Hello travelers. Since I am obsessed with art history, I would like write about the different museums I have had the privilege to visit in my young life. Many of them are in Western Europe and the United States.
Prado Museum
I had the honor of visiting this museum in the summer of 2013. It is located in Madrid, Spain, and was first built in 1785. Its original purpose was to house the Spanish royal art collection as the capital of Spain at that time was Madrid. It contains some of the most revered artworks in the whole entire world including “Las Meninas” by Velázquez, “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by the prolific Hieronymus Bosch, “Family of Charles IV” by Goya, and “The Holy Trinity” by El Greco. General admission is 14 euro, but students under 18 are free!
Statue of Velázquez in front of the Prado
Dali Theater Museum
This different and surreal museum is located in Figueres, Spain, the birthplace of the mustache-madman, Salvador Dali. The building and its art are considered the last great achievement of Dali, and it also serves as his mausoleum. Completed in 1974, Dali’s museum includes a stunning jewelry collection, some of his craziest art (i.e. the "Bust of Velázquez" and "Venus de Milo with Drawers"), a vast “stage” with a larger-than-life painting (as well as the Abraham Lincoln one), and the charming Mae West room. Check out the complete collection here. The quirkiest aspect was the fake bread and eggs that dotted the gleaming red façade of the building. Tickets are 12 euro for adults.
Facade of the Dali Museum
City History Museum of Barcelona
Without a doubt, this underground museum is one of the neatest places I have ever seen in my life. It contains roman ruins that are still preserved in the exact spot where the Romans left them. The viewer can literally “walk with the ancients” as a glass sidewalk snakes through all the various stone and concrete ruins, including a fish sauce factory and a winery. In Roman times, Barcelona was called “Barcino,” and this ancient spirit certainly pervades this quiet and little known museum. On the night that I went, there was hardly anyone there. Find more information about this chic museum here.
The British Museum
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| Elgin Marbles |
Aptly named, this museum is located in London, England. First of all, the façade of the building completely blew me away. The loveliest ionic, fluted columns greeted my eyes, as well as a richly decorated pediment. The museum was founded in 1753 during the height of Neoclassicism and the interest in science/the natural world. According to their website, the British Museum was “the first national public museum in the world.” It has an amazing collection that is too vast to even begin listing here. There is Egyptian art, a whole slew of Greek and Roman statues, and Eastern/Polynesian Art. The most famous works include the Rosetta Stone, Hoa hakananai'a, the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, and the Lamassu (composite beasts from Mesopotamia). It is quite easy to spend whole days here, but alas, I had to leave after only a few hours. Best of all, this breath-taking collection was free to view.
Louvre
Although I am sure nearly everyone has heard of the Louvre, many people do not know that its history goes beyond the glass pyramid (designed by I. M. Pei) that is recognizable today. The site of the Louvre (in Paris, France) was originally a fortress tower constructed by Philip II, but it later morphed into the imperial palace of King Francis I. In 1546, the crumbling tower was torn down, and Francis commissioned Pierre Lescot to design the new palace. The galleries contained the art of the King, and many of the works in the Louvre today were originally the property of the imperial family. The glass pyramid is a recent addition (1989), but the buildings surrounding it are definitely historical. Famous works in the Louvre include the "Mona Lisa" (the only painting that I remember seeing when I was ten), "Stele of Naram-sin", “Supper at Emmaus” by Rembrandt, “Joseph the Carpenter” by La Tour, and “Concert in the Country” by Titian.
National Museum of Rome
"The Boxer"
This amazing museum (with several branches in Rome) houses a marvelous classical collection of statues, mosaics, and ancient ruins. Because I was only 14 at the time when I visited this museum, I did not truly appreciate the art I was gazing upon. The stolid busts of ancient leaders and orators as well as the statue of Augustus were mere “old men” to me at the time, although now, I would be positively ecstatic to see them. I was in the Palazzo Massimo branch of the National Museum (built in the late 1880s); it houses “The Boxer,” “The Discus Thrower,” and “The Maiden of Anzio.” I still have some great photographs of lustrous mosaics and a sarcophagi cover that is swarming with minute humans and beasts alike.
Vatican Museums
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| "Last Judgement", Michelangelo |
When you see this vast collection of timeless and priceless art, your mind will be blown into fine dust. Although when one hears the word “Vatican,” they usually think of the Pope, incense, and the massive square of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican actually contains many artworks. These include the famous Sistine Chapel frescoes by Michelangelo, the “School of Athens” by Raphael (as well as other frescoes in the historic Signature Room), the giant gold statue of Hercules, and the breath-taking “Apollo Belvedere.” There are countless other famous works—the museum is as juicy as a trip to the Louvre in terms of “famous art.” The general admission is 16 euro, but I consider this a measly fee, especially since the viewer gets to soak up the view of the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the “Last Judgment.” Be sure to buy your tickets online before you go, or else the lines will be horrendous (especially in the boiling sun of summer!) Check out their website here.
