Museum Mavens

For millions each year, no vacation is complete without exploring the huge variety of museums throughout the world. Here's a place to discuss our favorites, & what's hot in the world's museums.

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The Dominican Republic´s Amber Museum

The Museo del Ámbar is located in downtown Puerto Plata, on the north coast. With a Jurassic Park-like logo and an interesting and educational collection of amber and other local semiprecious materials (including pieces for sale), it’s housed in a charming Victorian townhouse called Villa Bentz. And there are plenty of other local shops that sell amber, including, it would seem, most resort gift shops; it’s possible to pick up a lovely piece or two of amber jewelry at surprisingly affordable…

Started by David Paul Appell

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Washington DC´s National Museum of African-American History one of ´5 Key Places in the United States to Explore the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.´

Adam Jones . Inaugurated by Barack Obama in 2016, this Smithsonian Insitution member is home to a wealth of exhibits depicting the struggles and eventaul triumphs of black Americans, from their African origins through the trans-Atlantic slave trade; brutal slavery in the United States; oppression in the South from the post-Civil-War through the Jim Crow period; the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s (during which of course Dr. King loomed large indeed); and up to the present day. Both…

Started by Tripatini

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7 notable museums above Norway´s Arctic Circle

David Paul Appell On a trip to Norway last winter, I discovered a number of notable museums, including Tromsø´s Polar Museum, Troll Museum, Northern Norway Art Museum, and the Arctic University Museum of Norway, Honningsvagen´s Arctic Museum; and in Kirkenes, the Grenseland (Borderland) Museum (above). read post

Started by David Paul Appell

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A pair of museums in ´Will Tourism in Gaza Ever Exist? If So, Here Are 8 Spots Worth Visiting´

Dan Palraz One of them is Qasr al-Basha (Pasha´s Palace Museum), a landmark of Gaza City´s historic core which dates from the 13th century, built in sandstone by the Mamluks, a multinational military caste which originated in Egypt as slave soldiers and mercenaries and whose influence grew to the point where a Mamluk Sultanate ruled Egypt, the Levant (of which Gaza is a part), and western Arabia for 132 years. The second story was added by the Ottoman Turks who came after the Mamluks, and now…

Started by David Paul Appell

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José Balido November 16, 2024 at 1:32pm

A great review of Cairo´s recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum from Smithsonian. I was hoping to get there next month but the plan fell through. A bucket-lister for 2025, though! https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-journeys/2024/11/1...

Ancient Egypt Meets the 21st Century at the New Grand Egyptian Museum

Egyptologist Huub Pragt and Smithsonian Journeys traveler Kellie Mecham share first impressions from their visit to the museum just days after its lo…
Helen Brown September 2, 2023 at 11:18am

A landmark opening in Charleston, South Carolina: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/charleston-black-...

The International African American Museum reckons with Charleston's history

Historians estimate that some 90 percent of African Americans can trace one ancestor back to Charleston. The International African American Museum ce…
Mary E Gallagher May 9, 2023 at 6:45am

I lived in Washington DC for about 24 years starting in 1988. Luckily it wasn't long before I became a part of the "CultureCorps" invited and attending every Smithsonian museums opening, the wonderful press breakfasts at the sadly gone Corcoran, Meeting hundreds of artists and previewing their exhibits. Loving Larry Rivers, Arthur Tress, and others not so much. I became friends with famed Public Art expert Francoise Yohalem and always purple-wearing Bill Wooby, loved by so many he helped. The first Spy Museum was quite small but entertaining and I remember Tamar wife of Milton Maltz founder telling me this had been one of his dreams. The Freer and Sackler were my favorite Smithsonian museums. Like Paris, London, Rome,
and all the great capitals of culture Washington, DC is the best museum city in the US and outstanding for all tourists.
- David Paul Appell > Mary E Gallagher May 9, 2023 at 11:15am
  
  Lucky lady you! I lived in DC during my four years at Georgetown University and during that time did make something of a dent in its rich museum scene. I've chipped further away at it in my subsequent visits - most recently last year at the enlightening (and sometimes searing) National Museum of African American History and Culture. I've never made it to the Freer and the Sackler but after your endorsement it's on my list for the next time around!
David Paul Appell May 8, 2023 at 3:30pm

Adding to the comment below from Barbara, DC is of course one of the USA's best museum cities - enough to keep you coming back for at least a second and even third visit.And just yesterday the website ThePointsGuy.com - which covers a lot more these days than just airline mileage progams - highlighted five lesser known ones (and of these, I've been to two - one of which, the Spy Museum, I wrote about here on Tripatini - and re the other three am taking note for my next visit!): https://thepointsguy.com/guide/5-best-museums-in-dc-you-havent-hear...

The Points Guy - Maximize your travel.

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Barbara Necker April 13, 2023 at 12:03pm

Whenever I'm in DC I'm always faced with an embarrassment of museum riches, and it's hard to decide which to visit. Travel+Leisure recently "narrowed it down" to 15 of the best. Thanks a lot, lol. But still, pretty helpful! https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-museums-in-washington-dc-7369136

15 Best Museums in Washington, D.C.

Here are 15 of the best museums in Washington, D.C. to check out on your next trip to the capital.
José Balido January 20, 2023 at 12:22pm

I recently caught this interesting piece about Singapore's Haw Par Villa, a theme park established in the 1930s not with rides but rather statues and dioramas illustrating key aspects of Chinese mythology and Buddhist lore. And it turns out what everyone is most interested in its "ten courts of hell." And so they've just revamped it with the ten courts now constituting a standalone "Hell Museum" within the 21-acre site: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hells-museum-singapore-qwow-cmb/...

Singapore's Hell's Museum demystifies death -- with a smile

Singapore's Haw Par Villa is a sprawling complex of sculptures and exhibits focused on Buddhist beliefs. Its 10 Courts of Hell has finally been recog…
Paul Varmuza December 16, 2022 at 2:39pm

Several weeks ago the BBC revisited Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum and looked at how it reinvigorated the city. I’ve visited the city twice - once before and once after - and I can attest the differences are significant https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63426939

Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary

Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum transformed the face and fate of Bilbao when it opened in 1997.
Helen Brown November 1, 2022 at 11:54am

The Washington Post shone a light several months ago on a little known but quite interesting side to Canada that might be of interest to some visitors: five museums showcasing black history, in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and even Saskatchewan: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/06/23/canada-black-histo...
John Kipper June 14, 2022 at 10:00am

Oslo's Nasionalmuseet (National Museum) just made its debut this month: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/arts/design/national-museum-oslo...