Take a virtual tour of Germany

Although it’s smaller than the state of Montana, Germany is full of fascinating places to visit. Here are a few favorites.

1. Museum Island Berlin

A number of large museums are located on an island in the heart of Germany’s capital city. Many of them were built by Prussian rulers more than 100 years ago, according to Berlin’s tourism bureau, and the museums here are home to historical artifacts and famed artwork.

At one museum, you can even explore ancient buildings that have been excavated and reconstructed. At the Pergamon, you can visit the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, which was originally built during the Mesopotamian era. And while Berlin is far away, you can walk through the museum online using Google street view. Visit artsandculture.google.com/project/museum-island-berlin to see.

2. Schloss Neuschwanstein

Towering and picturesque, this castle was built by Bavarian King Ludwig II in 1886. Sometimes called “the swan king” or “the fairy tale king,” Ludwig II became king when he was 18 years old. He was known for his love of opera and for creating his own “fantasy world,” according to the castle’s website.

Schloss Neuschwanstein was designed to resemble illustrations of castles in medieval books and is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s castles. Explore the fairy tale castle online at neuschwanstein.de/englisch/children/, where you can make your own medieval crown, play games and complete puzzles.

3. Miniatur Wunderland

The largest model railway in the world is in Hamburg. The Wunderland features 260,000 tiny people, 42 little airplanes, 9,250 mini cars and 1,040 model trains.

According to its website, the trains travel on 15,400 meters (that’s about 50,524 feet) of tracks that run through the building’s many “theme worlds” — there’s even a mini United States with Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore.

To explore the miniature world yourself, watch the museum’s immersive video online at miniatur-wunderland.com.