7 Museums for the Outdoorsy Historian

You won’t find perfectly hung portraits along grand halls or walls for that matter.  In fact, it’s time to kick down barriers made by stuffy museums and enjoy the open spaces of the following seven open-air museums. Rich in history, they prove that sometimes the best way to enjoy art is en plein air.

England: Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Are you intrigued by quirky art? Are you ready to tap into the creative geniuses of British and international artists?

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is more than just a blend of art and nature.  It is an interactive playground speckled with sculptures hugging trees, a dangling eyeball, gigantic bodiless heads and so much more.  Even famed sculptors like Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth have work displayed here, which makes a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park a must-see attraction for the artfully inclined as well as the nature lover.  So if sights of white-masked statues and animal-head creatures pique your interest, this is one open-air museum that is well worth the visit.

Japan: Hakone Open-Air Museum

Once again it is time to look outside the box to understand the weird presentations of art showcased here.  Even if you’re completely confused by the artists’ depictions, at least the Hakone Open-Air Museum is an awesome show. 

Surrounded by Japan’s verdant mountains and gardens, the conversation between nature and stone beckons everyone wandering through its 120 pieces to wonder, "What in the world was the artist thinking?"  Especially when witnessing a huge head flaunting a grassy mane which appears to be lying on its side as though asleep, as well as a naked statue implanted face-down into the ground.  And if you’re a fan of Picasso, you’re in for a pleasant surprise since a few examples of his works are speckled here, which also contributes to the Hakone Open-Air Museum’s artsy glamor.

Turkey: Goreme Valley Open-Air Museum  

Even if you aren’t an avid churchgoer, there is something quite eerie about Goreme Valley Open-Air Museum that seamlessly draws you in. After all, the sanctuaries here have marked their territory on Turkey’s volcanic soil since the 10^th century.

This ancient open-air museum is comprised of about 30 adjoining churches carved into Turkey’s rocky caves, all displaying beautiful murals deep inside their monolithic rock walls.  Yet, they stand in a ghostly silence but speak volumes when glancing over the images of Abraham and Three Hebrew Youths at the Apple (Elmali Church) as well as the Betrayal of Judas in the Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise).

Germany: Roman Open-Air Museum

Ever wondered how it would feel to live like a Roman?

There’s no need to time travel or flip through history books when Germany’s Roman Open-Air Museum is an atmospheric visit to the past. And if you listen closely, you’ll still be able to hear the hustle of the Roman settlers that once thrived in the area.

After the villa was stumbled upon, it was given a magnificent facelift which draws many visitors into the authentic style of the Romans.  As a mirror to the past, the reconstructed rooms have been transformed into a museum, preserving the many items that were extracted out of the villa.  Even some centuries later, the Roman Open-Air Museum profoundly demonstrates the power of Roman Rule as it lures a multitude of visitors all wanting to bask in their historic presence.

England: Chiltern Open-Air Museum

Bobbing and weaving through the busy streets of London isn’t the only way tourists can discover the classic English culture.  A tourist attraction in its own right, the Chiltern Open-Museum infuses history with nature to produce a collection of sights crafted out of vernacular buildings.

The museum serves a greater purpose by saving England’s common buildings from being destroyed.  Much to the delight of tourists from around the world, the open-air museum conjures up all types of emotions by placing them in the presence of an Iron Age house,  a tin chapel, a Victorian toll house as well as cottages constructed out of an 18^th century barn. With many captivating events taking place at the Chiltern Open-Air Museum, including Meet the Roman Army and the Nasty Normans, it promises to be a fascinating history lesson.

Nevada: Goldwell Open-Air Museum

If this collection of stone-white ghost statues doesn’t make you want to run for the hills, then enter at your own free will. Seven white ghosts placed amid a vast desert don’t sound too inviting, especially when the legendary ghost town of Rhyolite sits nearby.

A group of Belgian artists are responsible for creating these eerie creatures and placing them in the midst of nowhere because they believed placing art in the most extreme locations allowed them to work freely.  However, a location in Mojave Desert tells a different story, and with a creepy presence completely surrounding the statues, you’d want to proceed with caution.  Unless, venturing into a ghost town is your type of adventure.

Mexico: Las Labradas

There’s no room for stuffy art connoisseurs when you have the natural breezes of the ocean intermixed with the Mexican sun brushing against your face.  The beachfront of San Ignacio is the home of Mexico’s greatest collection of boulders that have lived some 1,500 years to tell the story of their existence.

Whether through symbols of animals or handprint petroglyphs carved into their stone bodies, their archeological remains inch their spectators closer into the past, yet leaving a bit of mystery that even experts cannot explain. Thankfully erosion hasn’t fully settled which makes Las Labradas Mexico’s biggest geological phenomenon.