Every tourist’s itinerary includes visiting a museum display when Europe-bound. Besides the fact that Europe owns some of the oldest ones, the sturdiest forms of art and certainly the most historical ones reside in it.
From the early Roman civilization, many statues were made after people who stood up for something once upon a time. Sculptures told tales of people who have gone to battles and paintings were an expression of what was and what had become. The list could go on and on about the art that would connect the past from where we are now and a museum or exhibition showcase could enhance reliving all of these in one day.
Here are some of the best museums to visit in Europe:
1. THE LOUVRE MUSEUM
The Musée du Louvre, most commonly known as The Louvre, stands as the world’s largest art museum. Located in Paris, France, this is a house to 380,000 pieces from which 35,000 works of art are displayed. The Louvre is known for its varied collection, composed of sculptures, artifacts, antiquities, decorative arts, archaeological finds. It was divided among 8 curatorial departments namely: (1) Egyptian, (2) Near Eastern and (3) Roman Antiquities; (4) Etruscan, (5) Greek and (6) Islamic Art; (7) Sculpture (8) Decorative Arts.
From the first time it opened, only royal and church confiscated property composed its exhibit with 537 paintings. As it stands for 226 years since it was established as a public museum in 1793, it is visited by an average of 15,000 guests per day in which 65% are tourists. This makes it the world’s most visited museum of art as it opened to 10.2 million visitors in 2018.
When visiting, witness its famous contemporary glass pyramid built by the first non- French architect, I.M. Pei, to have ever worked for the Louvre. As it stands erect as the biggest one of the four glass pyramids, the other smaller three surround the Cour Napoleon courtyard.
Also, don’t miss the experience of seeing the 21×30 inch – painting of Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. Exactly 53×77 centimetres which make it slightly bigger than the A2 size paper. So, it is not that big as you expected though it is heavily guarded 24/7 and is enclosed in a bulletproof glass case. This French landmark opens daily from 9 am to 6 pm and until 9:45 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Free admission every first Saturday of the month from 6 pm to 9:45 pm (as of January 2019). This is a museum you should definitely consider seeking an international nanny recruitment agency or finding a temporary nanny for.
2. VAN GOGH MUSEUM
Van Gogh Museum ranks second-best in the world according to a recent study conducted by the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. Out of the 18 best museums that were tested for holding a good reputation, the Van Gogh Museum is the one that has a state-of-the-art, high-tech exhibition of a 3D meet and greets. Meet Vincent Van Gogh Experience as it is called, gives its visitors an impressive experience of a walk-through Vincent Van Gogh’s life.
Named after Vincent Van Gogh, Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of artworks of the Dutch who is famous for his paintings and drawings such as the ‘The Starry Night’. The museum stands dedicated to his work and his contemporaries ever since it opened on June 2, 1973. Over time, it garnered up until 2.3 million visitors that it became the most visited in Amsterdam.
It’s advisable to check their website constantly for their opening hours. For the rest of 2019, it is open daily except on Public Holidays which is on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The busiest times are from 11 am to 3 pm. That being said, the best time to go is before 11 am and after 3 pm. No more tickets would be sold 30 minutes before closing time.
3. VATICAN MUSEUMS
Housing 70,000 artworks with 20,000 on display, the Vatican Museums, as a collective, rank as the 4 th most visited art museum in the world. With more than 6 million attendees, these museums, as a collective are also amongst the largest. Located within the Vatican City, Rome, Italy, the Vatican Museums were considered Christian art museums because of the massive collection of the popes throughout centuries. The most renowned Roman sculptures and the most important masterpieces of the Renaissance Art are held precious by the Vatican Museums.
From being established in 1506, the place flourished with 54 galleries, a red papal throne made up of marble, roman sculptures, a tombstone, a double-helix double spiral staircase, called the Bramante Staircase, topographical maps and many more. Don’t miss out on seeing Michael Angelo’s masterpiece, which lines the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; the Raphael Rooms with many of Raphael’s works including his workshop and masterpieces namely, “The School of Athens”, that lasted from 1509 to 1511.
The Vatican Museums are open from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm in which final entry is set at 4 pm. A small adjustment every last Sunday of the month in which they are open from 9 am until 2 pm only. The final entry is set at 12:30 pm on that same day.
Travelling is full of things to explore and learn. Museums are a one-way ticket to acquiring information fast with tangible proof making each new thing easier to remember and understand. See and experience them for yourself. It will feed your curiosity substantially.
