Museums and Galleries
Aug. 23rd, 2017 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitI've shared my various theatre experiences, plus the beautiful Sky Garden, but I also managed to visit one museum and two galleries.
I visited the River Police museum in Wapping. There are very occasional open days, but the curator also does private tours and I arranged one. Fortunately another couple joined as well, which saved the potentially embarrassing "Why are you interested in the Marine Policing Unit?" "I write fanfic with an inspector from the Unit and thought I'd like to know more."
The museum itself is small, but the history is interesting, and we must have been there for nearly two hours. The police unit is the oldest one in London, created before Sir Robert Peel began the main police force.
I also visited the Courtauld Gallery, thanks to my Art Fund card. It wasn't as big as I had expected, but there were some lovely paintings. I was particularly taken with some of the Medieval tryptiches, and seeing the original of Manet's Bar at the Follies Bergere. My favourite, however, was Monet's Autumn Effect at Argenteuil.
(Image courtesy of the Courtauld Institute.)
My final visit was to Apsley House, the former home of the Duke of Wellington (again free with my Art Fund card). There are a number of paintings, plus various medals and gifts Wellington received as thanks for winning the battle of Waterloo. This included several dinner services. Quite what anyone would do with that many dinner plates is beyond me.
And lastly, both days I ate my lunch in the Victoria Embankment Gardens.
I visited the River Police museum in Wapping. There are very occasional open days, but the curator also does private tours and I arranged one. Fortunately another couple joined as well, which saved the potentially embarrassing "Why are you interested in the Marine Policing Unit?" "I write fanfic with an inspector from the Unit and thought I'd like to know more."
The museum itself is small, but the history is interesting, and we must have been there for nearly two hours. The police unit is the oldest one in London, created before Sir Robert Peel began the main police force.
I also visited the Courtauld Gallery, thanks to my Art Fund card. It wasn't as big as I had expected, but there were some lovely paintings. I was particularly taken with some of the Medieval tryptiches, and seeing the original of Manet's Bar at the Follies Bergere. My favourite, however, was Monet's Autumn Effect at Argenteuil.
(Image courtesy of the Courtauld Institute.)
My final visit was to Apsley House, the former home of the Duke of Wellington (again free with my Art Fund card). There are a number of paintings, plus various medals and gifts Wellington received as thanks for winning the battle of Waterloo. This included several dinner services. Quite what anyone would do with that many dinner plates is beyond me.
And lastly, both days I ate my lunch in the Victoria Embankment Gardens.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-23 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-23 08:14 pm (UTC)The River Police Museum was a great find.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-23 11:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-24 09:17 am (UTC)I selected the Courtauld Gallery and Apsley House purely because they were free with my Art Card - and I wanted to visit them, but there are always so many possibilities in London.
no subject
Date: 2017-08-24 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-24 09:40 pm (UTC)There wasn't as many exhibits at the Courtauld Gallery as I'd expected, some I really liked, but there was quite a lot of modern art which did nothing for me. I'm glad I didn't have to pay.