I cannot compete with Carlos del Amor on talking about museums; however thanks to him I have known that Twitter has promoted #MuseumWeek2016. This hashtag and others more specific ones used each day of the week, have been used by institutions and people for spreading news about activities, heritage, personal experiences… in contrast, this cultural event does not have been a trending topic in the social network.
I am not sure if this is the first event promoted in that social network, or if they want to have a week devoted to any topic of common interest as it is the case with ?World X Day?; nevertheless, the simple truth is that it made me go over my own experience visiting museums, and the questions that arise always.
I would like to start with the museums visited in Belaurus, although you can find a museum devoted to stream engines, Brest Railways Museum, and another inside Fortress area, it must be said that I visited only Brest Regional Local History Museum (http://brest.museum.by/en). Thank to Professor Larisa Maksimuk who interpreted the information sings I could learn about the local History. Here you have some photos.
Of course, when I visit some city it is likely that some museum was in the program. So, if I go to the Capital I take the chance to enjoy El Museo del Prado, consequently it is the one I have visited the most. Still, in Madrid you can find Museo Sorolla, where my sister in law and me discovered ?La Madre?, a painting that impressed us. Also related with painting I remember Orsay Museum in Paris, I enjoyed it more than Louvre. And in Paris too, but devoted to sculpture, I found ?The Kiss? in Rodin Museum, a piece that struck me.
I am not going to detail every museum I have visited, it would be tedious, and perhaps I will go back to this issue in another occasion. Nonetheless, I am sure that, as it happens to me, you have felt bored while visiting a museum. You must have experience tiredness walking slowly the corridors looking the showcases, or probably you get fed up of reading the information sings written in a very small print. What is more, it is probable you have asked yourself what is the reason for some pieces to be showed in a museum, or where the painting was made to be hang on; or even (I make myself? this questions a lot of time) if someone would? buy ?this pieces of art; and the most interesting one, who decide what is a piece of art.
After enjoying the view of ?The lady with Ermine? by Leonardo Da Vinci, in Wawel Castel (Warsaw), I went over the feeling I had. Indeed, it is such a well known piece that seeing it guarded by two guards in a special security room did not make me feel any kind of emotion. Is it expected to feel emotion when looking at a very important piece of art?
Before ending this post, I cannot forbear to refer to companions. It is not the same to visit a museum with a guide who attracts you attention to some details and amuse you telling some anecdotes, that visiting them with children or teenagers. Do you agree with me?
Museums of painting, of sculpture, archaeological, devoted to local History or to nature… What is your experience visiting them? Do you have some anecdote?
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In comparison with you, Glory, I am a layperson for have visited only a few museums and exhibitions.
Companion is important when visiting museums, certainly, and we can make the best of it all if a good guide enhances the experience.
But, honestly, in my case, I am commonly the tedious one on the group because I tend to read every single piece of information I found. An exhibition I really enjoyed was “Murillo” in Hospital de los Venerables (Seville) some a few years ago. Others memorable ones were: Vaticans Museums, Rome (just it all!!) and Florence. I remember I went to Accademia Gallery in Florence to see the Michelangelo Buonarroti’s David. I paid the ticket, spent in the region of one hour there and left. Not an additional single piece of art caught my attention. My limited abilities and skills in art explain it. However, my satisfaction was maximum. Such a perfection!
Although marvellous, that was not the most impressive experience I ever had. It is related with what has been recently named as “dark tourism” (but for me is just to know European recent history): the visit to Osweicin (Auschwitz in German) who lasted all day long. It might be a good moment now to publicly thank P.T. for his infinite patience while I read and “digested” all what there can be visited, both in camp I and camp 2
Dear AOG you always surprise me and enrich this blog. Perhaps I write briefly on each topic, and this is one that could be more developed. I did not know the term dark tourisim, however i agree with you regarding how impresive it is to visit this kind of museum, if they can be named as that.
Honestly, I do not know if it can be properly named “museum” but, certainly, it must be preserved to learn from our past, since forgetting will drive us to repeat same mistakes. For example, the worst, and also the best, of human being can be seen there.