Travel Picks: Top 10 Chocolate Museums

Reuters, India ^ | October 19, 2009 | Reuters Life Staff

[Diana in Wisconsin]

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - For people who love chocolate and love travel, what could be better than a chocolate museum.

The members and editors of VirtualTourist.com (http:\\www.virtualtourist.com) have compiled a list of the World's Top 10 Best Chocolate Museums. Reuters has not endorsed this list.

1. The Cologne Chocolate Museum; Cologne, Germany

Located on the Rhine River, this futuristic building gives visitors three floors of chocolate history to ponder, but the real centre of attention here is the famous chocolate fountain. Museum staff dip waffles in the hot liquid for salivating guests.

2. Musee les Secrets du Chocolat; Geispolsheim, France

Complete with theatre, tea room, and gift shop that sells chocolate pasta, chocolate vinegar, chocolate beer and decorative antique chocolate molds, this museum is every bit as elegant as the country it represents.

3. Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, Phillip Island Chocolate Factory; Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia

This facility houses such tongue-in-cheek exhibits as statue of David replicas, a Dame Edna mural and an entire chocolate town. Aside from the eye candy, visitors are treated to real candy with a chocolate sample upon arrival.

4. Choco-Story Chocolate Museum; Bruges, Belgium

In addition to dedicating a section of the museum to the health benefits of chocolate, this museum also houses a quirky collection of chocolate tins that pay tribute to the Royal family.

5. Museu de la Xocolata; Barcelona, Spain

The sculptures at this museum are so impressive, you'll forget you're looking at chocolate. Subjects range from copies of serious religious works to whimsical cartoon characters.

[who knows what evil?]

And it couldn’t have happened to them at a worse time, business-wise. :(

No question...the fire is bad enough, but going into the last quarter..? Loss of life is the only thing that could have made it worse...