Fodor's Expert Review National Museum of Bermuda

Ensconced in Bermuda's largest fort, the museum displays its collections of maritime and historical artifacts in old munitions warehouses that surround the parade grounds and Keep Pond at the Dockyard. Insulated from the rest of the Dockyard by a moat and massive stone ramparts, it is entered by way of a drawbridge. At the Shifting House, right inside the entrance, rooms hold relics from some of the 350-odd ships wrecked on the island's reefs. Other buildings are devoted to seafaring pursuits such as whaling, shipbuilding, and yacht racing.

More displays are in the 19th-century Commissioner's House, on the museum's upper grounds. Built as both home and headquarters for the Dockyard commissioner, the house served as a World War I barracks and was used for military intelligence during World War II. Today it contains exhibits on Bermuda's social and military history. A must-see is the Hall of History, a mural of Bermuda's history covering 1,000 square feet. Painting it took local artist Graham Foster more than 3½ years. You'll also want to photograph the sheep that graze outside the building, mowing the grass. Mind your feet! They're very good at their work.