5 Top Art Museums You Never Knew Existed

Everyone has heard of prominent art museums such as the Louvre, the Smithsonian, and the Tate, but many other fine museums receive little or no mention in books and magazines. We thought it would be fun to bring you a few that you’ve probably never heard of.

Saatchi Gallery, London, England

Courtesy of Saatchi Gallery

The Saatchi is Britain’s leading contemporary art museum, and its mission is to bring art to the widest audience possible. Owned by philanthropist Charles Saatchi, it opened in 2008 in Chelsea and features young artists as well as others whose work has not been widely exhibited in the United Kingdom.  

Previous exhibitions have included modern sculpture and installations as well as Middle Eastern and Indian art, and have shown artists such as Andy Warhol, Rachel Whiteread, Anselm Kiefer, and Frank Stella.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, California

Courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The largest art museum west of Chicago, LACMA boasts more than 100,000 works. Featuring works from 3500 BCE to the present, the history of art is well represented in LACMA’s seven-building complex. A true multicultural treasure, the museum houses some of the finest Islamic, Asian, and African art in the world.

In addition to paintings and relics, LACMA features photography, print and drawing, costume and textiles, and decorative design collections. Artists include Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, and Camille Pissarro.

Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada

Courtesy of Art Galley of Ontario

With 68,000 works in its permanent collection, the AGO houses a massive collection of Canadian art as well as works from the Impressionist, Expressionist, Italian Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Its Henry Moore Sculpture Center is the most extensive public collection of Moore’s art. In addition, the AGO prides itself on its exhibitions and is currently showing the art and film of Julian Schnabel and the prints and watercolors of Frans Masereel.  

National Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Courtesy of National Museum of Fine Arts

With over a million visitors a year and 34 exhibit halls, Buenos Aires’ National Museum of Fine Arts is Argentina’s principal art museum and contains close to 13,000 major and minor works. The museum’s ground floor holds an international collection of paintings from the Middle Ages to modern day, and the second floor houses a variety of sculpture and photographic art.

Artists include Paul Gauguin, Van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Claude Monet, and prominent Argentinian works include “The Repose” by Eduardo Schiaffino and “The Soup of the Poor” by Reynaldo Giudici.

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

Courtesy of National Gallery of Victoria

Founded 150 years ago, the National Gallery of Victoria is the oldest and largest public art gallery in Australia, with the widest variety of art. Its collection includes the works of Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Rubens, Egyptian artifacts, Australian native art, Greek vases, and photography. It also regularly features exhibitions of other art forms such as fashion and modern light installations.

In 1986, Picasso’s “The Weeping Woman” was stolen by a group called the “Australian Culture Terrorists” and returned a week later.

While writing this blog post, we found dozens of art museums in places ranging from Cleveland, Ohio to Limerick, Ireland. The next place you travel is likely to have an art museum with a surprisingly significant collection. 

Why Stay in a Private Villa?

Travelers often stay in hotels because that’s all they know, but a private villa is far more exclusive and fun than a hotel—for approximately the same price or less. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a great place to invite your new friends, a villa is the perfect setting.

Private villas are vacation homes that cater to the traveler. Your desires will dictate where you rent your villa, as amenities and locations vary. Do your research before renting a villa so that your choice will give you all the extras you expect.

Here are just a few advantages of a private villa:

• All the comforts of home. Villas are nicely appointed, with gourmet kitchens, spacious dining rooms, inviting living rooms, fitness rooms, and opulent bedrooms and baths. Some villas, however, do require you to rent exercise or office equipment, if they are not equipped with them already. You’ll feel right at home among the luxury.
• Romantic outdoor touches. Breezy gazebos, lush grounds, fragrant gardens, and refreshing swimming pools add to the elegant romance of a private villa.
• Space. Even the most luxurious suite can’t compare to the sheer indulgence of a villa.
• Privacy and freedom. Cook and eat anything at any time, or have your meals delivered. Do as you please when you please. Be quiet, or be loud—it’s up to you. You won’t have the intrusion of hotel staff or other guests. It’s just you and your party.
• Personal staff to look after every need. Chefs, butlers, drivers, and maids cater to every whim. If you’re looking for spa treatments or massages, professionals come to you, and trainers and exercise instructors are available upon request. Certified babysitters or nannies take care of the younger ones while you play or relax.
• Extra services. Villa managers and staff can arrange entertainment and activities for their guests. Be sure to ask about local tours and events as well as any unusual excursions or off-the-beaten-path areas you’d like to explore. Villa managers are happy to recommend restaurants, shopping, and charters.

Private villas are an excellent choice for those looking for a fuller, richer vacation experience, or those seeking a private, relaxing trip. A villa is the ideal combination of the comforts of home and the luxury of the finest five-star hotel. Renting a private villa is the first step to creating a customized vacation that truly nourishes your heart and soul.

Would you prefer to stay in a villa or a hotel?

**Images taken from Wolf Worster Associates’ website.

Amsterdam’s Architectural Inspirations

Known for its blend of classic and modern designs, Amsterdam is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world.  From the 700-year-old Oude Kerk (Old Church), to its narrow yet charming canal houses to the modern housing on its new islands, Amsterdam offers fascinating architecture with stories to tell.

Oude Kerk

Built in the late 1200s or very early 1300s in the Gothic style, Amsterdam’s oldest building boasts the largest medieval wooden vault in Europe, with ornate paintings that have survived numerous battles and lootings. The floor consists of gravestones and is the resting place of over 10,000 residents of Amsterdam. Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, and one of the founders of New Amsterdam (New York), Kiliaen van Rensselaer, are buried there. The composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was its organist from the age of fifteen to his death, and the bell tower continues to play his music.

Westerkerk

In the 16^th Century, wooden buildings were replaced with brick and stone masterpieces in the Dutch Renaissance style. One of the most ornate is the Westerkirk. Its spire is the highest church tower in Amsterdam, and was mentioned frequently in The Diary of Anne Frank because Anne could see it from the attic. Rembrandt is buried in the church in a rental grave, but no one knows exactly which grave is his.

Canal Houses

During much of Amsterdam’s history, the hub of activity was along the canals, which served as the main transportation route for the city. Wealthy doctors, lawyers, and shopkeepers lived along the canal in narrow, tall, deep homes known as canal houses or canal ring houses. Built during the 17^th Century, many of these gabled homes were 30 feet wide or narrower.

With large windows on each floor, a pulley for moving items between floors, and an elevated main floor and front door in case of flooding, these homes served as shopkeepers’ businesses as well as their residences. Often, a landowner would commission twin or triplet houses—two or three identical houses built by the same contractor. Hundreds of canal homes stand today.

Amsterdam School

Amsterdam’s Expressionist architecture came to life in the early- to mid-20^th Century. Rounded buildings of brick and masonry featured unusual decorative glass, ironwork, and sculpture integrated into both the interior and exterior. Often these buildings were local institutions, such as the Van Gogh Museum and Henriette Ronnerplein Housing, and the unique elements lent an unexpected three-dimensional effect.

Modern Amsterdam Architecture

Stunning use of geometric shapes and flowing lines are just one aspect of the variety of modern designs in use in Amsterdam today. From the NEMO Museum, which looks like a ship rising from (or sinking into) the waves, to an office building made of prefabricated concrete boxes that look like matchboxes, the city’s modern architecture is simply eclectic.

Amsterdam’s architectural inspirations span over seven centuries. As it is not a large city, lovers of architecture can easily see examples of their favorite styles in a short tour.

What is your favorite type of architecture?