BERLIN - If you’re interested in the history of Eastern Europe under communism, a number of places in the region offer glimpses of life before the Berlin Wall fell. Here are a few of them, ranging from somber museums to historic sites to themed attractions that are downright kitschy or bizarre.

One must-see for tourists visiting Germany is Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, the former border crossing where U.S. and Soviet tanks dramatically faced off after East Germany sealed its border by building the Berlin Wall in 1961.