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Your opinion- Europe's greatest art museums

Your opinion- Europe's greatest art museums

Old Mar 20th, 2000, 08:33 AM
  #21  
Joe
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Great list! I'll add one new name (unless I've overlooked it here) -- the National Gallery in London -- and one update. Berlin's Picture Gallery, which Al mentioned, has moved from its former location in Dahlem to a new building in central Berlin.
 
Old Mar 20th, 2000, 08:53 AM
  #22  
lola
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Al, I too was underwhelmed with the art at the Louisiana museum outside of Copenhagen, but I think its rep is based on the beauty of the modern architicture, the gorgeous setting on the water, and the surprise of finding it. In the Scandinavian countries--esp. Oslo and Stockholm-- I think that the city halls are like great musueums of modern art and architecture, and should not be missed. Outstanding!
 
Old May 28th, 2000, 07:47 AM
  #23  
Maira
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to the top. Any takers?
 
Old May 28th, 2000, 08:54 AM
  #24  
Al
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For something unique: Frogner Park in Oslo with its hundreds of statues created by one man, Peter Viggeland.
 
Old May 28th, 2000, 11:42 AM
  #25  
kk
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Besides the huge art museums already noted (and I too want to put my oar in the water for the Hermitage in St. Petersburg), one needs also to seek out the small precious gems of art museums. I am thinking here of the personal art collections like the Frick in New York City and the Wallace Collection in London. You can go in each of those and not get instanteously overwhelmed. They are small and intimate and ideal for viewing their respective collections.
The Wallace is strong in French paintings from right before the Revolution. It also has an exceptional collection of armor if you are into that kind of thing. Some people have noted that a few large musuems aren't comfortable, but these two small yet important ones are.
 
Old May 28th, 2000, 11:57 AM
  #26  
s.fowler
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I second the Wallace Collection. Try to be there at 11am or noon when the working antique clocks chime They also have a good collection of Sevres porcelain.

My list? Repeats for sure
National Gallery - London [check out the new Sainsbury wing]
Musee d'Orsay - Paris
Rijksmuseum - Amsterdam - [it's the Vermeers....]
Kunsthistoriches Museum - Vienna [the Breughels...][sp.?]
Hermitage - St. Petersburg
Uffizi - Florence

And many thanks to those who mentioned the Art Insitute of Chicago! I know how fortunate I am to have it within an easy reach... I just wish it were in Europe. then I'd be there already


 
Old Jun 9th, 2000, 03:45 AM
  #27  
to-the
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topppie, top.
 
Old Jun 9th, 2000, 05:24 AM
  #28  
gina
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The new Tate(opened in mid May) on the south bank in London is awesome-very hip. And it's open until 10pm on Fridays.
 
Old Jun 9th, 2000, 05:45 AM
  #29  
elvira
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The Louvre for sheer number of pieces and diversity.

The Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres for total wackiness.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London for cool girl stuff.
 
Old Jul 8th, 2000, 05:55 PM
  #30  
tina
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oh don't forget the small museums - the picasso museum. the rodin museum and marmottan (monet and other impressionists) all in paris.
 
Old Jul 8th, 2000, 07:34 PM
  #31  
Al Godon
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Before you can tell me that one museum is greater than another, I will have to ask you to set up some kind of scale of measurement. Otherwise, it just opinion. So we get a list of opinions.
Most of the museums listed are general purpose type of exhibitions. No one listed a specialty museum, except for that modern art thing Mr. Al brought up.
So I nominate the Musee Marmottan in Paris because it has an extensive collection of Monet's paintings.
Some of you may say NOOO! It has nothing much but French stuff. So, that is what makes it great!!
 
Old Jul 8th, 2000, 09:07 PM
  #32  
Diane
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My favorites from my first trip to Europe (in the 1960s!) were the Prado and the Rijksmuseum, though, coming from the D.C. area where I can go to the National Gallery of Art FREE, I was somewhat put off by having to PAY (!) for museums and art galleries. Of all the galleries I have ever seen, I think none has a more beautiful entryway than the National Gallery, with its lovely fountain with its bronze statue of Mercury.

A month ago I saw two wonderful art galleries for the first time: the National Gallery in London and the Musee D'Orsay in Paris. I hope to get myself to the Hermitage someday, and I also think I should try to see more of the galleries in the U.S.
 
Old Jul 10th, 2000, 05:32 AM
  #33  
SST
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Prado, Van Gogh, Picasso (Barcelona), National Gallery (London), British Museum, Musee D'Orsay and Uffizi. We are talking about European museums and Gallaries, are we not?
 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 01:20 AM
  #34  
Paige
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-Uffizi in Florence
-Orsay in Paris I've been several times and still love it.
-Kunsthistorisches in Vienna (besides the art, I just love the building!)
 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 01:58 AM
  #35  
harzer
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I haven't been to Paris for thirty years, but a favourite of mine was always the collection of Impressionists at the Jeu de Paume museum. I guess this has now been incorporated into one of the Paris museums being recommended.

Another favourite was in Berlin across the road from the Charlottenburg Palace, containing amongst other things a marvellous collection of Etruscan jewellery. Nor should the Pergamon Museum in the former East Berlin be missed, although it strictly speaking does not fall into the category of 'art museum'.
 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 04:24 AM
  #36  
Tom
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Two best small museums..Rodin and Mese d'Orsay in Paris. Could spend hours on the third floor looking at the impressionsist paintings. Also I love the Tate in London. Have not been to the new one however.
 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 07:26 AM
  #37  
Carrie
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It's got to be Tate Morden. The building is stunning and the view from the seventh floor is breathtaking. And it's free !!! Try to beat that.
 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 09:46 AM
  #38  
lisa
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My favorites in Europe:

#1 Musee d'Orsay, Paris
#2 Picasso Museum, Antibes
#3 Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
#4 Picasso Museum, Paris
#5 Uffizi, Florence

I prefer smaller, "boutique" museums to larger ones like the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre in Paris -- although obviously those are incredible too, just a little overwhelming for me.

In the U.S.:
#1 I love the Phillips Collection in Washington DC -- another little boutique museum with a wonderful collection and interesting setting.
#2 Art Institute of Chicago
#3 National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
#4 Museum of Modern Art, New York
#5 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
#6 National Museum of American Art, Washington DC
#7 Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC
#8 Hirshhorn Museum, Washington DC

 
Old Jul 11th, 2000, 01:49 PM
  #39  
ed
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The Van Gogh portrait exhibit mentioned above will be in Boston this summer.
 
Old Aug 1st, 2000, 02:48 PM
  #40  
carpe_tunnel
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I know I'm replying to a message from 10 million years ago, but...

The New Tate Modern (UK) is supreme if you're talking about contemporary art, just opened in May and is completely astounding. Everyone seems to be veering off the European recommendation, so I'll say SF MOMA is awesome--well-curated, exciting works by famous and less-established artists.

How about some smaller museums and galleries in Europe? Well, I have to say that Whitechapel gallery is also a fave, and that whole East End area of London is really fun, esp Hoxton Square if you're looking for funky little exhibition spaces.

If anyone is going to France or Britain, take a look at the travel/art guidebooks by art-SITES by Sidra Stich. They are perfect for people specifically traveling to see art, or who are just seeking stuff off the beaten path and are sick of tourists. They practically contain mini-art history lessons, and are GREAT if you are interested in architecture/urban planning, I learned a lot about the buildings around me when I used the book in France last year.
 

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