Making a shortlist of Museums is impossible, but here’s a few to wet the appetite…
Throughout the history of humanity, people have shaped the world we know today through a veritable smorgasbord of inventions, art, architecture, and important events. All that would be lost in time if we hadn’t preserved it and our knowledge of the past would be all the more poorer. That is why museums are an important key to their preservation, and they represent portals through time for people who love history and appreciate the culture that has been passed through generations. There are many museums in the world to see, and each one of them has something new and diverse to offer. With all this being said, let’s have a look at the top 5 must-see museums in the world:
The Lourve, complete with I.M Pei’s Pyramid
Le Louvre, Paris, France
We start our list with the world’s 2nd biggest art museum, located in the capital city of France, Paris. Its story began at the end of the 12th century when it was built as a medieval fortress by the order of King Phillip II. In the 16th century, it served as the royal palace of the French Monarchy. In 1793, the Louvre was opened as a museum by the National Assembly, with an impressive exhibition of over 500 paintings and almost 200 objects of art. Today, the rich collection of this museum counts a stunning number of approximately 380,000 works of art from various parts of the world and from ancient times to the 21st century. Some of the most notable attractions of the museum are: “Winged Victory of Samothrace”, “Venus de Milo” and the iconic “Mona Lisa”.
Mona Lisa Louvre security
The Mona Lisa is the most famous and iconic painting in the world, so security is paramount. It was actually stolen by an employee back in 1911, being taken on an adventure back to Italy by Vincenzo Peruggia for two years. And has been attacked a least four times, including by an angry Russian woman, upset about her citizenship being rejected. To keep it safe, it sits behind a climate-controlled bulletproof glass box. In case of emergency, apparently, it can drop into vault underneath. Add to that security guards and cameras on constant vigil. Rumour or conspiracies say that only copies are shown to the public on a rotating basis.
FUN FACT: If you looked at every piece of art in the Lourve for 1 minute, you would be there for 9 months!
Dakar, Capital of Senegal on a map
Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar, Senegal
From France, we jump to Dakar, Senegal, where the next museum on our list is located. Museum of Black Civilizations brings the African culture, history and civilizations together, and is a fruition of the vision of the country’s first president Léopold Sédar Senghor. Unfortunately, he never saw the museum’s opening in 2018, but his legacy lives on through the collection of works of art displayed in the museum’s area. The museum showcases one of Africa’s largest art collections, and some of the most famous among them include, A bronze from Benin depicting the warrior king Oba Ewuare the Great (1440) in his war costume, 19th century wooden Bambara masks from Mali, A Bamoun statue from Cameroon and the sword that belonged to Omar Saïdou Tall, a prominent 19th-century Muslim spiritual leader.
The Night Watch by Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The Rijksmuseum was opened in 1800 when it was originally known by the name “Nationale Kunstgalerij” and was located in The Hague. Eight years later this renowned museum was moved into the heart of the Netherlands’ capital, Amsterdam. Today, Rijksmuseum possesses about 900,000 items, making it the country’s largest collection of history and art. The museum has on display 8,000 items of art and history, with “The Threatened Swan” by Jan Asselijn being one of the most distinguished artworks. The Rijksmuseum contains an impressive number totalling over 2,000 paintings from the Dutch golden Age by notable masters such as Johannes Vermeer, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jan Steen, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Walking through the famous Gallery of Honor will give the most avid art lover endless pleasure.
The new Acropolis museum in Athens
The Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
Acropolis Museum is located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill, only 300 meters away from the Parthenon. The first museum, completed in 1874, was on the Acropolis itself. As the number of artefacts grew, there was a need for a new museum to display the rich ancient history of the Greece area. The modern Acropolis museum was founded in 2003 and was opened six years later. In an area of 14,000 square meters, it showcases over 4,000 sculptures that are archaeological findings in the Acropolis from the Greek Bronze Age to the Roman and Byzantine era. Some of its notable works of art are: “Peplos Kore“, “Dedication to Nymphe”, and “The goddess Athena seated on a rock”.
“A great city, whose image dwells in the memory of man, is the type of some great idea. Rome represents conquest; Faith hovers over the towers of Jerusalem; and Athens embodies the pre-eminent quality of the antique world, Art.”
– Benjamin Disraeli
Royal Tombs of Sipán
Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán in Chiclayo, Peru
This museum of a great cultural legacy is located in Lambayeque, Peru. In 1987, archaeologist Walter Alva found a treasure-trove of items at Huaca Rajada, now exhibited in the museum. Opened in the early noughties it was designed to reflect and resemble the Moche tombs of the ancient world. It contains remarkable ornamentation made from gold, silver and turquoise, necklaces, jewellery, breastplates, ear adornments and a bevvy of items that were meant for the ruler to take along to the afterlife. Among the most important discoveries that are now showcased in the museum, are the personal belongings of a Mochina government leader, Lord of Sipán, that are an incredible 1700 years old!
Of course, the world is filled with amazing museums, but we will finish the list here, with our shortlist of 5 must-see museums, honouring the rich cultural heritage they keep, the diverse culture that they represent, and the important history that they teach us about.
Got a better list? Let us know in the comments
Want some more? Check out these 15 museums to visit before you die by Alux.com