Archive For The “Travel” Category
We love those fresh Spring colours of tulips which are synonymous with the Netherlands. It’s not a native of that small northern country but it does so very well there. Tulip mania reared its floral head in the Dutch Golden Age when the cost of some bulbs of the trendy tulip reached amazing heights. That…
An exhibition of romantic perfumes and foul odours in the 17th century The 17th century saw Mauritshuis as a residence and hotel for VIP guests. This beautiful building is conveniently situated in the city centre of The Hague. Now Mauritshuis houses the celebrated museum for 17th and 18th century works of art. Its collections comprise…
27 May – 24 October 2021 at the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery Nero (r. AD 54–68), the last male descendant of Rome’s first emperor Augustus, succeeded to the throne aged only 16. During his reign of nearly 14 years, he murdered his own mother, his first wife, and allegedly his second wife; it has even been…
Reflections: contemporary art of the Middle East and North Africa February – August 2021 in Room 90 Featuring around 100 works on paper, the majority of which have been collected by the British Museum during the past decade, this exhibition presents artists from across the Middle East and North Africa who reflect on their own…
The Netherlands has so much to offer. Many of us think we know about this small but perfectly formed country. Well, we had that weekend away in Amsterdam, didn’t we? Yes, that city has a multitude of exciting facets, but travel outside and discover the real Netherlands – it’s a compact nation so it won’t…
We have many cheese choices in specialist shops and even our local supermarket. Gouda can easily be overlooked. It seems to have been with us forever and we don’t even notice it anymore. The first mention of this cheese dates from 1184, making it one of the oldest recorded cheeses in the world still being…
2020 is the 850th anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury Year-long programme of Becket events unveiled British Museum to host first ever major UK exhibition on Thomas Becket’s life, death and legacy A year-long programme of events marking the 850th anniversary of one of the most shocking crimes in European history,…
On 21 January 2021, the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam will open the Gallery of Honour of Dutch Photography, where 100 photographs will be on display. All the images have iconic value due to their social and artistic significance, and together they tell the story of photography in the Netherlands, from its beginnings to the present…
Delftware or Delft pottery, also known as Delft Blue, is a term now widely used to describe the instantly recognisable Dutch earthenware. Most of it is blue and white, and the city of Delft in the Netherlands was the predominant production area in Europe. Four centuries ago the first Dutch East India Company ships returned…
‘A Dog of Flanders’ is a novel by English-French author Marie Louise de la Ramée and was published under her pseudonym “Ouida” in 1872. It is about a Flemish boy named Nello and his dog Patrasche, and is set in Antwerp, where there are numerous reminders of this popular literary work. I confess that I…
In May 2020 the British Museum opens the first major exhibition on the history of the Arctic and its indigenous peoples, through the lens of climate change and weather. The Arctic has been home to resilient communities for nearly 30,000 years, cultures that have lived with the opportunities and challenges of one of the most…
The Netherlands has been an oft-overlooked destination for those vacationers from the UK. Amsterdam still has a massive draw but there is so much more to see in this fascinating and convenient country. Rotterdam offers many attractions and it’s easy to get there on public transport. But take a short trip outside that celebrated city…
British Museum’s world-class collection of French prints to go on show for first time in 40 years French Impressions: Prints from Manet to Cézanne 20 February – 9 August 2020 Room 90. Admission free For the first time in over 40 years, the British Museum is to mount a major display of its collection of…
Sure, Bali is something of a tropical paradise. It was once only visited by Australians but these days, with regular flights with Singapore Airlines and their subsidiaries, Bali is open to the whole world. The very name ‘Bali’ conjures visions of palm trees, azure sea lapping on golden sands (words like poetry, aren’t they?). But…
New discoveries and insights from the international scientific examination of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. The scientific examination of Johannes Vermeer’s world-famous painting, known as Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665), has yielded new discoveries and insights. By employing multidisciplinary research, an international team of scientists has brought us closer to the artwork…
The mountains have been here for 80 million years; humans have been using the mountains for a lot less time than that, but nevertheless for a long time, historically speaking. The Romans used one of the peaks as a military fort. Later, in the 14th century, a monastery was built that gave birth to this…
3 October 2019 – 29 March 2020 The first major exhibition of Notgeld in the UK During the First World War and the following inflation, many German towns issued their own emergency currency, called Notgeld (emergency money). This money, usually in low denominations, was intended to combat shortages in small change at a local level….
Antwerp is the capital of the Belgian province of Flanders. It is one of the most populous cities in Belgium, although the old city centre gives the impression of a much smaller and more intimate town. It is about 40 kilometres north of Brussels, and only 15 kilometres from the border with The Netherlands. The…
Saturday 8 February – Sunday 8 March 2020 Kew’s first ever orchid festival themed on the country of Indonesia • Dazzling displays inspired by Indonesia’s wildlife and plant diversity • The festival will showcase Kew’s vital science work in Indonesia to protect biodiversity • Indonesian music, dance and food during half term and after-hours…
The BP exhibition – Troy: myth and reality at the British Museum 21 November 2019 – 8 March 2020 Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery The British Museum announces its major exhibition for Autumn 2019. The BP exhibition Troy: myth and reality will be the first major Troy exhibition in the UK. It will reveal the lasting legacy…