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Cat Museums of Europe

© Roxanne Nelson

Tired of the same old Rembrandt's? Couldn't care less if you never see another Van Gogh in your life…and ditto for Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Botticelli, etc, etc. What you have is a case of museum burn-out, an overload of the fine arts. It's a common malady to European tourists, especially those on tight two week vacations, and trying to squeeze every art museum on the continent into their itinerary. Plus, now that it's summer, there's lines, waiting and more waiting, all under a hot and humid sun.

And let's face it, not that many people are really art lovers. Many feel that they have to go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa because that's what people who go to Paris are supposed to do. And it may be both the first and last time they'll ever set foot in a museum of fine arts again.

But Europe is full of all kinds of museums. If art really isn't your forte, there's no reason to waste time looking at old paintings that become a blur after the first the half dozen. Instead, take in a museum devoted to a subject that you really enjoy. For example, being a cat devotee myself, I've chosen cat museums. There are a number of them scattered all across Europe. So tell your friends that you went to see the Mona Lisa, when in fact, you really gazed upon Meowa Lisa!

Moscow Cat Museum

Cats are great favorites in Russia, and the cat museum has been in existence since 1993. It houses more than 1500 works of cat related art and is constantly being expanded. In addition, the collection includes an enormous variety of other items that are in some way connected to felines—books, toys, post-cards, toys, etc. They also offer cat shows, auctions, song contests about cats, cat film festivals, theater, and a special exhibit devoted to women and their cats.

Cat Museum in Britain

This lovely little collection can be found in Harrow on the Hill in Middlesex. A relatively small museum, it holds about 250 items, ranging from oil paintings to a cat matchbox container. Kathleen Mann and her mother Kitty, who run the shop above the museum, have been collecting cat related items for the past 20 years. The little museum is the result of their endeavors. The oldest item is an 18th-century Rockingham china cat.

Kipper's Cat Museum

I don't have much information about this one, except that it bills itself as Britain's first cat museum and it is located in Ramsbottom. It is open daily, and can be reached at telephone number 01706 822133.