From must-see to important-to-see

I get the "It's personal", But I agree, if you are going to travel to a specific place, there are some critical places, that even if you have no driving interest, you should see or experience.

For example, in London, one should take a gander at Big Ben (yes, yes yes, the Elizabeth Tower, but few call it that), a look at Westminster, up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, all for the cost of nothing. The British Museum also fits that definition, but free to enter, Tower Bridge...and beyond that...do what you want.

Rome? Again, a list of no cost sites (Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, St Peters Cathedral) and unfortunately, no longer free soon, but still worth it. the Pantheon. The Colosseum and Forum, even if you have to pay, and maybe the Vatican Museum...Maybe, but it could be too much trouble.

I could go on, but in many locales, there are simply some museums, whether you like history or art, or neither, you should go, at least on a whirlwind walk-through (The Louvre, the Prado) But that list is short unless you have an interest (The Louvre, but skip the Orsay) then there are sites just to see, or even things to just to experience, all completely independent of interest.

Allan, I didn't know anything about Oradour-sur-Glane so I looked it up after reading your post. What happened is, indeed, extremely horrific. People should know history; nothing should be whitewashed. I agree it's important to see places/sites that are important to ones "personal growth as a citizen of the world". It is also certainly understandable why your wife wouldn't want to visit a place like that again.

We visited Auschwitz when we visited Poland many years ago. I think it is important to see firsthand what happened there. Especially since there are some people who don't believe the Holocaust happened. I know some people say Auschwitz is "sanitized" but I don't necessarily agree with that. It was a powerful and depressing experience for me. However, I don't need to visit another concentration camp again.

One place that I think is a must-see is the War Photo Limited museum in Dubrovnik. This museum houses a permanent collection of the 1990's war in the former Yugoslavia. There is a second exhibit that changes annually. When we were there, the second exhibit was about Vietnam. I went on to the website just now and the current second exhibit is about the war in Ukraine. When we visited, the museum was not crowded at all. Sadly, I don't think a lot of people visit it.

I am going to put 'important-to-see' in the same category as 'must-see'. If you don't approach it with mind open, it is nothing. I think a lot of the value of something is gained by the research done or knowledge learned from it. 'Important' to me is defined by something to alter your life, or your outlook. Sometimes it is unexpected that hits you between the eyes, but it still takes a receptive person to let that happen. Not everyone travels that way.

In the 70’s on my first trip to Europe Anne Frank’s house was important to see.

Same with DC’s Vietnam Memorial in the 80’s.

Seeing David with my RS tour remains a favorite travel memory. 15 of us and art historian pointing out things about the sculpture I was not aware of. We were there before the doors were opened to the general public.

Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona.

The Kennedy gravesite at Arlington. Arlington Cemetary.

Traveling to NYC for Christmas in 2011 and standing where the Towers stood remembering that in 1982 I’d been to the top of the World Trade Center.

Sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for Obama’s first inauguration.

Cape Canaveral

Attending mass in the Vatican

Palintine Hill and the Colosseum

Being invited to the Film School in San Antonio, Cuba. Havana

Watching the space shuttle Discovery land at Edwards Air Force Base.

Watching the Endeavor arrive here in LA and being flown over the Griffith Observatory. From my buildings roof Remember looking at the steep Runyon Canyon trail lined with people. Same the Fern Dell trail up to the Griffith Observatory.

Seeing the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

And my favorite: being driven across the Golden Gate Bridge looking back in the dark at the SF Skyline only to see the fires in the Marina. We’d been seated in Section 43, row 21, seat 14 at Candlestick for the 1989 World Series. As a life long GIANTS fan going to the World Series was a MUST see. A night to remember.

Maybe that English is not my first language, but is not must-see and important-to-see virtually identical in terms of meaning?

I think it is important to see firsthand what happened there. Especially since there are some people who don't believe the Holocaust happened.

Unfortunately those who need to go the most have no desire to go. Perhaps why history is repeating itself in Ukraine.

O have a different point of view, probably because I am neither a citizen of the world, nor do I want to be. That would be another passport to fool with, maybe taxes? Who knows.

My answer is that it is important to travel, look, question and begin a process that could lead to understanding. I know, that's not a list of "things" the things don't matter. Go enjoy.

I am going to put 'important-to-see' in the same category as
'must-see'. If you don't approach it with mind open, it is nothing.

Good point. It reminded me of articles like this about selfies being taken at memorial sites. https://abcnews.go.com/International/selfie-holocaust-memorial-sites-europe-combat-social-media/story?id=62025268
Some people will have no desire to be aware of the significance of what they're seeing.

Maybe that English is not my first language, but is not must-see and
important-to-see virtually identical in terms of meaning?

English is a funny language and it's sometimes difficult to explain oneself in writing rather than face to face. In this case must-see is something that you want to see, while important-to-see could be defined as should-see even if you don't really want to in order to gain a better perspective of the world. I'm not sure if that helps or muddles it up even more. We can use Aushwitz as an example. I know my wife doesn't want to see it, but it's probably important to see to get an understanding of what can happen if we don't monitor evil.

Thanks Allan, I think I understand it better, I guess in many cases must see and important to see sites can easily overlap. The city of Toledo for example is a nice medieval town to explore but also important to see as it's where the three Abrahamic faiths, Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived in (mostly) harmony for a time during the middle ages.

In this case must-see is something that you want to see, while
important-to-see could be defined as should-see even if you don't
really want to

This is what instantly gets my back up, and my stubborn streak comes to the fore. As a reasonably aware adult who does their own research before travelling, and whose decision making abilities have not yet declined due to age, I decide what is important to see, not some anonymous entity who declares what one should see. If I think something is important to see, then it goes into my must see folder.

Important to see would be places of a historical nature to the country, region, city, etc. A good example to me would be Wenceslas Square in Prague. Significant events have taken place there. When I was in Nuremberg I made a point to visit the court of the Nuremberg trials because of the significance to WWII. The same with the Rallying Grounds where Hitler's egomaniacal personality was always on display.

I think it is wholly subjective and thus decided by how one wants to spend her or his time while traveling.

Must, best or important to see to me is a personal choice. The traveler needs to do the work and decide what matters or is important, not a stranger who knows nothing of the person inquiring.

Near where I live in France there’s a monument to a Brit who earned the Victoria Cross in the tough fighting in Normandie during the summer of 1944. To me that’s an important, must see, best reason to be here. I found this site myself and it wasn’t handed to me on a web site.

Read guide books, novels, history books and get excited yourself rather than asking a stranger to tell you what to see or do. Whatever it is you’ll find it and appreciate that you’re discovering what’s important to you.

" personal growth as a citizen of the world,...... " I am not a citizen of the world... No one else is ether., we can only aspire to be visitors...

Allan,

Two places immediately came to mind. My husband & I went to France several years ago, and I knew he would want to see Normandy Beach. I didn’t realize how much it would be important for me to see it, also. We stayed in Caen and took a half-day minivan tour to the sites and finished the day back at their excellent museum. When my husband walked out to me on the sand of Omaha Beach and turned around to face the shore, his legs almost buckled, thinking about that exposed site those young men faced. And seeing the cemetery of rows & rows of markers is a sobering site of the cost of freedom.

The second site was one we saw on the Rick Steves GAS tour. The itinerary included a stop at Mauthausen concentration camp. Personally, I think it’s very important to see sites like these to honor & remember the people whose lives were taken from them. The reality is unspeakable. I’m not a physical person, but I felt an overwhelming urge there. As I left, I slammed my fist against the door.

Should we develop a priority list.

Top to bottom in importance:

Bucket List
Must See
Important to see
Personally I Want to see
Interested to see, cause someone else wants to see it.

"Hell why not, I'm here any way. " and I've heard of this place.

The itinerary included a stop at Mauthausen concentration camp.
Personally, I think it’s very important to see sites like these to
honor & remember the people whose lives were taken from them. The
reality is unspeakable. I’m not a physical person, but I felt an
overwhelming urge there. As I left, I slammed my fist against the
door.

This describes the point I was trying to make with my original question. Maybe we don't want to see it, maybe we'd rather bury our heads in the sand and be an ostrich, maybe the topic doesn't interest us, but it's a reminder of what can happen if we don't remain vigilant. I'd never heard of Oradour-sur-Glane and all I thought it was going to be was some monument or plaque. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect what I saw. I was visibly angry as we walked through a tunnel that was filled with photos of the victims of that day. It wasn't a comfortable day, but it was an important day.

Allan, I agree with your sentiments on your last post.

Allan, you explained it very wisely in your last post.

Thank you knkwoo, I wish I would have began the topic with my last post, in hindsight, I failed with my original comments and question to state my case.

There is a grave site in Italy. Where by the family had two statues made of marble. One is a daughter at her wedding, and one is a son of the same family. The statues are set as an event where by the son was asking the daughter to dance at her wedding. Both of these children of the family, were killed in Wars and buried next to each other. The family decided, in some way, to take this moment in time, as a celebration of their brief lives, that were both cut short by the wars. They were on the wrong side of the wars, yet I still had to take moment and weep, on the near by bench, that they were also people caught up in something larger, and most likely had no agency to change anything.

It is art to a whole other level.

You can find this place if you want to. You will have to find it on your own.

Allan, a few other examples came to mind since I’ve been reflecting on your question.

I went over to a museum in Madrid while my husband was doing another activity to see Picasso’s Guernica. I had read about the historical reason while I was planning our trip and wanted to see the painting. I was very glad that everyone viewing it were all quiet & respectful.

Another example is the excellent National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio among others on the topic of slavery.

When we were in New York City with so many fun things to do, we also needed to go & honor the victims of 9-11 by going to the site and reading their names.