The first column to appear in these pages described some of the museums of Europe. The long history and variety of subjects have resulted in a wide and diverse selection of museums. These include both general interest as well as museums limited to a specific subject. Most museums also offer a selection of literature in addition to their exhibits which can either provide details on the displays and/or cover additional material.

When travelling for the first time to European countries, it is worthwhile to spend some time in the capital as this is usually the best start point for museum hunting. Paris has 34 museums including the Louvre. the Invalides and many art museums. London has the British Museum, Tower of London, National Army Museum, Imperial War Museum and many others. Rome boasts the Vatican Museum and many religious museums as well as the Museum of Roman Civilization (containing a large model of Rome in the 4th Century) as well as the Forum (a good walking tour in the city centre).

All of these cities provide good general museums as well as special interest exhibits (Paris had a Viking display at one of the smaller museums featured for the first part of 1992). The size and number of establishments encourages a modicum of planning to maximize the available time (and cater to the rest of the family or tour group). The large museums of general interest can easily be added to an itinerary because they are of interest to most travellers but their appeal and size usually means crowds and line-ups as well as time to fully appreciate-their contents. Smaller museums can be equally attractive as they require less time to view all of their displays and also have smaller crowds. The latter may be harder to find and prove less appealing to families or groups. By doing some pre-trip planning, one can arrange a suitable schedule so that museums can be visited as a unit (family or group) or concurrently while the others are shopping or taking in the other sights.

As with castles, it is nice to know what is offered before selecting museums for the itinerary. In London, the British Museum is an excellent starting place for ancient and medieval studies. The is a large collection of stone carvings, statues and artifacts from a wide range of civilizations. It is easy to get lost in this place because of the layout and number of rooms. Among its attractions are Assyrian stone carvings mounted alonq several walls depicting warfare of those times, Egyptian wall paintings in full colour (great for deciding on flesh tones for the New kingdom army) and the Sutton Hoc) collection (as long as school kids are not swarming, it is an interesting display). In addition to the exhibits, the museum features a lecture room (in which a series on the Etruscans was presented in January 1992), a book store and for those who can get access, the library in which Karl Marx studied. There is also a section used for special displays and one on the Anglo-Saxon era (600--900 AD) was featured for early 1992.

The Louvre has a substantial collection of Greek and Roman art, although it is mainly an art museum, one can still find plenty of interest in the military subjects featured in some of the material. The museum offers a brochure for the visitor in a hurry in several languages so it is possible to see the best exhibits in less than four hours. Be prepared for the crowds around the most famous works like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The Greco-Roman section also featured the Winged Victory of Samothrace (a ship's prow) and works providing details of military costumes and weapons.

For a more in depth military museum, consider the Invalides which covers from the late middle ages up to modern times with emphasis on the French army. The armour collection is extensive and complements the collection housed in the Tower of London. Both contain European and Asian armour. This is a museum best done by sections rather than as a complete tour as its size is daunting to say the least. The Napoleonic section deserves at least half of a day by itself as does the armour, and that still leaves several sections untouched (pre-Napoleonic, postNapoleonic and 20th Century). The visit would not be complete without a stop at the Tomb of Napoleon for some inspiration as it is a magnificent edifice and it is the resting place for several well known French military leaders.

As stated these museums do feature book stores where English language copies of guide books as well as general interest books may be purchased. There is usually a good selection of titles and often books are on sale. To supplement the books, there is a selection of prints and other artworks for sale. The advantage of Paris and London is that both cities have good underground or subway systems which make transiting between museums both easy and cheap. Bulk travel passes are available for extended time periods (1 or more days or a week). This means that the hardy traveller can get to several places in a short time as long as the stamina remains.

While checking out which museums to visit also consider the travelling exhibitions. The Viking collection mentioned above was a very good look at the period and was popular with the public, and since it was only a small collection comparatively speaking, required only a few hours to view.

Once the major museums have been studied, then time can be spent in smaller places which are usually in out of the way places (in terms of trying to see lots in a short time say one or two weeks). As in the last column, castles are a good bet as they often house museums. Battlefields are another good source for special interest museums. The Battle of Hastings has its own museum (with model of the battle) and the Franco-Prussian War battles of Alsace can be Studied at the museum in Woerth near Strassburg (it has a large model of a cavalry charge using flats) which is also close to the Maginot Line and other excellent museums (German military museum in Ratstatt near Karlsruhe just across the border and the museums of Strassburg). To those familiar with Historicon of past years, it was easy to visit Gettysburg and its museum. Many of the European museums mentioned herein are of a similar size and offer the same collections.

One other attraction to be considered is the re-enactment activities often featured by museums in Europe. In Germany, the groups recreating Roman units are often on display at Aalen or Saalburg. Saalburg because of its extensive restoration permits these groups to be captured on film (as was done in a recently published book) in a realistic setting. Aalen has been used by Dr. Junk:elman, who has written about his practical experiences re-enacting both Roman infantry and cavalry, to host displays for the general public. Like castles, museums can be the focal point for some very interesting live action displays that provide depth to the artifacts, art and clothing in the collections.

A few tips are provided to maximize the trip:

a. plan an itinerary and follow it as it is easy to get sidetracked or lose track of time;

b. check museum hours of operations and seasons as museums do close during certain months and for holidays;

c. try to avoid weekends and holidays or peak tourist seasons as crowds are a problem, line-ups can be several hours long or congestion can detract from ideal viewing;

d. be prepared to pay extra for additional features and also take plenty of money for admission tickets as some of the museums are expensive (this was very true of London);

e. if visits to several museums in one location are planned, then check into bulk passes and travel tickets as this will reduce costs and time;

f. try to obtain information on museums and their displays well in advance so that you can plan the itinerary and book:: your trip well in advance as this will also save money and ensure that you can see the most;

g. for general travel, pick up guide books like Michelin or Fodor as these list the museums as well as walking tours for many places. It is amazing how much one can see by following a guide book when touring through the countryside; and

h. Study all your books to see which museums have material that you want to see first hand. Pictures and written descriptions do not always do justice to the material and it is very satisfying to be able to stand in the midst of some centuries old site while looking at displays. Make a list of the battles, museums and other locations that are of interest as these can be used to plot a route through whatever country or countries you plan to visit. As an example, the Burgundian-Swiss battles can be viewed in a day as well as some good museums in Switzerland by driving south from Lahr and one can also take in the zoo in Basle (one of Europe's largest), a visit to UN headquarters in Geneva, the Montreux jazz festival and a stop at the spa in Evian for a healthy bath and all this is a weekend trip.

Ease

This is not an exhaustive list but can ease some of the frustration when travelling. As a vacation may be a once in a lifetime experience, it is wise to be careful when planning. There are always unexpected problems to disrupt well laid plans like renovations, or even worse bomb threats, that can end a scheduled stop at a museum. For the long distance traveller, these can prove disastrous. Planning also helps to ensure that the family or group are satisfied and fully enjoy the trip.

The proximity of places in Europe compared to North America means that there is a lot to see and do within a few weeks that comprise most vacations. A French holiday can cover Normandy, Paris, Loire Valley castles, World War One trenches, Napoleonic battlefields, winetasting, the Moulin Rouge and EuroDisney Land and all can be seen by car, bus or train quite easily. Another suggestion is to contact one of the British travel companies that offer historical tours (I am not familiar with any American enterprises). There are World War One and Two trips as well as those concentrating on older periods.

In one week on a bus tour, I saw Ypres (2 days), Arras and Dieppe (3 days) and Caen (2 days) this trip included the battles of Ypres (1-3), the Somme 1916, Vimy Ridge 1917, Amiens 1918, Dieppe 1942, Normandy 1944 (Juno, Gold and Sword, Pegagsus Bridge, Operation Goodwood. Caen, Falaise Cap and others). This trip included several museum stops and plenty of sidetrips to keep the group entertained.

So armed with some good maps, guide books and your own books on the subject (or those from the local library), it is easy to visit lots of European museums and finally see all those attractions that have only been known from PBS programs and photographs. A greater appreciation for the battles that we fight will be the main objective but in addition you can enjoy the sights and sounds of Europe.