Jaunted - Tag: Museums

Washington: Made in America Souvenirs Are Now the Only Option at One Smithsonian Museum

kjb — 2011-06-16T09:27:37-05:00

The Smithsonian Institute has plenty of museums and history to explore the best America has—and had—to offer, but unfortunately the museum gift shops weren’t necessarily showing off some of the country’s finest collectible thimbles and overpriced t-shirts.

Senator Bernard Sanders—he’s an Independent from Vermont—wasn’t too pleased about all the products made in China and elsewhere, so he kind of flipped out, saying that items sold at the National Museum of American History should probably be made in America.

The Orient Express Gets in Bed with the National Gallery for the Sake of Art

Jennifer Kester — 2010-11-10T10:30:37-05:00

Take the tour of Italy's art that's on your bucket list, but instead of boarding a lame bus, ride in style on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. And instead of some mediocre tour guide, a representative from London's National Gallery will school you on this one.

The famed Orient-Express partnered with the National Gallery for a series of art-themed tours in 2011 that put travelers on the luxury trains for trips through Europe. All tours begin at the National Gallery, where an expert will introduce you to the masterpieces, artists and places you'll see on your outing.

West Hollywood: Take a Tour of West Hollywood's Coolest Neon Art

Jennifer Kester — 2010-10-05T11:39:59-05:00

It's way too early to see Christmas lights—although you'll spot them now in overeager holiday-happy department stores. But you can get your fill of dazzle on the On Route—66 Lights, an outdoor tour of vintage and contemporary neon art in West Hollywood.

The city partnered with the Museum of Neon Art for this do-it-yourself tour along historic Route 66 and the Sunset Strip. You can download a map here. The outdoor exhibit features four of the museum's own classic, large-scale pieces, including the above diver and a retro "Winchell's Donut House" sign. There are 51 other neon art tour stops, including the well-known "Whiskey a Go Go" sign in script and a smaller "Unicorn Alley" sign on a divey-looking adult bookstore. Obviously, there are way too many neon pieces to see in one tour, so you have to pick and choose.

Smithsonian's Museum Day to Open Up 1,300 Museums for Free

Jennifer Kester — 2010-09-20T12:34:52-05:00

Clear your calendar for September 25 because it's Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day, which means that you can get access to a whole bunch of museums for free.

More than 1,300 museums nationwide will be participating in the sixth annual event. You can visit everything from the Brooklyn Museum in New York to the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle without laying down even a dime.

New York: Capture Your First Love or a Wish at the New Museum

Jennifer Kester — 2010-07-20T13:16:09-05:00

If you never got over your first love—who hasn't?—come to the New Museum in New York City's Bowery area to find some closure. The exhibit "Rivane Neuenschwander: A Day Like Any Other" tackles a number of topics, but we're digging the theme of longing in several of the participatory pieces.

In Brazilian artist Rivane Neuenschwander's First Love, you sit with a police sketch artist—you know, the ones who come up with those mugshots of criminals in the newspapers. You describe your first sweetheart's face to the police artist, who then creates a black-and-white portrait of that special someone. The portrait gets hung in the gallery for the rest of the exhibition with the chance that the heartbreaker will see her picture on the wall.

London: Coming Soon to the London Natural History Museum: Ozzy Osbournes Body

Jennifer Kester — 2010-06-17T14:53:16-05:00

While London’s Natural History Museum offers exhibits on dinosaur fossils and the origins of life on the planet, the most interesting display on the evolution of humans may come when Ozzy Osbourne donates his body to the museum.

The 61-year-old rocker told the Sunday Times that he’s survived so much alcohol and drug abuse that he should offer up his body to science. "When I die, I should donate my body to the Natural History Museum," he says.

Metz: Metz, France Welcomes Their Own Mini Centre Pompidou

Jennifer Kester — 2010-05-18T14:35:39-05:00

The new Centre Pompidou-Metz made its big debut last week, stunning visitors more with its manta ray-looking building than the modern-art offerings inside it. Some say the building looks like a humongous UFO.

Designed by architects Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, the structure on the eastern border of France is covered with a web of wood that resembles the cane-work pattern of a Chinese hat. Three rectangular galleries weave through the building at different levels, jutting out through the roof and boast picture windows that face landmarks such as the cathedral, the station and Seille Park. The galleries aren't permanently fixed, so the areas can be adjusted to complement the modern and contemporary art exhibits they will house.