COVID slowed us down for a couple of years, and now a few health issues challenge us. We're still traveling if not writing about it quite so much. Our goal in 2022, get to all seven continents in one year!
We hope all of you are well and staying safe... and that you find some inspiration here for YOUR future travels.
Museum sensory overload is what I call that feeling you get when you've been inside too long and your head starts feeling fuzzy...
...no matter what you're looking at.
To avoid it, you need some strategies....
See if you can get in and out privileges with a museum card...
Figure out what is important for YOU to see in any given museum...
Determine if it would be good to get a guide or the audio tour.
You want maximize your enjoyment of your museum visit...
...and not get stuck wandering the halls for hours looking at paintings by artists you never heard of and don't like....
Or spend way too long wandering so you find yourself yawning and saying, "Oh, just another Rembrandt!"
Planning will help you get the most out of museums when you're in them. Then you can feel free to leave when your mind wanders.
We always plan to visit the museums when we travel. There are great masterpieces of art in all the major museums of the world that shouldn't be missed.
And don't overlook cultural museums. For example, we love the Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations collections in the Museum of Vancouver, Canada and the Maori Galleries in the Auckland Museum in New Zealand.
But too much of any museum collection can leave you wishing for something else.
Just being inside some museum rooms can leave your head fuzzy.... so take museum breaks to avoid museum sensory overload.
Do your research.... Learn a little about the art you will be seeing...
But also research the museum itself.
--What days is it open.
--Do you need
reservations?
For some popular museums, if you don't have advance reservations, you won't get in....
Places like the Alhambra in Granada, Spain and the church that houses Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan, Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Here's a story about needing reservations.... I remember arriving in Rome... when we checked in at our hotel, the desk clerk asked what our plans for the afternoon were. We told her we were going to the Borghese Gallery. She said, "Oh, You'll never get in. You MUST have reservations." We were able to reassure her that we had made reservations before we left home... and we had a great afternoon enjoying those fabulous sculptures.
For other museums, reservations avoid long lines like the Uffizi in Florence.
Museum passes can also get you in special entrances where you can avoid
lines. And depending on the card, you may be able to go in and out as often as you want over the days the card is valid.
We love zipping in and out of the museums in Paris with that Museum Card.
In your pre-trip research, or at least the night before your museum visit, read up on the important pieces... those that are important to you.
You can avoid museum sensory overload if you find a guidebook or brochure that gives you the highlights... sort of a "What to see in two hours" type of thing.
If you can't or don't get reservations, try timing your visit either early or late. Crowds tend to be thinner then.
Of course, the late strategy only works in places where there is no chance of tickets being sold out.
Sometimes lunch time works well too....
In
Florence one time, we took friends to the Accademia to see
Michelangelo's David. We had not planned ahead for reservations, but we
arrived just before noon. The line thinned quickly, and when we got
inside, we had David almost to ourselves.... the groups had all gone to
lunch!
Visiting the great museums of the world is almost a right of passage for travelers... but enjoy all the other aspects of the country you're visiting. To avoid museum sensory overload, you want to see what's alive and fun as well as take in the art.
Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! Judy and Mark
Curious about what else we've written about? Search our site for a destination or travel tip.
But... We'd love to have you share this page or comment on it…
Thanks, Judy and Mark
International Travel Tips l Europe Travel Tips
Hotel and B&B Tips l Packing Lists
Go from Museum Sensory Overload to MouseToursTravels Home Page
The Holidays are Here!
Time to remind you we have tips on
Surviving Holiday Flights
Holiday flight may be more frustrating than usual. Try to stay calm.
Remember, if you DO travel and if you’re carrying gifts, it’s better not to wrap them… airport security might make you open them!
And if you're not traveling far, reminisce about past trips.
European Christmas Markets
German Christmas Markets
Seiffen Germany Makes Christmas Decorations
Cold Weather Packing List
The holidays can be hectic, but treat yourself...
Take the holiday time to explore more pages here... Get ideas for travel destinations and how to get there.
NOW is the time to start planning for a great trip next year.
Need Travel Ideas?
Things to See in Europe
Africa Calls!
Travel In America
Don't just dream about it...
Start making plans!
Custom Tour Planning List
International Travel Planning Tips
Foreign Is Fun - Not Scary!
Get Your Passports and Visas
Search MouseToursTravels
Travel questions or destination info?
Find our answers faster...
We want you to feel comfortable out in the world and on our pages - so surf away in your own language...
Like Our Site Top Left
Like Our Fanpage Below
Thank You!
Related Pages
on
Trip Planning
Guide Books
Why Travel With A Guidebook
How to Choose A Travel Guidebook
Travel Agents
A Travel Agent - Do You Need One?
Choosing Destinations
Best Time To Go
What Kind Of Trip Do You Want
More Than Throwing Darts
Some of Our Ideas
Stories About Europe
Why Not Africa?
North America
International Travel Tips
What Kind of Vacation?
Group Tour
Independent Travel
Driving Vacations
Adventure Travel
Active Travel - OK, How Active?
Multigenerational Vacations
Eco-Travel and Volunteering
Green Travel Tips
Sustainable Tourism
Volunteer Vacations - Are They For You?
Plan For Safety
Travel Advisories - Plan A Safe Trip
Don't Let Travel Worries Get To You
Keep Traveling
Planning Itineraries
A Custom Tour?
Custom Tour Planning List
Custom Tour Ideas
Top Ten Lists - Helpful, But…
Balance Your Itinerary - Mix It Up
Avoid Museum Sensory Overload
Hobbies for Trip Ideas
Where To Get Trip Ideas
Preparation
Get Passports and Visas
Travel Documents
Vaccinations and Meds
Travel Preparation
Checklists So You Don't Forget
Travel Document Checklist
Travel Preparation Checklist
Home Departure Checklist
Pre-Departure Checklist
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Did it help with your travel planning and preparation? Eager to leave on that next vacation? Please leave your tips or comments in the box below.