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New Acropolis Museum (Athens, Greece)
by m_illie On my recent trip to Athens before beginning the climb to the top of the Acropolis my group stopped by the Acropolis Museum which is pretty much brand new. Before arriving I did know a bit about the museum as having studied Classics the past year I found that many of the sculptures I studied were in fact housed within the museum. ... Visiting it provided an excellent opportunity to really bring my textbook to life and I must admit seeing something you have studied so in depth in person can be a somewhat emotional experience. The museum is located on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, Athens which is southeast of the Acropolis. It is a quick 5-10 minute walk (depending on your fitness and mobility) from the Acropolis and from the balcony on the second floor, you can see the entire Acropolis as you are literally at the foot of the mount. We travelled to it via the metro which is Athens' underground system, which is very easy to navigate with only 3 lines. The station we stopped at is also conveniently called Akropoli. From this the museum is roughly a 5 minute walk also. You can also get to the museum via bus at the stop Makryianni. There are no parking facilities for the public as the museum encourages the use of public transport. When you arrive at the Museum it is stunningly beautiful and very modern. As excavation for the Museum began they found that underneath the foundation, a previous settlement was stood there. To my delight, the architect of the Museum decided to include the ruins underneath the Museum and so on the pathway up to the entrance there is a balcony where you can look down onto the ruins and throughout the first floor of the Museum certain sections of the floor are made of glass so that you can see all the way down. Level 0 of the Museum has a shop, a cafe, a cloakroom where it is necessary any rucksacks or large bags are kept, and the check in where you pay, including where information may be accessed. As you enter the Museum itself you go through a scanner and must put your bag down through a kind of supermarket checkout, much like at the airport. This process is very fast and the staff all were polite and spoke English. There aren't displays on this level, however once you go through the turnstiles having bought your ticket you ascend a brief slope upwards which houses many different pots, vases and bowls. This slope is supposed to represent the slope of the Acropolis, because as I will explain, the Museum itself represents the Acropolis and the footprints of some of its temples. Having gone up the slope you then climb a brief set of marble stairs of maybe 3-4. If you walk to the right hand side, you go through a section of the Museum which focuses on the Archaic period, basically a time of much experimentation where sculpture and building weren't yet perfected. Here you can find many famous sculptures such as Kritios Boy, which was made in roughly 480BC and standing at a smaller than life size 3"10. This sculpture is incredibly impressive for its time and well worth a look for its craftsmanship alone. If you walk to the left of the staircase on Level 1 you walk through pieces of the 5th Century BC-AD. 3 temples of the Acropolis are also found on this level, the small Athene-Nike, the Erectheion and the Propylaia. From here there is another staircase which you ascend to Level 2. Level 2 doesn't boast ancient pieces and instead is the hub of the museum, being house to a large restaurant, a second shop (for books), a multimedia centre which displays images and discussion of the temples. Having walked through the restaurant you can sit out on the terrace, which as I discussed before is a nice little spot to look out at the Acropolis. It is shaded and you can order drinks from out here as there was always a member of staff floating about. Level 3, appropriately, houses perhaps the most important temple of the Acropolis, the Parthenon. As you walk around the outer walls of the floor, you can see parts of the frieze which once surrounded the temple, the rest of which are in the British Museum in London. A guide was addressing a large group as we visited the Museum and it was interesting to hear her take on the Elgin Marbles. In particular that the "British had stolen them unlawfully" and so on. Much of what is on the Acropolis' temples are copies, in fact 60%, as the majority is stored over here, however having compared the quality of the artefacts both in London and Athens, I must say we do tend to care for them a bit better. Additionally there are small models of parts of the temples, such as two models of the Parthenon pediments (the triangle shape under the roof full of sculptures). This was very interesting to see as it gave you a comprehensive view of what it would have actually looked like, rather than stumps and bits of rubble which are left now. The best preserved part of the Parthenon pediment is arguably the horse of Selene, which looks quite comical, but also very impressive. I also saw this on the Parthenon pediment itself (as in on the temple) and in the British Museum, so two have got to be fakes! I'm assured, the British Museum version is real and the others are made of plaster casts, although you could hardly tell and it is still very beautiful. Admission General admission fee: 5 euros. Reduced admission fee: 3 euros. Museum Hours Tuesday to Sunday: 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. Last admission: 7.30 p.m. Galleries cleared at 7.45 p.m. The Museum is open every Friday until 10 p.m. Monday: Closed. Closed: 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 25 December and 26 December. Overall, although perhaps biased due to a personal love of museums, this is a museum well worth visiting. The pieces within it are all stunningly impressive and a shining example of the skill and brilliance of Ancient Greek sculptors and architects. I would definitely recommend if you do not have an extensive knowledge of the Acropolis, especially if you plan to then visit it, as it provides you with comprehensive knowledge of this very significant part of Athens. Read the complete review |
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Musee de la Croix Rouge et du Croissant Rouge (Geneva, Switzerland)
by fizzywizzy When I was a child I would accompany my mother when she did her annual bit for the Red Cross, knocking on doors in our village and giving a tiny paper flag and a pin in return for a cash donation. I have no idea how my mother came to volunteer for the Red Cross in those days and I'm sure I had no idea what the Red Cross did other than ... perhaps lend out a wheelchair to someone temporarily in need of one. As I grew older and became more interested in international affairs, I came to learn how wide reaching the work of the Red Cross is but it was at the Museum of the International Red Cross in Geneva that I came to understand just how significant the organisation and its achievements are. As you wander round the city of Geneva you see lots of plaques indicating locations of significance in the formation of the Red Cross but the museum itself is situated near the United Nations building. It's a walkable distance from the main train station in Geneva (20-25 minutes with sights to see along the way) but if you're strapped for time or simply don't wish to walk, the museum is easy reached on public transport. The entrance is partially hidden as it looks like the pathway to the doors has been cut into the hillside, in a startling echo of a World War 1 trench. A modernistic canopy overhangs the entrance and in the courtyard there's a very striking sculpture that symbolises the ongoing fight for the worldwide observation of human rights. Although this is Switzerland admission is not hugely expensive but there are various ways of saving money. We were staying in a hostel and were able to get a small discount simply by showing our door swipes; this also entitled us to free of hire of audio guides. If you are put off by the expense I would say three things. The first is to take a look at what you might expect to pay at other visitor attractions in the city and you'll see that this isn't expensive in comparison, and second, this is a large and wide-ranging exhibition and as such you do get excellent value for money. (Compare this with what you'd pay to look at a load of waxworks in Madame Tussauds's in London!) This is a large exhibition but it is all on one floor and there are frequently places to sit if you need to rest your legs. The exhibition is presented as a combination of texts, photographs and film footage; the audio guide does echo some of the texts which is good because the lighting is rather dim throughout most of the exhibition space which made it difficult to read in some areas. The story of the Red Cross is told chronologically starting with the Battle of Solferino in 1859; it was here that Henry Dunant - not actively involved but merely passing nearby at the time - was inspired to find a way to support those affected by war. In the early days this was in the form of medical aid to those injured on the battlefield but gradually the scope became wider to include help for those left homeless or displaced by war and support for prisoners of war. It wasn't until much later that the organisation became involved in disaster relief, the work we probably first bring to mind when we think about the work of the International Red Cross (and, of course, the Red Crescent, as the organisation is known in Islamic countries; for sake of ease I refer to it only as the Red Cross in this review), and later still efforts to clear landmines in post-war situations. The exhibition begins with a display that looks at a few philosophical ideas of compassion and peace before moving on to a clever presentation telling the story of how Dunant's ideas developed. This was in the form of a movie that was made up of drawings against a soundtrack of artillery, battle cries and the cries of help of the wounded. There's no narration and no subtitles, and such absence makes this presentation rather impressive in the way it manages to convey the story. At Solferino Dunant observed how many casualties were left to die on the battlefield because there was no way of getting them out of there to safety; many of them could have been saved had they been taken to somewhere they could have been treated. Dunant returned to Geneva from where he started to campaign internationally for certain conditions to be observed in the arena of battle: this led to the establishment of the Geneva Convention, and, later, to the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross. One of the areas of the museum comprises a cluster of wooden chests of drawers like those in old fashioned libraries; the cards in these drawers, however, are a catalogue of soldiers taken prisoner during the First World War. There are seven million records in this archive alone. Seeing all the cards together in one place, rather than just a sample, really emphasised the hugeness of the task. Where there are texts they are presented in several languages including English but the most important element of the exhibition is the collection of photographic images that prove that a single image can speak a thousand words. These images come from all over the world - starving children in Ethiopia, children fleeing from burning villages in Vietnam, child soldiers in Rwanda, soldiers being dragged from the trenches in the First World War. A 'Wall of Time' takes you through all the conflicts that have taken place around the world since the Red Cross was founded. It is incredible to see the proliferation of wars in the second half of the twentieth century. Another installation that will stay with me was a recreated cell, measuring just three by two metres, in which an International Red Cross worker had come across 17 prisoners. To illustrate what that must have been like, there are 17 sets of adult footprints painted on the floor. This and other installations remind us that the violation of human rights is not uncommon and goes on still around the world. It is hard not to be affected by this exhibition; it is presented in a non-judgmental way but the message is loud and clear. Above the admission desk there is a quote from Dostoyevsky: "Everyone is responsible to everyone else for everything", words which instantly stuck in my mind. Visiting the Red Cross Museum in Geneva is a sobering experience; at times it's uncomfortable and challenging but entirely worthwhile and something I'd recommend to any adult visitors to the city. It's not really a family attraction and I wouldn't recommend it to visitors coming with young children, but young teens upwards will be able to take something positive from the experience. The museum is currently closed for renovations and will re-open in 2013, giving you just enough time to save for a trip. At the time we visited admission for adults was 10 Swiss Francs. I dont know whether this will increase following the refurbishments. It is interesting to note that no money raised for the work of the Red Cross was used to create this museum. Read the complete review |
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Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
by joey92 As a huge fan of Van Gogh's work and having read the Van Gogh letters before I went to Amsterdam, I was particularly excited to go and see a lot of his work in one place. This experience didn't disappoint, this was one of the best galleries I have visited along with the Tate Gallery in London and the National Portrait ... Gallery. If you are not an art gallery fan or a museum fan and don't have the patience to appreciate pieces of art, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this as your first stop in Amsterdam, but I would still recommend you give it a try with an open mind. It cost me approximately 14 euros to get in, with concessionary prices available to the underage - I tried my luck but unfortunately didn't pass as under 18 ;) However, it was definitely worth it, I spent around two and a half hours wandering round and could have spent longer though I had left my other half wandering the streets by himself as he had previously visited Amsterdam! If you're into that kind of thing, they offer those guided tour walkie talkie things but I prefer to go round at my own pace and look at whatever takes my fancy. These come in all different languages as it is an international destination. When you enter, they take your bag and give you a ticket to collect it afterwards - this is to prevent thefts I suppose! It also leaves your hands free which is good as it can get tiring lugging loads of stuff round. The gallery is centrally located, convenient to various cafes, many hotels and a park. There are many famous works there for those who are familiar with Van Gogh's work; including various renditions of the sunflowers, Starry Night and the potato eaters. There are many pencil drawings, as Van Gogh first drew for many years before turning to painting, so this was a defining era in his career as an artist. He led a tragic life, committing himself to a mental asylum in his early thirties and completing all his paintings in a relatively short space of time. The gallery also completes these rooms of art with excerpts from his life story including quotes from his letters to Theo, his brother, providing an informative experience for those who knew nothing about the artist prior to visiting, and complementing the visual element of seeing the paintings for real of Van Gogh gurus. The gallery has a gift shop, quite a pricey one at that and ample toilet facilities. I would definitely go back next time I happen to be in Amsterdam as it was an enriching and worthwhile experience. Read the complete review |
Museum International |
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10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20560. Regular museum hours are 10 am to 5:30 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day. |
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1 review Museum International / |
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1 review Museum International / 4th and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20565 |
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Museum International / Pinball museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. |
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Museum International / City art gallery with permanent and temporary exhibitions in Maribor, Slovenia. |
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Museum International / Museum in Maribor, Slovenia. |
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1 review Museum International / A poignant museum housed in a former enamel factory,made famous in the film "Schindler`s List", telling the story of Krakow between 1939-1945. |
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Address: Sir Cowasji Jahangir Public Hall / Museum International / M G Road / Fort / Mumbai 400032 / India |
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Address: 159 / Museum International /61 Mahatma Gandhi Road / Fort / Mumbai 400 023 / India |
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1 review Museum International / A museum and memorial to those who were slaughtered at Wounded Knee located in Wall, South Dakota, USA. |
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| Museum International recommendations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... back next | ||
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