Museums Archives ⋆ The Passenger

August 10, 2025August 10, 2025

Lenbachhaus

Located in the vibrant heart of München, the Lenbachhaus is a true gem for anyone with an appreciation for art and history. Originally, the building was the villa of Franz von Lenbach, a prominent 19th-century painter, who designed his home in a Tuscan style reminiscent of Italian Renaissance villas. In the early 20th century, the city of München acquired the property and transformed it into a museum, aiming to preserve and showcase Lenbach’s legacy and the city’s rich artistic heritage. Over the years, the Lenbachhaus underwent several expansions and updates, allowing it to evolve into one of Germany’s most esteemed art institutions.

August 9, 2025August 10, 2025

Dachau

The Konzentrationslager Dachau, located just outside München, was the first Nazi concentration camp established in 1933. Originally designed to hold political prisoners, especially Communists and Socialists, its brutal regime soon expanded its targets to include Jews, Roma, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and prisoners of war from various nations. Dachau became infamous as the model on which other camps were based and as a training ground for SS camp guards, making it a key site in the Nazi repression apparatus. The conditions and systematic cruelty left thousands dead and countless more scarred.

July 27, 2025July 29, 2025

Kazakhstan’s history and culture

National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Астана

The National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, located in Астана, stands as one of the most prominent cultural attractions in the capital. Opened in 2014, the museum was established to coincide with the celebrations of Kazakhstan’s independence and the country’s efforts to preserve and showcase its rich heritage. The structure itself is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, featuring sweeping lines and expansive open spaces, representing a bridge between the nation’s storied past and its dynamic present.

July 27, 2025July 29, 2025

Nur Alem

The Nur Alem Pavilion stands out as the most recognizable symbol of Астана’s transformation into a city of innovation and ambition. This stunning building is an architectural marvel – a perfect glass sphere with 80 meters in diameter and rising 100 meters tall, making it the largest spherical building in the world. It was designed by the US-American architectural team Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, renowned for their work on some of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers. Built for EXPO 2017, Nur Alem’s graceful curves and shimmering surface have since turned it into a true icon of the Kazakh capital.

July 20, 2025July 30, 2025

Central State Museum

If you’re exploring Алматы, the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan is one stop that shouldn’t be missed. This grand museum sits in a leafy area, and its imposing blue-domed structure makes it instantly recognizable. As you approach, you’ll notice the constant buzz of school groups, travelers, and locals alike – all eager to learn more about the country’s rich heritage. The museum’s halls are vast and welcoming, providing a refreshing escape from the city’s hustle and heat.

July 20, 2025July 30, 2025

Kasteyev

The Abylkhan Kasteyev State Museum of Arts in Алматы is the largest and most prominent art museum in Kazakhstan. Established officially in 1976, it was named in honor of Abylkhan Kasteyev, a celebrated Kazakh painter and founder of the national school of painting. The museum’s collection exceeds 23,000 works, encompassing an extensive range of Kazakh historic and contemporary art, Soviet-era pieces, Russian art from the 17th to 20th centuries, as well as Western European and East Asian art. Its holdings include paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and folk applied art, making it a comprehensive showcase of Kazakhstan’s rich cultural heritage alongside global artistic traditions.

July 6, 2025July 6, 2025

Sachsenhausen

Visiting the Konzentrationslager Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg, just north of Berlin, is a sobering and deeply educational experience. Established in 1936 by the SS, Sachsenhausen was intended as a model camp, both in its design and its function. Initially, it held political prisoners, but over time, its population expanded to include Jews, Roma, Sinti, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Soviet prisoners of war. The camp became notorious for its harsh conditions, forced labor, medical experiments, and systematic executions. After the end of the Nazi regime, the site was repurposed by the Soviets as a special camp for political prisoners and former Nazis, where thousands more perished.

July 4, 2025July 5, 2025

Written treasures

The British Library in London is a true sanctuary for anyone passionate about history, literature, and culture. Its origins trace back to the 18th century, when the collections of Sir Hans Sloane, Robert Harley, and Sir Robert Cotton were brought together to form the core of the British Museum’s library. Over time, these collections expanded with royal donations and acquisitions, eventually leading to the establishment of the British Library as a separate entity in 1973. The library’s current home, a striking modern building near St. Pancras, opened its doors in 1998 and now houses over 170 million items, making it one of the largest libraries in the world.

July 4, 2025July 5, 2025

Mail Rail

Beneath the bustling streets of London lies a unique piece of the city’s industrial heritage: the Mail Rail. Originally known as the Post Office Railway, this driverless, narrow-gauge railway was built in the early 20th century to transport mail quickly and efficiently between major sorting offices across the city. Construction began in 1915, but due to the disruptions of World War I, the railway only opened in 1927. For 76 years, the Mail Rail operated tirelessly, shuttling letters and parcels through six and a half miles of tunnels, until it was finally closed in 2003 as road transport became more practical for the Royal Mail.

June 22, 2025June 23, 2025

Bunker Valentin

Located near Farge on the banks of the river Weser just outside Bremen, Bunker Valentin is one of the largest above-ground bunkers in Europe and a haunting reminder of the final phase of World War II. Construction began in 1943, as the Nazi regime sought to protect its crucial submarine production from relentless Allied bombing. The plan was to assemble the advanced Type XXI submarines here, using innovative assembly-line techniques inside a massive, bomb-proof structure. The parts would have been preproduced in Hamburg and Danzig; the idea was to release a new U-Boot every 56 hours. The bunker stretches an astonishing 426 meters in length and 97 meters in width, with walls and a roof several meters thick – designed to withstand even the heaviest aerial attacks.