Some museum cities are famous because of one major institution, but the best visits often happen when that big museum becomes the starting point rather than the whole plan.
Maybe you went for the famous national gallery, art museum, palace, or history museum, then discovered smaller museums close by that added more character to the trip. A city can become much more interesting when the well-known museum opens the door to neighbourhood collections, specialist museums, historic houses, or local cultural spaces.
I think this is one of the best ways to explore a museum city: start with the landmark, then follow the smaller stories around it.
Have you had a trip where one major museum led you to several smaller discoveries?
Which city was it, and what did the smaller museums add to the experience?