Most visitors to Prague miss this gem of a museum.

The Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts

Tourists visiting Prague generally go for the National Museum of Arts and the Clementinum (the National Library), but most of them never even hear about the Museum of Decorative Arts.  Although it is listed in all the guide books, and it is located close to the Smetena Museum and the old Jewish Quarter, it is one of those places that ordinary tourists simply don’t have time to see.

I was fortunate enough to have been advised by a friend who lives in Prague to be sure to get there.  Firstly, she told me, there will not be a lot of people inside, and you can see all the exhibits without fighting a crowd.  Secondly, she added, from the toilets one gets the best-ever view of the old Jewish Cemetary!  Well, she was right in both respects.  I got there around 10:30 a.m. and was the only visitor, although a few more showed up later.  The museum’s permanent exhibits are on the first floor which means climbing two flights of monumental stairs.  But once you have made the climb, it is definitely worth the effort.  There is a very large, long rectangular room with old, old tapestries hung along the walls while down the center is a huge glass enclosed display of fashions for brides and grooms beginning with the 1700’s and going all through to the 1940’s.  The materials on the bride and groom mannikins are magnificent, many of the older ones having been completely handmade.

For porcelain, glass and crystal lovers there is a large room holding magnificent displays of old Czech crystal table ware and decorative pieces and gorgeous sets of porcelain from all over Europe including Delft and Limoges.  However, my favorite room was the one that held all kinds of old clocks, watches, sextants, compasses, etc.  Many of them dated as far back as the 13th century and all of them were absolutely fascinating and wondrous to behold.

On the ground floor of the museum there are two large rooms for temporary exhibits.  The day I was there, they were showing handblown glass figures, some of them huge, by two contemporary Czech artists - all of the figures were either creepy crawly things like beetles, bees, spiders, etc. or fish.  Although the blown glass was really beautiful, creepy crawlies are not my cup of tea, so I went through the two rooms very quickly.  If you are in Prague and have the time, visit this 17th century palazzo-style building that holds the Museum of Decorative Arts.

Set in a little town in Tuscany, Italy, is one of the greatest masterpieces of
Renaissance art.

Piero’s Pregnant Madonna

In the upper Tiber Valley, not far from the townships of Arezzo and
Sansepulcro, lies the tiny village of Monterchi.  Monterchi is one of those
Tuscan midieval towns with its Centro Historico (historic center) built on a
hill for protection against encroaching enemies.  It looks like an island in the
center of the valley.  There is nothing terribly unusual or mind-boggling about
this charming town.  However, it is home to one of the greatest masterpieces of
Renaissance art:  The Madonna del Parto (the pregnant Madonna) by Piero della
Francesca. 

So, we are not really talking about a museum here.  This fresco by Piero was
originally found in the Monterchi cemetary chapel.  But in 1992-1993 it was
given a thorough restoration and then placed in a small building, formerly a
school building.  The school building has two rooms.  The first, on entering,
contains information about the fresco and about the artist.  The second and
larger room holds the fresco.  It stands in the center, protected by glass and a
low railing.  And upon first seeing it, my reaction was a soft “ahh”.

The Madonna is standing, dressed in a vibrant blue dress.  (I later read that
Piero used lapis lazuli for this blue color.)  She has one delicate hand resting
on her swollen belly.  Her head is slightly tilted to one side, and she has a
very pensive expression on her face.  The painting emanates quiet and calm.  You
just want to stand there, look at it, and breathe in the calm atmosphere.  What
is she thinking, this lovely, pensive Madonna?  The answer is open to the
interpretation of the observer.

If you are traveling in Tuscany, don’t miss the jewel of Monterchi.  It is
worth a detour.

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The Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv is located on a very large garden site which surrounds an ancient archeological dig called Tel Qasile.

Fun, Fascinating and Full of Charm

In North Tel Aviv, just across the Yarkon River, can be found one of the more attractive and soothing museums in the world.  It is made up of many pavilions spread out over large and expansive gardens with old shade trees, benches to sit and rest, cool breezes even in the summer heat, a well-appointed museum gift shop and a charming cafe for light meals and drinks.

The museum focuses on the history and the culture of the Land of Israel, from prehistoric times to modern days.  There is a Glass Pavilion with exquisite exhibits of old Roman glass and ancient pottery alongside modern Venetian blown glass sculptures.  There is also a fascinating Coin and Money Pavilion.  In the many times I have visited this museum, I have always skipped this building.  However, I had a guest from abroad who is a coin collector, so the last time I was there, we went through the coin exhibits, and I was amazed at how fascinating the history of money could be.  There is also a charming Postal and Stamps Pavilion showing the development of the postal services and the stamps of Israel since 1948, when the State of Israel was established.  The Folklore Pavilion exhibits show the various ethnic groups that have lived and thrived in the land of Israel since the time of the Canaanites, and the small Planetarium features changing shows on the universe and the world of astronomy, especially attractive to children. There is also an Educational area for workshops, seminars and hands-on interactive displays for school children.

The winding pathways that lead from one pavilion to the other wend their ways through the gardens, the large shade trees and many flowering plants.  One never feels crowded or rushed.  It is quiet and tranquil throughout.  Before leaving the museum site, it is definitely worthwhile visiting the gift shop which offers a large selection of gifts and craft items all made in Israel.

In summary, the Eretz Israel Museum is a lovely place to get away from the crowded city throngs and traffic and still imbibe some history and culture.

Barcelona, Spain is a wonderful city to visit - in particular for its
celebration of Antoni Gaudi’s wild imagination.

Park Guell

Antoni Gaudi’s Park Guell is a park and an outdoor museum combined.  It was
commissioned by Gaudi’s friend and patron, Eusebi Guell, who wanted a stylish
park for the Barcelona aristocracy.  There were to have been homes, villas a
community within the park, but this never took off.  Instead we find amazing
stone structures, magnificent tiling and fascinating, imaginative buildings.

When I visited Park Guell it was a bright, sunny Sunday.  This meant that the
Park would be full of both tourists and local Barcelonians because it is a
charming place to walk, rest and let children play.  At the entrance to the park
there is a huge dragon fountain who seems to be climbing a flight of steps.  The
whole thing is constructed of brightly colored tiles, mosaic-like and most
unusual.  It is almost impossible to get a picture of the dragon due to the
crowds around it - especially on a Sunday.

An Enchanted Forest

Visitors to Park Guell have the feeling that they are entering an enchanting
forest.  There are mushroom shaped pavilions interspersed along the paths
through the beautiful trees.  There is a multi-colored tiled “rolling bench”,
serpentine like a snake, along a high terrace where one can see a lovely view of
the city of Barcelona.  And underneath this bench is a room of columns (which
actually support the terrace) whose ceiling is adorned with circular medallion
like designs all made of colorful mosaic tiles.  Gaudi’s magical combination of
sculpture and nature produces a curious, hypnotic effect.  Park Guell is
definitely not to be missed when visiting Barcelona!

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Mass MOCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is a terrific example of how to preserve buildings marked for historic preservation.

Rejuvenating North Adams, Mass

North Adams, Mass., a small town in the Massachusetts Berkshire Mountains, was a one-factory town in the 1950’s when I lived in the nearby city of Pittsfield.  The factory which gave North Adams its economic stability was the Sprague Electric Works, a manufacturer of electrical machinery for industry.  In the 50’s my father, who was an electrical engineer, worked for Sprague which is why we were living in Pittsfield.  The factory shut down in the 1980’s and North Adams subsequently suffered from the closing.

Then in 1999, after some refurbishing and and interior designing by a Cambridge firm of architecture, the 19th century former factory was opened as the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art = Mass MOCA.  It opened with 19 galleries and approximately 100,000 square feet of exhibition space.  It also hosts musical performances, film screenings and summer festivals.  The founding of this museum in North Adams has helped to upgrade and rejuvenate the quiet Berkshire town of North Adams.

Visiting Mass MOCA

I am not a great lover of contemporary art.  The usually large-sized compositions perplex me.  The abstractness of the art disturbs me.  In short - I don’t much like it.  For me, a visit to Mass Moca is simply a nostalgic visit to the past.  The sight of the beautiful ivy-covered red brick building that used to house the factory, the rough linoleum floors and iron stairways that lead from one gallery to another, bring back the feel of the 1950’s for me.  I visited the museum about 50 years after my father left the firm, and I simply enjoyed walking around the building and remembering.  For me that was far more exciting than looking at the strange exhibits.

Ara Pacis in Rome - full name Ara Pacis Agustae - meaning the Altar of Majestic Peace, was built for the Roman emperor Augustus and consecrated in 9 BC.

A New House for the Ara Pacis

The Ara Pacis, built to honor Emperor Augustus for creating the peace and prosperity brought about by the supreme military might of the Roman Empire, was first located in the Campus Martius (Field of Mars).  Over the centuries it was buried by mud, silt and the buildings put up by Christians, Byzantines and Baroque occupants of Rome.  The first remnants of the sculptures were rediscovered in the 16th century, and, in 1938 Mussolini had it moved next to the Augustus Mausoleum with a protective building built around it.  In 2005, the mayor of Rome commissioned the renowned architect, Richard Meier, to design a new building to house this monumental remnant of the Augustan “golden age”.

Meier’s building is a gleaming white modern marble structure which, in my opinion, stands out like a sore thumb as it resides next to a very old church and the ancient Augustus Mausoleum.  Although the building, as a ”stand alone” is very beautiful, giving a sweeping entrance into the large hall that houses the Altar, it does not at all blend in with its surroundings and has proved to be very controversial.

The Ara Pacis Itself

The Ara Pacis is one of those “pearls” of Rome that should not be missed.  I was passing through Rome from Perugia to Tel Aviv, and in the few free hours available to me, I made a point of going to see the Altar, mainly because of Meier’s new building.  I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  However, I was thrilled with the Altar itself.  The bas relief sculptures on all four sides of the structures portray the climax of Roman sculpture in the Augustan period.  The original pieces have been pieced together with reconstructed parts which are missing after all these years, and the sum total is one of gleaming white marble beauty.  The elaborate sculptures display scenes of the Emperor and his family in traditional Roman religious piety.  All the figures are walking, approaching the gods to offer sacrifices.  The figures are not idealized or stereotyped but actual recognizable portraits of individuals.  The audio guide is extremely helpful in viewing all four sides of this beautiful construction.  Not to be missed!

The Tarot Garden in Tuscany, near the town of Capalbio, is a wondrous outdoor museum and a paradise for children.

Niki de Saint Phalle’s Tarot Garden

The artist and sculptress Niki de Saint Phalle and her husband, the sculptor Jean Tingley, created the most wonderful outdoor museum in southern Tuscany.  It is a huge park with lovely old trees, pathways and stairways to go up and down the gentle hills, and it is filled with huge and wondrous figures all based on the Tarot cards.

The figures are monumental.  They are basically made of iron and stone but totally covered with multicolored shards of glass, ceramics, plastic, stone - anything and everything in tiny pieces.  These tiny pieces give a mosaic like coating to the wild looking figures completely astounding the spectator.

A Child’s Playground Paradise

Because of their huge size, most of the figures are hollow inside and their inside walls are also covered with the mosaic shards, creating huge colorful rooms with columns, pools, benches, furniture - all wonderful places for children to run around and play.  Some of them are labarynthine and some of the figures can be climbed up and down.  It is the best “jungle jim” I have ever seen.

Though Niki de Saint Phalle obviously believed in the mysticism associated with the Tarot Cards and wrote her philosophies alongside each figure, one doesn’t need to go into all that to enjoy the garden.  Some of the fascinating figures are:  The Wheel of Fortune, the Devil, Death, the World, Adam and Eve, and the central and largest of them all The Empress.  A trip through Tuscany should always include a visit to this marvel of imagination and endurance.

A visit to the Getty Center in Los Angeles is a real happening.

Up and Up on the Tram

A visit to the Getty Center is much, much more than just a museum tour.  Built on the southern foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, you can see the most gorgeous view of the city of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.  But half the fun of the visit is getting there.  From the parking lot the visitor takes a little tram ride up, up to the hilltop campus of the Center itself.  The ride unfolds vistas of the Center campus above, the city below and the beautiful scenery in between.

Designed by the well known architect, Richard Meier, the buildings are clad in rich Italian travertine, a form of limestone, which was specially treated to show a “rough” exterior on which the sunlight plays in ever-changing shows of brilliance.  The Center is made up of six buildings, some of which are research centers for conservation and other sciences.  The campus is 700 acres which allows for a wonderful feeling of space.  Meier used many forms of stone formations, piazzas and waterways to enhance this spatial feeling.

The Getty Gardens

More beautiful than any of the museum’s art collections are the fantastic gardens of the Getty Center.  It is worthwhile to take the guided tour at least once, to hear about the planning of the gardens by Robert Irwin.  The gardens take advantage of the natural ravine and cascade down terraced walls.  A stream runs through them ending up in a reflecting pool.  The flowers and trees are in a constant state of change with the seasons, the times of day and the changing light.  It is a wondrous, restful atmosphere high above the busy metropolis of Los Angeles, but does not lose its touch with the city.  A really great place to go!

The Villa Borghese in the Borghese Gardens of Rome is not just a museum.  It is
a thing of grace and beauty to behold.

The Villa Borghese

The Villa Borghese, designed and built in the early 1600’s for Cardinal
Scipione Borghese, was restored to its original 17th century brilliance several
years ago.  The restoration took years and years, and when the Villa was finally
opened to the public, it was impossible to visit it without making reservations
weeks in advance.

It was built to house some of the great art collection of the Borghese
family, and, although many sculptures and paintings were sold by some of the
Borghese’s, the remainder which is now in the Villa is certainly a sight to
behold.

The Villa itself is a building which can only be described as containing both
grace and beauty.  The facade is a creamy white which glows honey-colored in the
sun, and the double staircase leading up to the entrance has an elegance all its
own.

Two Magnificent Sculptures

On my short visit to the Villa Borghese (we were only allowed three hours
inside), I was most impressed by two sculptures:

-The first is that of Pauline Bonaparet, created by Antonio Canova in 1805. 
It dominates the first room of the villa.  The figure is partially naked and
partially reclining in the fashion of a Venus of antiquity.  The sheen and
patina of the marble makes her look as though in a moment she will begin to
breath.  The sight of her is absolutely breathtaking.  It seems impossible that
the hand of man could have fashioned such an exquisite work from a piece of
marble.

-The second sculpture is the statue of David, carved by that great Baroque
sculptor, Gian Lorenzo Bernini.  While Michelangelo’s David, created in the
Renaissance, presents a confident and victorious hereo, Bernini’s David shows
him at the peak of action:  just about to throw the stone from his sling.  There
is a deep and almost human concentration in his face, while the rippling muscles
of his arms and legs create the impression that in an instant he will move.  I
could have stood in front of this statue for hours, full of admiration.

The Villa has many more works of art which really should be seen:  more
Berninis, a Caravaggio room, and a gorgeous Roman copy of a Greek statue of
Hermaphrodite from the Second Century B.C.  If ever in Rome, this museum is a
“must see” item.

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The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry supplied me with one of my most
memorable childhood recollections.

The Museum of Science and Industry

When I was about eight years old, my grandparents lived in Chicago,
Illinois.  We lived in Arlington, Virginia, and I remember one summer being
taken to Chicago to visit the “old folks”.  I really don’t like revealing this,
but I am talking about maybe sixty years ago!  My recollections of this visit
are vague:  a dip in the ice cold waters of Lake Michigan, good food cooked by
my grandmother, trying to understand what they were talking about in their heavy
Polish accents.

The one memory that stands out in my mind after all these years, is our visit
to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.  I am sure that we must have seen
many exhibits in the museum, but the highlight for me and my sister was the
visit to the museum’s coal mine.

Down the Coal Mine

The museum has simulated a real coal mine, 600 feet deep, with all the
paraphernalia of a 1930’s coal mine.  We were given real miners’ hard hats with
a light on the front.  We entered the miners’ “cage” and went deep down into the
mining seam.  There we were shown how the miners took out the coal from the seam
- at that time they still used pick axes - how the coal was loaded onto the coal
cars that often traveled miles down the seam, and how the coal was then poured
into a bin and taken up by that same cage that had brought us down.

Needless to say, for someone eight years old this was a mind-boggling
experience and also quite scary!  The coal mine, called Old Ben, was installed
in the museum in 1933.  I have not had the opportunity to visit Chicago since
those days, but I am sure that today’s Old Ben exhibit now also shows how coal
is mined in the 20th century.  If ever you get to Chicago, don’t miss this
exciting experience.

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