MUSEUMS.ANGELABUER.COM

Naples Archeological Museum

Angela Buer — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:20:00 GMT

Within the hustle and bustle of the metropolis of Naples, Italy, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (National Archaeological Museum) is located at the NW corner of the original Greek wall of the city of Neapolis. This museum contains a large collection of Roman artifacts from Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum. The collection includes the best quality of Roman, Greek and Italian Renaissance works, including the famous Farnese Collection. This museum also houses gems collected by Cosimo de' Medici and Lorenzo il Magnifico in the 15th century, as well as the Farnese Marbles.

Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Piazza Museo Nazionale, 19, 80135 - Napoli
Tel. 039.081.292823

Bacchus

Bona Dea

I love this one - it's like a "Dia de los muertos" from Pompeii - awesome mosaic

Doryphoros - the Spearbearer (Roman Copy)

Mosaic Lion

Farnese Bull - this is one of the most amazing works.

Three Graces Mosaic from Pompeii - again, simply amazing detail

And when exiting the Museum, take a walk straight across the busy, noisy street. Through this quiet little oasis, you will find a quaint and peaceful reprieve from the hustle and bustle, car horns, yelling, sirens and traffic. At the other end of this thruway, there is a cute ristorante/cafe that has the most excellent pizza for lunch.

Etruscan Necropolis, Cerveteri (Caere), Italy

Angela Buer — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:35:00 GMT

Cerveteri (Caere), about 48km north of Rome, is one of the greatest of Etruscan cities which date as far back as 9th century BCE.

The town of Cerveteri, otherwise known as Caere, boasts an incredible Necropolis.

The interiors of these tombs resemble rooms in ancient Etruscan homes. The main burial area is the Necropolis of Banditacca where the Tomba Bella (Tomb of the Reliefs) is located.

On the walls of this tomb are relief depictions of household items, pets and anything the dead would need in the next world. Of course there are the 'beds' for the dead, where Etruscans laid their loved ones for all of eternity.

Many of the tombs are open to the public and you are free to walk the necropolis. We visited near dusk and I was able to get some great shots of the turning leaves and diminishing sunlight and shadows between the tombs.

Simply walking through these tumuli gave an 'otherworldly' feeling, and descending and ascending in and out of the tombs was even more of an experience I can compare to no other.

Many of the relics found in Cerveteri can be found in Rome's Etruscan Museum, the Villa Giulia.

Necropolis of Cerveteri (tel. 06-9940001), Open daily from 8:30am to 1 hour before sunset.

Admission is 6€ ($9.60) for adults and 3€ ($4.80) for children under 18 years of age.

Website: http://www.comune.cerveteri.rm.it/engver/index.html

Versailles - Mom and Dad's 2009 Paris Trip

Angela Buer — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:25:00 GMT

Thoughts on Versailles

It was a pleasure to take a day trip to Versailles when we were in Paris this vacation. I had read so much about it and studied it in art history courses. After entering the huge gate, the cobblestone courtyard oozes with history and one wonders how many monarchs, queens and court dandies and ladies in waiting have set foot on it.

Inside the palace, there were many pieces of artwork and busts of French royalty and famous Frenchmen lining the sides of the hallways. We saw the Kings chambers, with Louis XIV’s bed, where he slept and died, watched by many members of court. We also saw the Queens chambers, as well as Marie Antoinette’s rooms.

Viewing the Hall of Mirrors was awesome with all the crystal and gold leaf. The marble floors were beautiful. The opulence of this palace is overwhelming!

The gardens and grounds were our favorite part, though. There is so much to see. We did a huge amount of walking, as we didn’t get there early enough to rent a golf cart, which would have made exploring the grounds more efficient and less exhausting.

We saw the pond where the famous swans of Versailles live, and they are quite the beggars. I rustled some paper, pretending to get some food for them so we could get a good picture up close.

As we were there in March, many of the marble urns were covered, as if they were to fill with water and freeze, they would crack. The trees in the garden were starting to bud, and some of the early spring flowers were also peeking out.

The Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet were also very wonderful. The Grand Trianon was fashioned in Italian Renaissance style with beautiful marble patterns and columns in pale pink, black and white. The Petit Trianon and Marie’s Hamlet were much more country French in appearance. We saw a vast French country kitchen that we wanted to bring home with us.

If we were to ever visit there again, we would skip the palace and go directly to the gardens and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet, and hopefully that would be when everything is in bloom.

Museums, Cathedrals and Other Paris Sites

Angela Buer — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:09:00 GMT

Here is a list of some of the sites and museums I visited in Paris. My mom and dad, who make fairly frequent trips, have a much longer list.

Musée du Louvre
Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 40 20 57 60‎
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en

Musée d’ Orsay
62, rue de Lille
75007 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 40 49 48 14‎
Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
6 Parvis Notre-Dame
Place Jean-Paul II
75004 Paris
+33 (0)1 42 34 56 10
Website: http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/-English-

Sainte-Chapelle
Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France
Website: (travel site) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/paris-sainte-chapelle.htm

Etruscan Necropolis at Crocifisso del Tufo, Orvieto, Italy

Angela Buer — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The Etruscans originated in central Italy around 900 B.C.E. and were absorbed into the Roman Empire in the 80s B.C.E. They developed the earliest complex society in Italy. The Etruscans lived in city-states, as the Greeks, and had a sophisticated agricultural and craft economy. The Etruscan religion was distinctive as well as their social, political structures and language. One of the last remaining Etruscan cities absorbed by the Romans was the settlement at Orvieto, whose citizens were sent to nearby Lake Bolsena.

This necropolis is set in an archaeological park at the base of the large tufa hill, atop which is Orvieto. It consists of a series of small chamber tombs. The arrangement follows a “town” plan and is built from blocks of tufa, which is volcanic rock.

The Tombs are marked with "cippi" atop the tomb mounds.

The entrances of the tombs are inscribed with the name of the deceased on their lintels.

The necropolis takes its name from the 16th-century crucifix which is kept in a little chapel underlying the San Giovenale area.
Only a part of the necropolis was expropriated by the State and open to the public.
The outstanding feature of the necropolis is its layout, following that of the "town plan", as its roads are laid out at right angles and dividing the area into lots.
The tombs are grouped into blocks, and most of them consist of single, rectangular chambers with inscriptions incised into the entrance lintels. These inscriptions name of the owner of the tomb and combines different languages, showing the diversity of Etruscan societies.

University of Kansas, Natural History Museum - Lawrence, KS

Angela Buer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:15:00 GMT

Over the summer of 2008, during a family reunion, I re-visited the KU Natural History Museum in Lawrence, KS.

I say "re-visited" because when my mother, sister and I lived there, my mother worked at this museum, so I spent many days as a child exploring its wonders. My uncle spent over thirty years as head preparator at this unique natural history museum. Many of the same exhibits exist today, however, in the "Panorama of North American plants and animals" (which is the largest diorama of its kind in the world), there used to be buttons that were interactive to produce sounds from each environment. These are now gone, but the incredible diorama exists.

Above the entrance is a mosasaur that hangs above the unique tiles with images of crustaceans and other ancient sea fossils.

Two of my most fondest memories of exhibits are the "bee tree" located on the 6th floor and the fluorescent mineral exhibit.

This museum carries such a family history for me, I had "deja-vu" moments the entire time since I spent so much time there as a child running up and down the marble stairs and exploring the many exhibits There are definitely many more child-friendly collections and interactive exhibits now. There is a cute YouTube video of the museum here: Video

University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center
Dyche Hall • 1345 Jayhawk Blvd. Lawrence, KS 66045-7561
Phone: (785) 864-4540
Website: http://www.nhm.ku.edu/

Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France

Angela Buer — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:36:00 GMT

I flew from Italy to meet my mom and dad for a weekend in Paris when I studied abroad in 2004. This trip was especially dear to me as I attribute much of my passion for art and art history to my mother. It was really amazing to tour these museums (especially the Louvre) with her and my dad and share those experiences. The Musée d'Orsay was another of those museums. The history of this renovated train station, turned movie set, turned art museum for 18-19th century art is definitely a "must-see" when in Paris. I particularly enjoyed the architecture caught on camera as well as the many famous works of art; paintings, sculpture and decorative arts all fantastically lit in this 3-story museum. We visited early in the day, and there is a wonderful little cafe off rue de Lille next to the museum where one could pick up a light breakfast and espresso before heading in.

My favorite part of this museum was the sculpture "garden", if you will, which litters the entire common area of the first floor. The beautiful marbles are entrancing and being able to walk around them provides different, yet magical interpretations to each of us.

Aside from the Degas pieces, I was so thrilled to find both famous and obscure pieces by Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Seurat and so many others.

This Nouveau piece caught my eye.

Address: 62, rue de Lille Paris 75343, France

Tel: 33 01 40 49 48 14

website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html

Capua, Italy - Capua Vettere Amphitheater and Museum

Angela Buer — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:42:00 GMT

I'm skipping to Italy because of the proximity to Thanksgiving and the memorable "American" meal I had while staying in Italy with such a wonderful Italian family and group of students in 2004.
Capua is located on the Volturno river in the Campania region of Southern Italy. It is just outside of Naples and the ancient amphitheater boasts a great little "Museum of Gladiators". The construction of this amphitheater, the Capua Vettere, predates the colosseo in Rome by 100 years, sometime between 30 BCE and 1 CE. This ancient stadium is more enjoyable than Rome's for two reasons, first, it is not packed with tourists and two, you can tour the subterranean levels. I found this aspect extremely enjoyable and a bit eerie. I could have sworn a couple of Roman gladiator ghosts brushed past me as my skin erupted in goosebumps.

Here are some pictures of the subterranean level.

In Capua, you can find this gem on Corso Umberto I, near dell'Arco of Adriano. Information call: tel. 0823.844206

If you want to visit this site, make sure to call ahead to ensure entrance. You will find many out-of-the-way sites like this are only opened if they are expecting visitors, but it is well-worth the excursion.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York

Angela Buer — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:37:00 GMT

One of my all-time favorite museums I wanted to see during my visit to New York was the Guggenheim. Completed in 1959, the building was commissioned from Frank Lloyd Wright. Both Guggenheim and Wright never saw the final product, but it was a pleasure to tour this wonderful museum.
I particularly enjoy modern art, and during my visit, caught the Louise Bourgeois exhibition (now closed). I was also advised by a friend to begin the tour at the top and work your way down, so I took the elevator up and meandered through the various galleries on each floor, while enjoying Louise Bourgeois' work in the main winding corridors. Photography is only allowed in the lower-level lobby, but you can check out some great views at their website here. http://www.guggenheim.org

Collections include 20th Century artists such as: Robert Delaunay, Albert Gleizes, Max Ernst, Kirchner, Kupka, Léger, Franz Marc, Joan Miró, Moholy-Nagy, Picasso, Cézanne, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Camille Pissarro and more. I really enjoyed the Kandinsky gallery which features works from the artist's earlier period.

The entire tour of the Guggenheim, NY took approximately 2 hours, well-worth a morning visit before lunch in Central Park.

New York Museums

Angela Buer — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:51:00 GMT

I had the privilege of visiting New York for the first time and, being a museum lover, made a goal of seeing the three major museums of art.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10028
Phone: (212) 535-7710
Website: www.metmuseum.org

Solomon R Guggenheim Museum
1071 5th Ave., New York, NY 10128
Phone: (212) 423-3500
Website: www.guggenheim.org

Museum of Modern Art
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019-5497
between Fifth and Sixth avenues
Phone: (212) 708-9400
Website: www.moma.org

I must say, all three of these museums were incredible.
For a day trip, I suggest the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I toured it in 5 hours and was able to explore each and every room (many on accident because I got lost quite a few times). I did this visit without a break and I must admit, I was extremely exhausted after. I also visited first thing in the morning when it wasn't so crowded. By the time I left, the museum was extremely busy. So, for most, a day trip for this museum is reccommended.

The Guggenheim and the MOMA museums, respectfully, could be a single day trip for both.

Getty Villa Continued

Angela Buer — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:59:00 GMT

Some additional views of the Getty Villa and more recent shots of the gardens and reflecting pools. The foliage and vines have really bloomed and lend to the vibrancy of this wonderful museum in Malibu.

Amazing the growth over a period of a year. If you do get a chance to visit the Getty Villa you definitely should.

The Getty Villa, Malibu, California

Angela Buer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:35:00 GMT

I have visited this museum many times over the years. I could practically conduct tours. I love this museum because it reminds me of the time I spent in Italy touring the sites in Pompeii, Rome, Florence, Umbria and many others.
The photo at the top of the blog is from the Getty Villa. The photos below are a veritable time line as I visited this museum 5 times over a period of 4 months one spring.

Here the vineyard is not even close to filling in. The herb gardens are sparse as well.

These are a few interesting shots I took the first spring after it re-opened. You can tell by the sparse foliage and vines in the gardens. I found that visiting the Getty Villa earlier in the morning until around noon is the optimum time to capture some great lighting for photos and it is still a rather comfortable temperature to peruse the gardens and peristyle of the site.

Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, California 90272
Phone: (310) 440-7300
www.getty.edu/

Amphitheater entrance

Now the vineyard is filling in, as well as the garden surrounding it.

The gardens are starting to bloom, they are meticulously manicured, just as an ancient Roman villa's would be.

The Getty Villa reminds me of many Pompeiian villas and palaestras. A few of those shots from Pompeii taken both in 2001 and 2004, below.

My Museum Blog

Angela Buer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:30:00 GMT

When did I become a museum lover? At a very young age, my grandfather had many of his paleontology finds in museums throughout western Kansas as well as the Field Museum in Chicago. He now has an entire room dedicated to his fossils at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. My mother also worked at a natural history museum when I was a young child, my uncles painted murals in many of these also - I love museums, and have visited many in my life…so far. I definitely have many to re-visit and discover.
I particularly love art and natural history museums. As a student, I studied art history, fine art and art education.
Most of the museums on this blog are definitely “akin” to the inspirations of my upbringing. Memories of my favorite museums and contact and map information will be forthcoming. Please share your experiences of these and other recommended museums and historical sites throughout the US and Europe.

Los Angeles Museums

Angela Buer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Here is a short list with links to some museums I have visited in the Los Angeles, CA area.

Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, California 90272
Phone: (310) 440-7300
Website: www.getty.edu/

Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, California 90049
Phone: (310) 440-7300
Website: www.getty.edu

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (323) 857-6000
Website: www.lacma.org

LA County Museum of Natural History
900 Exposition Blvd. (Between Vermont and Figueroa. Click here for directions.)
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (213) 763-DINO
Website: www.nhm.org

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
250 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 626-6222
Website: www.moca.org

Welcome

Angela Buer — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:18:40 GMT

Welcome to my blog. I wanted to begin with some listings of my favorite art museums. This list is by no means complete and I will continually update with any information I have. If you have any suggestions or additions, I would love to hear them.