Tag: art

Victoria & Albert Museum-London

On By Travels with MelindaIn art, London, Museum, Travel, travel tips, travelling, UK, UncategorizedLeave a comment

If you want to visit a museum in London where the building itself is a piece of art, then visit the Victoria and Albert Museum aka the V&A. With over 2+ million objects in their permanent collection, those who are interested in applied arts, decorative arts, and design will be delighted. Founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as with other national British museums, the entrance is FREE though some specific exhibits and events may have a fee. Check online and get tickets in advance for these types of temporary exhibits. This is a “must see” museum when you are in London!

Wear your comfortable shoes because the branch in South Kensington (there are a few small branches other than this one so make sure you go to the main museum) covers 12.5 acres with 145 galleries. Overall, it is one of the largest museums in the world. You won’t be able to cover it in one day so plan on coming back a few times. On our latest trip to London, this was my second visit to the V & A and Thom’s first. On the Girls Trip last year, we focused on the fashion/apparel collections because Patti had an interest in costumes and textiles and the exhibits at the V & A are huge for these areas. This trip, we wandered through the ceramics, glass, ironwork and sculpture galleries.

VISIT THE MAIN CAFÉ FOR AN ELEGANT BREAK

After you have walked a few miles to see the exhibits, take the time to find the Main Café. Opened in 1868, this opulently decorated café reflecting the Victorian era was the world’s first museum café. Grab a seat (turnover is quick, so wait and be speedy to take over a table when a patron leaves). Once you have a member of your party guarding the table, you can take turns going to the various food stations to pick out a salad, sandwich, hot or cold main course, dessert and beverage before taking it to the cashier to pay. Be kind when you are done and bus your own table, taking your dishes to the wait stations around the perimeter.

BEST MUSEUM GIFT SHOP IN LONDON

In my humble opinion, the V & A has the best museum gift shop in London. In addition to offering merchandise for their temporary exhibits, they have a wide selection of goodies for all ages. Their jewelry collection is my main interest because their items are stylish and well-priced. They even carry pieces from one of my favorite Italian designers, Angela Caputi. We are currently in Florence where Angela’s workshop and showroom are located, and you know I went there on our second day here! Now is the time to think not only of yourself but those on your Christmas/birthday lists. Unique and well curated, you can find something for everyone here at the V & A gift shop. Enjoy the journey (and shop)!

National Gallery Museum-London

On By Travels with MelindaIn art, London, Museum, Travel, travel tips, travelling, UK, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The National Gallery Museum in London is celebrating its 200th birthday this year, which is yet another great reason to visit London soon (as if you needed a reason). Though I’ve been to London a few times, I’ve never had the time to enjoy this museum, so this trip we made it a priority! Located in Trafalgar Square, I recommend you spend some time walking around the square and soak up the atmosphere outside before entering this magnificent museum. The fountains, the lions, and statues are all great back drops for picture-taking. Climb the museum steps and be ready to walk amongst the vast amounts of art from Monet, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Rubens, Raphael, and so many more. Seriously, there is a whole gallery for just Rembrandts, one of the biggest collections of his art that I’ve seen, and I get around! Of course, Monet is my happy place and they had enough of his art to make me happy including one very large piece. Having been to his home and lily ponds in Giverny several times, I just connect with his calming pieces. We only had a few hours to enjoy the art but look forward to going back next time we are in London!

Having just been to the British Museum where there were no seats to sit and appreciate the exhibits, I was happy to see a variety of benches and even leather chairs spread out through the galleries so you could spend time just sitting and appreciating the art on the walls. The art was all hung from chains off poles near the ceiling, making it probably easier to move pieces and not hurting the walls. Make sure to look up and appreciate the beautiful ceilings and skylights throughout the museum.

We did see lots of tour groups with their guides giving lectures at the various major pieces of art. Because you can’t possibly see all the art on one visit, next time we plan to perhaps take a tour with someone who can bring the art to life with stories. We did try the app Smartify | A World of Art and Culture, Just for You – Smartify and were very impressed. You just scan the art, and it immediately pops us a few paragraphs about the artist and that particular piece. A great collaboration between art and technology. Give it a try next time you visit a museum!

CAFÉ IN THE CRYPT

After you walk miles around the museum, take a rest across the street in the stunning crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields cafe. The original brick-vaulted ceilings and historic tombstones lining the floor provide atmosphere and the food is tasty and well-priced. Check on their website for special events that turn the crypt into a music and cabaret venue.

ENTRY TO MUSEUM

While the museum is free (like most British museums!), we went online the day before at The National Gallery, London to get timed entry tickets, which allowed us even quicker access into the museum. If you don’t have timed tickets, go to the entry on the left of the columns and you’ll probably have to wait in line for a little while. If you have tickets, you can go in the entry to the right without the line. Either way, there is a security check as you get inside.

Unlike the British Museum where maps are free, you have to shell out $2GBP at the National Gallery to get a map but we did because it is useful to find your way around. It’s so big you could get lost! With two floors of galleries, they are grouped into three clusters: 17th, 18th century and Impressionist paintings and Renaissance, Dutch and Flemish paintings and finally medieval paintings. There were several temporary exhibitions that were all free.

GETTING THERE

Definitely a tourist magnet and meeting place, events can be happening at Trafalgar Square that can really be crowded, so check online sites like this one https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/283774-trafalgar-square before you go. Be aware that protests also commonly march here to gather and make a statement, especially on the weekends. Proceed cautiously around these large crowds to enter the museum.

The National Gallery is located just steps from the Charing Cross tube station making for an easy commute from wherever you are staying in London. Enjoy the journey!

British Museum-London

On By Travels with MelindaIn London, Museum, Travel, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized1 Comment

A visit to the British Museum feels like a trip around the world both visually and physically because you will walk until you drop and still not see it all. Opened to the public in 1759, the museum’s 8+million pieces in their permanent collection focus on human history, art and culture. Even though I’ve been fortunate to take several trips to London over the last few years, I had never gotten around to going there. So, on our recent trip to London, we made it a priority and, even though you could spend days there and still not see everything on display, we spent a few hours soaking up all the history we could in an afternoon and plan to go back again soon. The British Museum is definitely a “must see” for your trip to London. Enjoy the journey!

Over the ages, there has always been controversy over all the relics taken from various countries all over the world by the British and housed in this museum. “Welcome to the British Museum-a museum of the world, for the world.” is the museum slogan and very appropriate. After seeing a fraction of the collections, you have to wonder if they left anything at all in Egypt, Greece, etc. for the citizens to enjoy but who am I to judge? I suggest you suspend the politics to enjoy seeing and learning from the exhibits that are here in London…for now.

The museum is broken down into geographic areas: Africa, Americas, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, Asia, Europe and Middle East. Along the way, you may encounter museum staff engaging with patrons at a hands-on learning table. They let kids and even Thom handle the centuries old items! Must-see objects include:

  1. Rosetta Stone
  2. Parthenon Marble Sculptures
  3. Lewis Chessmen (most famous chess set in the world)
  4. Egyptian mummies-elaborate sarcophagus and skeletons
  5. Hoa Hakananai’a Easter Island Statue (watch Night at the Museum-Dumb, Dumb give me gum, gum!)

Planning your trip: Visit | British Museum

Plan on spending some time in line going through security screening. It was fairly chaotic when we walked up with a line designated for those with tickets, but the security guards were directing people into that line even if you didn’t have tickets. We are used to navigating crowds, so we just walked into line and kept going as there were openings. So, after about 10 minutes, we were through and walking into the main rotunda atrium. Grab a museum map so you don’t get lost and off you go! There is no entrance fee, but you can donate if you want. Photography is permitted.

There are free “highlights” and “eye-opener” tours led by museum staff-all are listed in the brochure for certain galleries. You can also download a free Rick Steves walking tour from his site or go to Audio app | British Museum and download their walking tour via the Apple App Store app or Google Play Store app. Lots of ways to learn and enjoy the many exhibits!

Families can take advantage of free family activities on the weekends. Just head to the Families Desk and get a special brochure listing all the events. Families can also borrow a backpack full of activities at the museum making for a very kid-friendly environment.

Eating at the Museum

I like a museum that has options to grab a snack, but they go all out in the refreshment category at the British Museum. From top to bottom, there are cafes in many places with everything from coffee to sandwiches/pizza to the Great Court Restaurant at the top where you can get afternoon tea, mains and a full bar. We were hungry by the time we made it to the top floor. We were able to walk right into the lovely restaurant and get a seat (or you can make reservations) and enjoy a cheese plate and tea. It was a lovely break to rest and hydrate before seeing some more great history. Note: they don’t allow food or drink outside the designated cafes in the museum.

Enjoying Monet’s Musee Marmottan in Paris-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn art, France, Girls Trip, Monet, Paris, Travel, travel tips, travellingLeave a comment

One day we were at Giverny seeing Monet’s home and gardens and the next day we were at the Musee Marmottan seeing all the artwork that Monet’s son donated from Giverny so that the public could enjoy it and enjoy it we did on Girls Trip 2023 in Paris!

On the far west side of Paris where the tour buses don’t often go, the Musee Marmottan is rarely crowded and houses an extensive Monet collection that you most likely haven’t seen before. I’ve been to museums all over the world and always seek out any Monets they have on display, but this is definitely a rare collection that any Monet lover should see at least once. There were two paintings of his children-he had eight! There is also a collection of paintings done as he lost his vision, so the coloring is very different from his blues/greens of earlier periods. These paintings are much more vibrant in tones of red and yellows. In addition to the Monets (all on the lowest level), the house is filled with other works of art to be appreciated. Enjoy the journey!

I learned that the term “Impressionism” was coined by an art critic in a review of Monet’s piece, “Impression, Sunrise”, (pictured below), which hangs in Musee Marmottan. According to Wikipedia, Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, unusual visual angles, and inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience. Impressionism originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The Musee Marmottan is open Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays as are many museums in Paris!) 10-6 but open late on Thursdays. Though I have been to this museum several times and it has never been busy, I like to go first thing in the morning or in the evening on Thursday. It’s so wonderful to go to a beautiful museum in Paris and not experience it crowded in with a million tourists’ shoulder to shoulder! Buy tickets online or at the museum. No gardens to work through so this is a great place to visit on a rainy Paris day. I would put aside several hours to enjoy all that this museum has to offer. The gift shop is nice but as well curated as the one at Giverny if you are a shopper.

Address: 2, rue Louis-Boilly, 75016 Paris – France

Public transportation:

Métro

line 9, stop: La Muette or Ranelagh

RER

line C, stop: Boulainvilliers

Buses

Line 22, stop: La Muette–Boulainvilliers

Line 32, stop: Louis Boilly or Ranelagh

Line 52, stop: La Muette–Boulainvilliers

Line 63, stop: Porte de la Muette

Line 70, stop : Louis-Boilly

Line P.C. 1, stop: Ernest Hebert or Porte de Passy

Monet’s Giverny-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, France, Girls Trip, Giverny, Paris, Travel, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized1 Comment

There are times to strike out on your own to explore while on vacation. There are other times when it makes sense to let someone else do the driving and handle all the details. Visiting Giverny on our Girls Trip 2023 was one of those times! After navigating our way around Paris by bus, Metro, walking, and an occasional taxi and Uber, we decided to book a guided bus tour to Giverny. In order to be efficient with our limited time in Paris, the 90-minute one-way bus ride from Paris to Giverny seemed to be better for us than a multi-hour Metro then RER train ride each way. The downfall of the tour was the early start time, which meant meeting our tour group at 8 am all the way across town, but it was all worthwhile once we gazed upon Monet’s lily ponds. Yes, it’s just that beautiful-see my photos below.

Uber works well in Paris, so we only had a short wait for our ride to pick us up from the apartment and take us to the tour meeting spot. The tour group arranged to meet at a cafe near the Eiffel Tower. Using the cafe facilities was essential because the bus had no restrooms. Our tour guide, Alex, was French but spoke excellent English. You book your tour group based on the language you want. As we drove to Giverny, Alex told us all about Monet, his family and stories of his successes and struggles. You could choose to sleep on the trip or use the headphones they provide to hear the tour guide. Good system. I listened. Becky slept. Seats reclined and seatbelts were required. Wish I had taken my travel blanket to be a little cozier on the trip!

Gliding along through the foggy and forested Paris countryside, I learned Monet grew up in Normandy, spent time in Algeria but got sick and returned to France to raise his family and work. Harmony, love and peace are all themes I see in Monet’s works, which is probably why he is my favorite artist. Seeing where he painted, it is not surprising to me that his home and grounds inspired him to create such beautiful, serene works of art.

Upon arrival at Giverny, our bus parked in the lot close to the estate and off we went to immerse ourselves in all things Monet. I had been there before with Thom, so I knew what to expect and looked forward to experiencing it again. Walking around the gardens and over the bridge at the water lily ponds, you feel like you are inside a famous Monet painting. It was still crowded with tourists, but we slowly made our way around taking so many pictures because everywhere you look, it is just so beautiful. The walk around the gardens ends at Monet’s house which you can walk through or just go straight to the large gift store like Becky did to shop to your heart’s content. Their selection of Monet themed items is extensive and well-priced so be prepared to find many “must have” items. I got another pillow for my travel collection, a kitchen towel and a mousepad, all of which I see daily to remind me of this special place.

Monet had eight kids and his house was large enough for his family. The paintings on the walls now are not originals. Monet’s son donated the entire art collection from the Giverny estate to the Marmottan – Monet Museum — Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, which houses the largest collection of Monet’s works and is another must see if you are a Monet fan. It’s a smaller museum housed in a beautiful building that tourists don’t usually frequent. We went there the day after our Giverny trip-another blog to come on that fabulous museum. Enjoy the journey!

TRAVEL TIP:

This is the tour that we took: From Paris: Giverny Day Trip with Audio Guide or Live Guide | GetYourGuide. I think it was well worth the $79 euros per person for the transportation convenience, estate entrance fees plus the guide’s storytelling on the history and stories of Monet. She really made the Monet experience come to life. I’m a Monet lover but never knew the details of his life. I enjoyed the fascinating stories of this colorful character!

Cautionary tale: If the tour guide says to meet at a certain time to leave or you will be left behind, they mean it. They have a schedule to keep to and they do keep it. So, plan your “free time” they give you so that you’re not standing in the toilette line when the bus is pulling out. Bye, bye! Our group left two people behind who weren’t punctual. What happened to them? Well, depending on how travel savvy they were, they could have texted or called the tour company and asked for forgiveness and inquired how they could get back to Paris. The afternoon tour could have offered them a ride home if they didn’t mind waiting five hours. If not, they’re would have been on their own to rent a taxi from Giverny to the train in the nearby town of Vernon to get back to Paris.

Paris Museums and Street Art

On By Travels with MelindaIn art, France, Museum, Paris, Street Art, UncategorizedLeave a comment

There are so many wonderful museums in Paris that it can be overwhelming when you start to plan your trip. How can I see them all? (Hint: you probably can’t!) Which one to go to first? How do I prioritize? Which is best? So much art, so little time. Even after going to Paris several times, I haven’t seen them all, but I’ll try to help guide you on how to choose the best experience for you.

ICONIC “MUST SEE” MUSEUMS

  • Louvre Museum https://www.louvre.fr/en go at opening time, enter through Port de Lions entrance and go directly to the Mona Lisa-you can see from the picture below that we got a clear shot of her when we visited. You could spend a week at the Louvre and not see everything. Based on how much time you have there, prioritize what you want to see and go for it! You can book a guided tour or wander aimlessly like we like to do.

SMALLER, “SEE IT ALL IN ONE DAY” MUSEUMS

  • Musee Picasso https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/ is located in the heart of the Marais, one of my favorite neighborhoods. This museum is an art-filled oasis in a beautiful mansion with a courtyard cafe. Heaven! What I really appreciated was the pictures and stories about the artist himself. I’ve always enjoyed his art, but I never knew much about the man behind the art. I also love goats and there was quite the collection his goat art on display! More info:
    • The museum collection includes more than 5,000 works of art (paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, prints, engravings and notebooks) and tens of thousands of archived pieces from Picasso’s personal repository, including the artist’s photographic archive, personal papers, correspondence, and author manuscripts. A large portion of items were donated by Picasso’s family after his death, in accord with the wishes of the artist, who lived in France from 1905 to 1973. (Wikipedia)
  • Musee Rodin has both outdoor gardens with sculptures and an inside art museum https://www.musee-rodin.fr/en Definitely plan a visit here on a sunny day so you can walk the gardens and enjoy the fabulous sculptures in their natural setting. More info:
    • While living in the Villa des Brillants, Auguste Rodin used the Hôtel Biron as his workshop from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures – along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired – to the French State on the condition that they turn the buildings into a museum dedicated to his works. The Musée Rodin contains most of Rodin’s significant creations, including The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum’s extensive garden. The museum includes a room dedicated to the works of Camille Claudel and one of the two castings of The Mature Age.The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural settings. Behind the museum building are a small lake and casual restaurant. Additionally, the nearby Métro stop, Varenne, features some of Rodin’s sculptures on the platform. The building is served by Métro (Line 13), RER (Line C: Invalides) and bus (69, 82, 87, 92). (Wikipedia)

Musee Marmottan Monet showcases all Monet all the time https://www.marmottan.fr/en/ and is the perfect museum for the Monet superfan, which I am. We went to his home in Giverny on another Paris trip-see separate blog post on that adventure! This museum flies under the tourist radar. The day we visited we were one of the few visitors, allowing us to sit (yes-there are benches!) and just soak in the panorama of Monet art. My husband took the panorama shot below of the empty gallery when we got there-Monet all to ourselves.

OTHER MUSEUMS THAT I HAVEN’T VISITED-YET ANOTHER REASON I NEED TO GO BACK TO PARIS SOON!

STREET ART

We love to wander the streets of Paris and look for street art, whether it’s a mural or artistically hung umbrellas. Make sure you allow enough time to see this type of art. Enjoy the journey!

Uffizi Gallery

On By Travels with MelindaIn FlorenceLeave a comment

A “must see” in Florence, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the largest and best-known art museums in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance. Thanks to the Medici family who eventually lost power in the 1500’s, their art collection was donated to Florence to start the museum and now we can all enjoy it!

To prepare for your trip to the Uffizi, go online well in advance and book your tickets (see my “how to” details below). Then, once you arrive and work through the entry process, you will reach the top floor where all the galleries are located. You could spend a whole day just immersing yourself in art but don’t forget to look out the windows at the end of the first corridor for great views of Florence.

We did not do a guided tour but that is an option that many people do. We listened on our mobile devices to previously downloaded Rick Steves audio guides to the Uffizi-the free option to get some history and background of what you are seeing, which is how we like to roll. We like to go at our own space and skip places too crowded for comfort. We saw all the highlights, which include paintings and sculptures by Boticelli, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael and Michelangelo.  The long hallway with multitudes of statues and paintings was lovely with benches along the way to sit and admire all the art.

You exit through the top floor cafeteria where you can sit on the outside patio or inside and get some refreshments. As you exit, navigate away from the crowds and take the small alleyways to find your way home. This is our favorite part of Florence. Beautiful doors, buildings, archways, and wine doors can be found wherever you look. We even had a horse and carriage travel down the small street we were on, depositing presents on the cobblestones that we had to watch out for as we strolled. Eventually, we found the bridge over the Arno near our place and off we went for Sunday lunch.

HOW-TO GUIDE TO VISITING THE UFFIZI GALLERY

BOOKING ONLINE TICKETS

To visit the Uffizi Gallery, go to their official website and pick your ticket-a single ticket to visit the gallery or a five-day pass to also visit Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. We got the five-day pass because we were in Florence for two weeks and wanted to visit all three. It was $38 euros. Online, you pick the date/time you want to visit the Uffizi (you have to do this visit first and pick up your pass ticket) and you are ready to go.

ENTRY PROCESS

With our ticket confirmation email on our phones (no, you don’t need to print it and bring it like the online site says-they need to update that process) you go to the Uffizi and ask one of the officials at the many entrances to direct you to the appropriate place to pick up your online tickets to the Uffizi. Once there, it was easy to show the ticket booth person our email with the order number and they gave us our tickets. Now, out the door to the courtyard again and to the back of the line to get into the Uffizi during our time booked (15-minute window) and then we were climbing up and up the multitude of stairs. There may be an elevator somewhere, but you’d have to ask for access as it is not signed or suggested. Everyone went up the stairs-hope you are in good shape! When you get to the top floor (and only then) they tear off part of your ticket and you are off on your own (unless you came with a tour).