The facade of the V&A (via)

The beautiful glass sculpture in the lobby

A grand piano in the paintings hall

A great example of Chinese sculpture

Walking in, we only knew that the museum’s displays are focused on art and design. But this only begins to describe the treasures it holds, and from the moment we entered the beautiful Victorian building to the moment we left, we were surprised and impressed with what uncovered around every corner.

A screen from a home in the ancient Middle East

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Victoria and Albert Museum lies in it’s laid out. Pieces are grouped into categories (Fashion, Art, Metalwork, Sculpture, Architecture, Painting…) and then displayed by period, which allows visitors the unique opportunity to compare similar trends within an era of time. This provided a stark contrast to the many museums we visited prior that display their items by civilization or origin (Egyptian, Roman, Middle Eastern…). This layout also allowed us to compare and contrast many of the different trends in far reaching areas of the world at a single time in history. As a result, delicate hand-sewn shoes worn in Europe reside next to two-toed socks worn with sandals in Asia dating to the same time period, while a nearby case holds an arrangement of glistening jewels showcasing some of Marie Antoinette’s incredible rings and pendants, as well as those worn by her counterparts during the same period in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Medieval wooden sculpture

Beautiful stained glass

The Victoria and Albert Museum houses a permanent display of over 4.5 million pieces and is sure to offer something for everyone in your party. While we thoroughly enjoyed many of the displays, Calli was particularly fond of the costume collection featuring designer outfits and accessories from the 1600s to present day. It was amazing to see the many layers of undergarments and petticoats that went into the outfits of the 17th century and see how drastically the styles changed as we circled the room. To demonstrate the fashion trends, the displays incorporate many runway pieces from famous design houses including Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, and Valentino.

1960s style

Sex Pistols-inspired punk style

Some articles from Christian Dior

Another section of the museum we found fascinating was the architecture displays. Containing building elements such as the two top stories of the facade of the Sir Paul Pindar house, a survivor of the Great Fire of London that dates to the 1600s, and an almost intact Renaissance chapel from Santa Chiara, Florence, it’s impossible to not be impressed.

The top two stories of the Paul Pindar House (via)

For those that love art, a wonderful collection of paintings from the  likes of Constable, Turner, and even Raphael await. Like sculpture instead – you’re in luck as works from Bernini, Canova, Rodin, and many others await. And best of all, you can enjoy them in relative peace (when compared to the National Gallery or TATE) as the V&A is much less busy than many of London’s other museums.

Whatever you like in museums, you are sure to find something that you like in the Victoria and Albert Museum – and probably something you didn’t even know you like as well.

As with the majority of the free museums in London, you do have to pay for some of the temporary exhibits if you want to see them. To check out what’s on when you are there, you can visit their website here.

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We couldn’t leave Paris without a visit to its (and probably the world’s) most famous museum, the Louvre. After postponing our visit until Friday night, when entrance is free to those under 26, we entered the iconic glass pyramid and descended into the museum’s entrance hall.

The famous glass pyramid and Tuileries Garden

The Louvre…well, half of it anyways.

One of the more spectacular buildings we’ve laid eyes on this trip, which is really saying something, the Louvre is both elegant and a bit intimidating. With over sixty thousand square feet to explore, and thirty five thousand items on display, it’s nearly impossible to see everything in just one visit; however, we were determined to give it a shot for as long as our feet could handle.

The glorious, golden Apollo Gallery

Upon entering the impressive lobby under the great glass pyramid, we were surprised to find no lines…seriously, none at all – and after waiting for hours at the Vatican, Uffizi, Prado, and others this was simply amazing.. After taking a minute to warm up (it was freezing outside) we simply walked to one of the collection entrances and presented our passports for our free entry. With map in hand we decided on a rudimentary plan of action and set off.

Looking out through the glass pyramid

 

The amazing salon of French sculptures

 

In addition to the museum’s stunning architecture and displays, we really loved the way our visit to the Louvre brought together many of the parts of our trip. We were able to see Islamic carvings from Cordoba and Granada, pieces of the Parthenon marbles from the Acropolis in Athens, “halves” and “pieces” of sculptures that we’d seen “the rest of” somewhere else, and many others. This, and the British Museum (stay tuned), has really allowed us to put the historical part of our trip into perspective.

The Codex of Hammurabi (via)

 

Perhaps the Louvre’s most famous resident, the Mona Lisa receives the majority of the acclaim. However, despite the fact that a good number of visitors skip the rest of the museum and only see it, it is a fairly underwhelming piece of art, especially compared to Leonardo Da Vinci’s many other paintings and sketches. Nonetheless, this doesn’t stop the crowds from forming, and it is one of the few places in the museum where you notice the crowds (amazing considering 15,000 people visit every day).

The Mona Lisa  by da Vinci (via)

We ended up using almost every minute of our time at the museum and were able to see a good amount of the things we wanted. Here are some more of our highlights:

Psyche revived by the kiss of Cupid (via)

Winged victory of Samothrace

Assyrian relief sculpture (via)

The Seated Scribe, over 4000 years old (via)

 

If you are planning on visiting the Louvre, there are many excellent articles out there to make your visit a more efficient and rewarding one. We would suggest at least looking at the map online if you are going to be pressed for time. You can visit the website of the Louvre here, and if you are interested in seeing some of the best and most interesting objects, the collection catalogue can be found here. There is free entry for everyone on the first Sunday of the month, and for under-26’s on Friday evenings from 6:00-9:45.

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The second museum on our docket in Paris was the Musee de l’Orangerie. Located in the corner of the beautiful Tuileries Garden beside the giant Ferris wheel, it is another of Paris’ fantastic museums focusing on impressionist and post-impressionist painting.

The Tuileries Garden – a lovely place for relaxation

The Ferris Wheel and pond at the end of the Tuileries Garden

Once inside, the hustle and bustle of the busy Place de la Concorde is quickly forgotten as you are transported to a world of calm and reflection. Natural light filters down through the ceiling and the recently renovated pale stone interior create the perfect habitat for a couple of hours of art enjoyment.

The museum itself has two main sections, the bottom floor containing the collection of Paul Gillaume, and the upper floor containing Monet’s eight Water Lily murals in two oval rooms.

The collection of Paul Gillaume, a mechanic turned art dealer turned art collector, is comprised of the works of many of the masters of the past 2 centuries, including Matisse, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, and many others. Like any of the museums we’ve been to, there were some we loved and some we didn’t love (and even some we REALLY didn’t love).

Paul Gillaume as painted by Amedeo Modigliani (via)

Claude Monet – l’Argenteuil (via)

Paul Gauguin – Paysage (via)

Andre Derain – Arlequin et Pierrot (via)

Although this collection is fantastic on its own, the real reason that people make a stop here is the two rooms of Monet murals. Displayed in two ovular rooms designed by Monet himself, the canvases follow the curvature of the room and depict the water lilies in the gardens surrounding his home at different times and in different lights. He wanted a place for people to come following the end of WWI to be at peace, and this is definitely achieved through the diffused light and sparse decoration of the two rooms.

One of the rooms containing Monet’s Water Lilies (via)

 

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Of all of Paris’ wonderful museums, perhaps the one most in line with our artistic preferences was the Musee d’Orsay. Featuring the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the world, we knew that we would be spending more than a couple of hours there.

You can see the old station

Great view from the 5th floor

Although it had a lot to live up to, as we’d just enjoyed an early morning stroll around the Eiffel Tower, it didn’t disappoint and impressed us right from the start. Housed in a former “Beaux-artes” train station that narrowly avoided demolition, the building is as spectacular as the art (a common thread in the best museums we’ve been to). The first sight we were treated to was the amazing open-air central “courtyard” filled with great examples of French sculpture including the likes of Rodin and Carpeaux.

Vincent Van Gogh – Starry Night over the Rhone (via)

Vincent Van Gogh – The Church at Auvers (via)

After wandering through the sculpture gallery, we began exploring the seemingly endless rooms of paintings. The likes of Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and many other masters of 19th and early 20th centuries are very well represented here. The bottom two floors explore various styles (symbolism, naturalism, etc.), some early work by the impressionist masters, and some of the foreign painters (Van Gogh, etc.); However, the piece de resistance is the top floor, reserved for the true masterpieces of French impressionism. Room after room of world-famous paintings await in the Gallerie des Impressionnistes. Here are a few of our favorites.

Claude Monet – Le Givre (via)

Paul Signac – Entree du Port de Marseille (via)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir – Le Moulin de Galette (via)

Leon Belly – Pilgrims Going to Mecca (via)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir – The Mosque (via)

Claude Monet – Woman with a Parasol (via)

Claude Monet – Cathedrale de Rouen Harmonie Blanche (via)

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As one of Berlin’s most recognizable buildings, the German Reichstag (or parliament) is a popular stop on many a Berlin itinerary. However, despite its popularity, many people opt to take in only the building’s exterior without venturing inside – a fact made even more surprising considering tours are free.

The newly remodeled facade of the Reichstag

The parliament was in session during our time in Berlin, and therefore our tour was scheduled for the evening after the politicians had taken off for the night. After a quick security screening (like the airport but much more efficient), we joined the tour group and our guide.

The “fat chicken” in the plenary chamber

Lots of art brightens up the building

Just picture Travis smiling and being forced to make an impromptu speech (via)

The tunnel possibly used by the arsonist to burn the building down

The building in 195 after the end of the war

The architecture of the building itself is stunning. The redesign by Norman Foster, built within the shell of the previous building, is a brilliant combination of old and new. Many original walls, including one with graffiti left by Russian soldiers, are intermixed with modern and functional new aspects of the building.

The famous graffiti left by Russian soldiers

 

A wall of metal boxes for each of the members of government murdered since the start of the war

The beautiful glass dome

Looking down into the plenary chamber

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As Calli was heading off for the day to explore a scary, abandoned TB clinic with a group of crazy German photographers, I thought that I would make the most of my free time and visit some of Berlin’s world-renowned museums. For just 14 Euro (including free audio/visual guide), I picked up a pass for all the museums on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and after a quick bagel I was on my way.

A chilly Berlin morning – perfect for exploring some museums

Museum Island is a small island (who would’ve guessed) in the middle of the Spree. It houses 5 of Berlin’s most important museums, as well as the Berliner Dom, the Lustgarten, and a number of other important buildings and attractions.

The Berliner Dom

 

My first stop also happened to be the one I was most excited about – the Pergamon Museum. Named for the Pergamon Altar that is housed within, the museum contains a number of fantastic treasures mainly from the Middle and Near East. In addition to the overwhelmingly large Pergamon Altar, the museum also houses the Market gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, a reconstructed neo-Assyrian Palace, and a merchant’s house from Aleppo.

The Pergamon Altar (via)

The Market Gate of Miletus (via)

Glazed terracotta tile details on the Ishtar Gate of Babylon

Ornamentation found at the Market Gate of Miletus

My second stop was the Alte Nationalgalerie (the Old National Gallery), which contains an excellent collection of Neoclassical, Romantic, and Impressionist Art. Although heavily damaged during Allied air raids, the building has since been beautifully restored. The main focus is on German painters like Adolph Menzel and Caspar David Friedrich, but a number of works by European masters like John Constable and Auguste Renoir are also part of the collection. In addition to the paintings, a number of amazing sculptures adorn the halls. Although not as extensive or amazing as the Prado or Uffizi, it is a great collection and very nicely displayed.

The reconstructed facade of the Alte Nationalgalerie

The Abbey in the Oakwood – Caspar David Friedrich (via)

Prinzessinnengruppe – Johann Gottfried Schadow

 

My third stop of the day was set in stone from the beginning. The Neues (New) Museum is the only one that requires a reservation, which I made when I bought my ticket in the morning. Just after noon I made my way into the museum, which houses an extensive collection of Egyptian and prehistoric treasures, including the famed Bust of Nefertiti. Although heavily bombed during WWII, the museum has been masterfully restored by David Chipperfield, and still retains the “entering into an Egyptian Temple” feel that was intended for it.

A painting of the initial Egyptian Temple exhibit (via)

Stone tablets from Ancient Egypt

Praying statue of King Amenemhet II (circa 1800BC)

The famed Bust of Nefertiti (via)

 

Fourth on the docket for the day was the Bode Museum, and its collection of Byzantine art, sculpture, coins, and medals. The building itself survived fairly intact, a rarity in the area. While not as visited as the others, it deserves a look for its great collection of sculptures and art from Byzantium and Ravenna, as well as the controversial bust of Flora (originally, and perhaps mistakenly, attributed to da Vinci).

The facade of the Bode Museum (via)

Main atrium at the entrance to the Bode Museum (via)

 

Although I was tired and my feet were screaming at me to stop, I figured I might as well finish up with the final of the 5 museums – the Altes Museum. Probably the most architecturally amazing building, the exterior is modeled after the Stoa of Attalos in Athens (which we visited) and the interior contains an exact replica of the hemispheric dome of the Pantheon in Rome. It holds an extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities.

The exterior facade of the Altes Museum

The rotunda gallery with Greek sculptures (via)

Even today, the collections of the museums are being reorganized, and even added to as once-lost bunkers full of amazing treasures are being rediscovered.The museums are all worth a visit (although maybe all 5 in one day is a bit too much), and cover topics that would appeal to everyone.

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After stumbling onto the Museum of Art Fakes (Falscher Museum in Austrian) online, we immediately decided to check it out. Being big fans of the USA Network show White Collar, this museum seemed right up our alley. Also I was wildly hoping that Matt Bomer would be there in the name of research and we would meet and fall madly in love and live happily ever after*.

Matt “the dreamboat Neal Caffrey” Bomer – as he’s known around our house (via)

Small space, big art (fakes)

Turns out we were right about the museum being extremely cool, and ended up spending about an hour staring at the forged paintings and delving into the fascinating history of the forgers themselves. In addition to the precise way in which these forgeries were created – from the aged paper used to specific hardening processes, brush strokes, and in one case egg yolk washes – we found the history of the forgers very interesting. The museum provides a booklet (in multiple languages) that describes the lives of about a dozen forgers, many of whom attempted to make a legitimate career in the field of art but, after failing to find a market for their original works, turned to the lucrative world of forgery.

Turner forgery (right)

Rembrandt copy (left) next to a photo of the original

We were also surprised to learn that many forgeries are not of a specific known masterpiece, as the appearance of these well known pieces at auction would be cause for inquisition. Instead, many forgers paint in a specific artist’s style, and create paintings with the intent of passing as an original that was lost or previously unknown to the art world. Apparently this approach has worked quite well, as many of the master painters (Van Gogh, da Vinci, Picasso etc…) created hundreds or thousands of unclassified works. As well, many pieces of art have been considered lost overtime, especially during periods of war, with their existence becoming a mere myth. These forgers were so good they even fooled “experts” who verified the paintings as authentic works, giving the green light for their sale for millions of dollars.

Signed Monet forgery

 Although the forgers features at the museum have been caught (and have served time or since passed away), many museums and collectors refused to cooperate with police investigations by turning over their paintings for fear they would be found to be fakes. As a result, many of the forgers were actually prosecuted due to their own arrogance and some even provided proof against themselves to ensure they received recognition for the works. Furthermore, there are potentially hundreds of fake and forged paintings being passed off as real works in museums and personal collections around the world.

The Art Fakes Museum is quite small – only one large room and a small shop – however it currently has about two dozen forged paintings on display as well as a small shop where you can order professional copies of masterpieces. Located across the street from Hundertwasserhaus, the museum is easy to find and definitely worth a visit.

*A few problems with this scenario – if you haven’t already figured it out, I love Travis, and Matt Bomer is committed with three kids. But it won’t stop me from dreaming!

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360 degree mirror da Vinci used for working on perspective

The organ in the church

A column lifter – simple but brilliant

One of the many designs for a flying machine

One of the first designs for ball bearings

A flying machine and a bicycle

An incredibly accurate map of Imola, Italy (via)

A self-portrait of the man himself (via)

The Vitruvian Man (via)

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Our favorite off-the-beaten-path attractions in Rome

Centrale Montemartini

Part of the Capitoline Museums, this exhibition is housed in a former thermoelectric plant (Rome’s first electrical plant), creating a spectacular juxtaposition of industrial architecture and classical sculpture. Although originally intended to act as a temporary home to hundreds of Roman sculptures, it now hosts a permanent exhibition as well as regularly rotating exhibitions and events. While museums aren’t usually my first choice to fill a day, this one is spectacular and so empty you’ll likely have the place to yourself. Better still, the entire museum can easily be covered in an hour or two and the setup provides for some wonderful photo opportunities.

Pale sculpture placed in front of the building’s industrial infrastructure

A large turbine in the museum

The building is visually stunning on its own

A fractured sculpture is now housed before a large piece of black and copper machinery

Logistics: Admission to the Montemartini Museum is 6.50 Euro/person (combination tickets available with other Capitoline Museums). To get here take the metro to Piramide or Garbatella station, the museum is just a short walk away (address on the museum website)

San Clemente Basilica

On its own the Basilica of San Clemente, dating back to the 11th century, would be a worthy stop, with it’s byzantine mosaics, gilded alter, and intricately tiled floor. However, like everything in Rome it’s built on top of something else; San Clemente not only houses a 4th century basilica underneath its foundation but also a house and temple from the 1st century further down and remains below that dating back to the 2nd century BC. Excavations of the basilica, house (with flowing spring water), and temple are largely complete and open to visitors. Just blocks from the Colosseum, it’s incredible this site isn’t overrun with tourists.

Beautiful mosaic work in the current Basilica

Original frescoes in the 4th century Basilica

The 4th Century Basilica excavation

Logistics: Admission to St. Clement Basilica is 5 Euro/person. Located just off of Piazza San Clemente, 5 minute walk from the Colosseum. For more information visit the basilica’s website.

The Capuchin Crypts

Gaining in popularity after appearing in Rick Steeve’s 2012 guide to Rome, the entrance fee appears to have increased, however at 6 Euros/person it’s still a great deal and includes access to a fully refurbished museum on the history of the Capuchin Monks. As for the crypts, they are by far the most bizarre thing we’ve ever seen. Comprised of six small rooms located underneath the church, the crypt contains the remains of four thousand bodies – believed to be Capuchin Monks – arranged in intricate patterns along the walls, ceiling, and floor. Completely creepy, the history of the crypts is also extremely interesting and the location, in the heart of Via Veneto and La Dolce Vita, can’t be beat.

The number of skulls and bones is off putting

I tried not to breathe the air, doing so just felt wrong

In some areas the bones are simply stacked as though there were nowhere else to put them

Logistics: Admission to the Cripta Capuccini is 6 Euro/person. Barberini is the closest metro stop, however easily accessible by foot as well and the area is well suited to a nice stroll. The church has a website but it appears to be offered in only Italian.

Now you know how we escaped the tourist trail for a few hours in Rome and hopefully have a new site (or three) to check out on your next visit. One of the wonderful things about a city like Rome, with so much history and culture, is that hidden attractions like these are everywhere, waiting to be discovered, and with a little research travelers can find their own way to get off the beaten path.

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Greek antiquities and sculpture in the Vatican Museum

Gorgeous paintings and detail

Domed ceiling in the museum

Mosaics cover the floors in the museum

Ancient Egyptian sculpture

Roman bronze statue

Fresco in the one of the Raphael Rooms

Bernini’s masterpiece – St. Peter’s Square

Nuns at the Papal Address

The rosary for Nonna at the Papal Address

The Papal Address

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