to make the most of Germany’s open‑air cinemas this summer Several museums in Switzerland were singled out for praise by the judges. For example, Kunsthaus Baselland (Basel) offers a
dynamic space for contemporary art, supporting emerging artists and hosting exhibitions that change regularly. And the CERN Science Gateway (Geneva) opens up the world of particle physics with hands-on exhibitions and scientific demonstrations. It’s a fantastic destination for anyone curious about how science shapes the modern world. Finally, for people in southern Germany, the Museum of Madness in Trate, Slovenia, is another option. Located in a former psychiatric institution near the Austrian border, it explores mental health history through personal stories, art and community engagement.
European Museum of the Year Awards 2026, EMYA 2026, AlpenStadtMuseum Sonthofen, Siletto Prize, Obersalzberg Documentation Centre, Sensoria House of Fragrances and Flavours, Den Gamle By, CERN Science Gateway, Kunsthaus Baselland, Museum of Madness Trate