Museums




The Louvre (shown above)

The Louvre in Paris is one of the world's most instantly identifiable art museums. There is hardly anyone in the art world who would dispute it's position as the world's premier repository of fine art. The museum began it's life as a private collection, viewed only by premiers, select aristocrats and heads of state. The french revolution saw the collection at the Louvre being opened up to the public. Luis XVI finally implemented the idea of a public museum funded and managed by the state. Today, the museum is home to many of the world's greatest art treasures, including ' The Venus De MIlo' and the ' Mona Lisa'. The Louvre undertook major restoration work in 1981, including the building of a new display wing and plans to undertake further restoration efforts in the future.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Metropolitan Musuem of Art , or the Met as it is popularly known, is the United States' premier art museum. The collection was begun in 1870 and now encompasses over 2 million art pieces. The museum hosts many different types of art from diverse periods in human history. MoMa has one of the largest collections of ancient art, encompassing over 3,500 major pieces from different geographical locations. It has a huge collection of more recent art, including thirty seven paintings by Monet, and twenty-one of Cezanne's works. It is also home to one of Edouard Manet's most famous works, ' Boating'. The museum is extremely accessible to the public and offers tours for everyone, from those just cultivating their interest to those who are connoisseurs of the field.


The British National Gallery, London

The British National Gallery is the United Kingdom's premier art institution. It is a nationally funded organization engaged in the proliferation of interest in fine arts throughout the United Kingdom. The Gallery has over 2,300 pictures, a collection which is increasing steadily. One of the most unique features about the gallery is it's touring exhibition -- the gallery's best works are taken out of the display window and are transported to different parts of the U.K. in an effort to cultivate a broader interest of art.

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