Category: Uncategorized
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My Top Five Museums in Vienna
Our latest international adventure took place in Vienna, Austria. Known for its rich history, particularly being the seat of the Hapsburg Empire from 1282 until 1918, visiting this wonderful was an opportunity not to be missed. Armed with the Vienna Pass which gives it’s owner access to many of Vienna’s top cultural sites and attractions,…
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A Weekend in Venice, Part 2
Venice holds a lot of happy memories for me. It will always be the special place where, amongst Renaissance masterpieces and centuries old books, my partner got down on one knee and proposed. Whilst this blog has been a platform to share my cultural interests, I would also like to share some more personal news…
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Latent Spaces: AI and Generative Art
At the dawn of the new year, I got the chance to visit the ‘Latent Spaces’ exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Makos Kay. Accompanied by music composed by Jesse Solomon Clark and hosted by Illusionaries, an experimental art hub, this retrospective promises an immersive visual experience for its audiences. This new experience has been produced through…
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A Summer of Castles and Historic Houses, Part 2.
As autumn draws in and the weather gets colder, I’ve been taking the time to reflect on a wonderful summer spent visiting historic houses and castles. Whilst my last article focused on English Heritage, this article will focus on the wonderful properties cared for by the National Trust. Calke Abbey – Derby Calke Abbey started…
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Bernini in Rome
Short Biography Gian Lorenzo Bernini was born on December 7th, 1598, to Pietro Bernini and Angelica Galante, in Naples. His father was already an established artist and, after receiving a papal commission to work on the marble relief in the Cappella Paolina of Santa Maria Maggiore, relocated with his family to Rome. After founding a…
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Oude Kerk
Short History Located in the red-light district and founded in the 13th century, the Medieval church is the oldest building in Amsterdam. Initially the site was host to a wooden chapel but was gradually replaced by a stone church. Initially Roman Catholic, the Oude Kerk was taken over as a Calvinist church after the Reformation…
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Museum Review: Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein
Back in 2021, I discovered that Bath would become home to Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein an immersive museum dedicated to exploring the life of the author, her links with Bath, and the influence of her novel. I finally managed to visit this year and it was well worth the wait. Why Bath? Whilst many associate Bath…
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Peggy Guggenheim: Saviour of Modern Art.
For Women’s History Month, I thought I would write about somebody who was instrumental in preserving many works of modern art. I am by no means an expert on Peggy Guggenheim, but her name has cropped up in several books I’ve read about the birth of modern art and, in particular, Surrealism. What stood out…
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Reading Connects the World: My Top Four International Libraries
It’s no secret to anybody who has read my work before that, like the majority of bibliophiles, I adore libraries. Whilst visiting various cities and villages around the UK I have always taken the chance to visit their libraries, one of which I ended up working at. This desire to visit such public institutions hasn’t…
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My Most Anticipated Exhibitions of 2021
Unfortunately, my plans to visit a variety of exhibitions last year had to be scrapped. Sadly, many museums had to either delay or completely discard some of the retrospectives that have taken years to plan and set up. The closure of museums, historic houses, and other cultural venues hasn’t been easy for the people employed…
The Museum Inspector 