Bergen, Norway: Bryggens Museum

It turns out that fire isn't always a disaster in terms of historical research. In the case of the harborside area of Bergen, such an event proved valuable in researching the area's past.

A 1955 conflagration was the mover of this story. During the next 13 years, researches sifted through the remains of the damaged buildings and found many treasures underneath the rubble. Happily, cold and water actually helped to preserve some of the items - everything from ceramics to leather.

They were all collected and cataloged. A place was needed to store them, and the Bryggens Museum soon came along to fill that need. You can look at the various artifacts from a variety of angles. It offers a bit of insight into what life in the medieval world was like.  

Surprisingly, there are no videos of the place available. Oh well.