Why should I visit a museum anyway?
Most people see art in books, magazines or the internet. We are all lucky to have these resources. Most of us may never travel to the countries these treasures come from, so at least we get to see them this way. However, nothing compares to seeing a work in person!
Going to a museum, gallery or art event is like going to a live concert versus listening to a song on the radio. There is no comparison!
Art communicates: It preserves history and culture, it can give you new ideas, it can make you laugh, it can spark a new interest, it can make you sad, calm or even shocked. It can open your eyes to new worlds.
If you have never been to an art museum, go to their website, look around, choose something and go. Stand in front of it for not one, not two but maybe five minutes. Maybe ten. You spend about two minutes listening to a song on the radio you might not even like. Art in person has a story to tell. Give it a chance!
Going to a museum, gallery or art event is like going to a live concert versus listening to a song on the radio. There is no comparison!
Art communicates: It preserves history and culture, it can give you new ideas, it can make you laugh, it can spark a new interest, it can make you sad, calm or even shocked. It can open your eyes to new worlds.
If you have never been to an art museum, go to their website, look around, choose something and go. Stand in front of it for not one, not two but maybe five minutes. Maybe ten. You spend about two minutes listening to a song on the radio you might not even like. Art in person has a story to tell. Give it a chance!
The American Visionary Art Museum (or "AVAM") is America's official national museum and education center for intuitive, self-taught artistry. If your idea of art museums is "BORING!" then you haven't been here! Of their many treasures are a huge ship made out of toothpicks, an enormous angel with mirror covered wings that ascends and descends in the center of the stair case, a car covered in forks and a robot wedding! Bring some pocket money for The Sideshow Gift Shop. Some things only cost 50 cents! Where else can you buy squirrel underwear, octopus finger tentacles and luchadora masks? Visit their site to plan your visit!
The Baltimore Museum of Art offers FREE ADMISSION ALL THE TIME! Housing 19th century, modern and contemporary art, it also boasts the largest collection of work by Henri Matisse: more than 500 pieces of art! Hey, they have more Matisse than PARIS does!!
If modern art is more your style, don't miss the 11/18/2012 re-opening of the renovated contemporary wing. The museum encourages sketching, so bring your supplies. Take a free cell phone tour of their gorgeous sculpture garden too! Check out their website HERE.
If modern art is more your style, don't miss the 11/18/2012 re-opening of the renovated contemporary wing. The museum encourages sketching, so bring your supplies. Take a free cell phone tour of their gorgeous sculpture garden too! Check out their website HERE.
Ok kids..how much can I love this museum? SOOO MUCH! The Walters Art Museum is astonishingly good. And guess what? It's FREE ALL THE TIME TOO! Because it is the personal collection of Walters and his son, the experience feels personal. The rooms are smaller and cozier and the lighting is soft. They own the LARGEST collection of Medieval manuscripts in the...(ready?) WORLD! Connected to the main building is the Hackerman house. The rooms are recreated to mimic the decor of the wealthy family who lived there including Samurai armor, an intricately carved ivory lobster, an enormous bronze incense holder shaped like a dragon that is big enough to sit in and a whole room dedicated to the art of the Japanese tea ceremony. I could go on forever, but maybe you'd better just visit their site!
The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC is also FREE ALL THE TIME! Guess what? It houses the ONLY painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas. Yes. With an "S". You'd never see everything in one day. Nope. There is a modern wing, an outdoor sculpture garden, drawings, prints, photos, Renaissance stuff, Medieval stuff, 19th century stuff, modern art and this cool conveyer belt you can ride on with jillions of twinkling lights (it's totally fun). Congress gave the money to establish the museum in the 1930's, and its been growing ever since. If you drive, GO EARLY. Or take the metro. The NGA's cafeteria is DC's best kept secret too. Check it all out here.