Sex Museums in Europe
Europe is home to several well-known and unique museums dedicated to sex, eroticism, and the history of sexuality.
Here are some of the most prominent ones:
1. The Netherlands
- Sexmuseum Amsterdam – The Temple of Venus (Amsterdam):
- Claim to Fame: Often cited as the oldest sex museum in the world, opening in 1985.
- Theme: Houses a large collection of erotic photographs, sculptures, objects, and art from different eras and cultures, featuring figures like the Marquis de Sade and Mata Hari.
- Red Light Secrets – Museum of Prostitution (Amsterdam):
- Theme: Located in a former brothel in the Red Light District, this museum offers a unique perspective on the world’s oldest profession, including personal stories and the opportunity to sit in one of the famous red-lit windows.
2. Czech Republic
- Sex Machines Museum (Prague):
- Theme: This is arguably the most specific museum on the list, dedicated exclusively to the history of sex toys, machines, and mechanical erotic aids. It features a vast collection of apparatuses from various periods, including a small cinema showing old erotic films.
3. Spain
- Museu de l’Eròtica de Barcelona (Barcelona):
- Theme: As mentioned previously, this museum offers an extensive historical and cultural record of the influence of eroticism, spanning from Paleolithic times to contemporary art.
4. Iceland
- The Icelandic Phallological Museum (Reykjavík):
- Claim to Fame: This is the world’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the study of phallology (the study of the penis).
- Theme: It houses a massive collection of penises and penile parts belonging to virtually all the land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland, including a few human specimens.
5. United Kingdom
- The Vagina Museum (London):
- Theme: Dedicated to the anatomy, physiology, and culture of the vulva and vagina, aiming to educate, challenge myths, and reduce the stigma around gynaecological anatomy. It focuses on health, history, and feminist perspectives rather than pure erotica.
Notable Historical/Special Collections
- The Secret Cabinet (Naples, Italy): Located within the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), this is not a sex museum itself, but a dedicated room housing the extensive collection of explicit erotic art and artifacts recovered from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Museums That Have Closed or Relocated
It is important to note that a few major erotic museums have closed their doors in recent years:
- The Musée de l’Érotisme in Paris, France (Closed in 2016).
- The Beate Uhse Erotic Museum in Berlin, Germany (Closed in 2014).
- The Museum Erotica in Copenhagen, Denmark (Closed in 2009).
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