This museum is a perfect destination for a group whose members have divergent tastes since there’s a bit of everything – sculptures, paintings, jewelry, photographs, artifacts, manuscripts, etc. The enormous collection is devoted to the applied arts of all disciplines through all periods and corners of the globe. A healthy sampling of every sort of […]
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National Portrait Gallery
View striking portraits of all notable Brits here, from Mary, Queen of Scots to Victoria Beckham. This museum is a fascinating walk through British history, and you’ll certainly pick up many tidbits that were not covered in your history books. Start at the top in The Tudor Gallery and work your way down to the […]
Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library is one of my favorite museums in the city. I’m a sucker for libraries and the original 1906 library, referred to as Mr. Morgan’s Library, is one of the most stunning I’ve seen. It has three-story inlaid walnut bookshelves and an intricately painted ceiling. Contents include rare printed books and bindings, handwritten […]
Ca’Rezzonico, or Museo del Settecento Veneziano
Housed in a former palace, this museum showcases 18th-century arts in intimate salons. It’s a quite different experience than wandering through Gallerie dell’Accademia, that’s for sure. Make sure to look skyward for Tiepolo masterpieces and climb to the very top for Ciardi’s canal view pieces. Dorsoduro 3136, Venice
Scuola Grande dei Carmini
This structure was commissioned by the order of Santa Maria del Carmelo in the late 1600s. At that time, its 75,000-member brotherhood was the largest in Venice. It was also one of the wealthiest, as evidenced by the extravagant stuccoed ceilings, carved ebony paneling and stunning artwork, including nine immense Tiepolo canvases. Campo dei Carmini, […]
The Last Supper, Behind the Scenes?
Paolo Veronese’s Feast in the House of Levi was originally called Last Supper until the Catholic Church condemned the artist for featuring drunkards, dwarves, dogs and Reformation-minded Germans among the apostles. Veronese agreed to change the name, but refused to revise the painting. In defiance against Rome, Venice stood by the painter. See this wall-sized […]
Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale, a stunning Gothic building, is situated on the best real estate in Piazza San Marcos. In addition to being lagoon-front, this grand government building is arranged around a colonnaded courtyard. Inside, amidst the gilt and marble are extravagant staircases and official rooms such as the Collegiate Antechamber, Council Room and the Senate Hall. […]
Imperial Court, Innsbruck, Austria
Really, Imperial Palace 2.0. In 1460, Archduke Siegmund the Rich constructed a grand Gothic-style palace that was subsequently enlarged to an even grander status by Maximilian I. When Empress Maria Theresa came along, though, all she saw was a tear-down. From 1754-73, the palace was rebuilt in Maria Theresa’s preferred Baroque style to include four […]
Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum (Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art), Innsbruck, Austria
For a crash course on Tyrol life, visit the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum. Part of it is like a life-sized dollhouse where visitors can pop into typical sparse but functional farmhouse kitchen/dining/living areas, view an array of furniture and tools and stand next to figures wearing traditional celebratory costumes. There is also an entire gallery of intricate […]
Maison Européenne de la Photographie
Contemporary photography shows well in this early-18th century Marais mansion. If you only have an hour to spare, view Jane Evelyn Atwood’s Photographs 1976-2010, which features powerful series of prostitutes, women in prison and victims of landmines. 5/7 rue de Fourcy, Paris http://www.mep-fr.org/
