LC Neill - Still River Studios

Luckily I’m married to someone who appreciates art as much as I do.  At times our vacations have been centered around museums and galleries…OK admittedly, wine, food and other cultural activities are also high on the list.  Here are few of my personal “must see” museums.

The Big Guys

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MoMA) - New York, New York, USA
With it’s re-opening in 2004 MOMA is one of the most exciting places to see modern art in the US.  An expansive space with diverse, engaging exhibitions. They also have an award winning website where you can view their collection and get unique behind the scene views of installations, and other events.  Their restaurants both casual and upscale will keep your hunger pangs at bay while you enjoy your visit.  Friday nights can be a little crowded, from 4-8 it’s one of the cities best free activities.  Check out their hours before you go.  They are currently open on Monday and closed on Tuesday.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART -  New York, New York, USA
The Met spans four city blocks and has three million works available, only a portion of the art is on display at any given time. Documenting from 20000 BC to the present, this museum is phenomenal in depth and breath of it’s offerings.  You could literally spend days here. Considered a historical and teaching museum, they offer ongoing lectures, gallery talks, classes, and programs.  Their online resources are also impressive with over 130,000 images in their database, and the capability to zoom in to see high-resolution details of works. We spent hours in the Met Store - it is one of the finest resources for art books anywhere.

ART INSTITUTE CHICAGO - Chicago, IL, USA
For being the “second city” this museum is first rate.  They recently opened the architecturally intriguing  Modern Wing which made the museum the second largest the US.  Their impressionist collection is strong, and is one of the museums highlights.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART - Washington DC, USA
The Gallery includes paintings, photographs, sculpture and works on paper from the United States and Europe, from the late middle ages to the present.  The Gallery considers itself an educative institution and their online art video podcasts are proof.  They are amazing. The Vemeer analysis of The Music Lesson turns his paintings into three dimensions and analyzes the intentional changes made by the artist to complete the painting.

Musee du Louvre - Paris, France
If you are going to France and you like museums I highly recommend getting the museum pass. For 2,4,or 6 days your set fee will get you into some 60 museums and attractions.

The Louvre is almost to big to take in. With around 35,000 works of art on view, you could spend a week there and still not see everything. Many visitors hit the highlights - Venus Di Milo, the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and others, then wander around until they hit the point of saturation.

MUSEE D’ORSAY - Paris, France
A converted train station, the Musee D’Orsay has an exceptional collection of two dimensional works from the impressionistic period.  The entire collection ranges from 1848 to 1914 and includes departments for Painting, Sculpture, Objects d’art, Photographs, Graphic Arts, and Architecture. Visit the cafe where a huge clock viewable from inside and out, dominates the space.

CENTRE POMPIDOU - Paris, France
This is where to see modern art in Paris.  When the plans were announced for this museum, controversy broke over the buildings architecture.  The structure’s exoskeleton is exposed and celebrated with brightly colored pipes and ventilation systems. Pompudou has 60,000 works from 450ad to present which have been cataloged online. The website is not completely translated to English so getting around can be a challenge. Definitely worth the visit if you are in Paris.

TATE MODERN - London, England

A branch of the Tate Musuems (includes Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St. Ives) this was one of our favorites in London. When we visited we actually went to the Tate Modern on three separate occasions, once just to browse the gift shop. The space is voluminous, and filled with contemporary works many which have been acquired since 1980. They also have works from Picasso, Matisse, Dalí, Ernst, Magritte, Mirò, Pollock, and Rothko.  Their exhibits are current and engaging.  If I lived in London this would be a weekly ritual.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY - London, England
I love figures in art, and have followed the BP Portrait award for several years now, so this museum was also a favorite of mine. Works from the 16th century to present were available for viewing.  Walking through the galleries was like racing through history.  Hundreds of years of faces were reduced to minutes where hair and costume changes became apparent as well as artistic styles and mediums.  It was amazing to experience the contrasts.

UFFIZI GALLERY - Florence, Italy
A fantastic collection of works from Renaissance period through the twentieth century.  Many masterpieces from Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Albrecht Durer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Giotto, to name a few.

Smaller but very very interesting

VAN GOGH MUSEUM - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Who doesn’t like Van Gogh?  A comprehensive collection of Van Goghs work from the early years through maturity complimented by other 19th century artists in the collection.

Musee Rodin - Paris, France
A wonderful place to go on a spring day in Paris.  The garden is manicured and filled with recognizable sculptures such as The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.  Inside you’ll find more treasures including The Kiss.

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION - Venice, Italy
A wonderful collection in an intimate setting of Peggy Guggenheim’s former house on the Grand Canal in Venice. Once married to artist Ernst Max the collection contains numerous works by his contemporaries such as Dali, Picasso and Pollock. There is also a sculpture garden.

Museo Xul Solar - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Housing works from Argentinian artist Alejandro Xul Solar from 1910 - 1962. The Museum’s building is just as intriguing as Solar’s work. In 2003 it won the “Decade Award prize” given by the University of Palermo (Buenos Aires) and the Tusquets Foundation - Barcelona and in 1998 the building was selected as semifinalist for the Mies Van der Rohe Prize.

DALI MUSEUM - St. Petersburg, FL - USA
Packed with fine examples of Dali’s work and some extraordinary large pieces. It was interesting to digest only Dali for a few hours. The more you looked the more you discovered. This was a great way to spend the afternoon.

DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Lincoln, MA
This property is absolutely a gem.  Once a private estate, this 35 acre park has an expansive and well documented sculptural garden with a contemporary art museum.  The exhibits are often refreshing emerging and mid-career artists. If you are in the Boston area with a car, I would highly recommend a short drive to see this.

This isn’t a complete list of every museum I’ve been to, but just those that stood out as something special. I’ve also been to a several craft museums that are good, but I get more exposure to craft at an exceptional art fair like SOFA.

If you have a favorite, let me know. I’ll be sure to investigate it when I’m in town.