Museums

“Junkyard of Stuff We Don’t Know Where to Put”

London was incredible. Despite a lot of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip was a major success, eye-opening, and very engaging. As a major city within Europe, it is definitely a capital of the world, not just of England. It was a trip filled with new experiences. I was able to do things I never thought I would. We were able to pack so much into one week, but it still wasn’t enough time to see it all. Some of my favorite experiences include the view from the Shard, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, Transport Museum, and seeing Mamma Mia at a local theatre. This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the things we got to see and do. Even though there are similarities between the United Kingdom and the United States, there is so much history and culture that we got to immerse in that was different. One of the most mind-blowing things was seeing the tomb of Elizabeth and Mary. So much history surrounds Londoners on a daily basis, it almost doesn’t seem real. For example, seeing the Roman wall was insane and it didn’t seem fathomable that something so old still existed. I was extremely impressed with how history is so fluidly involved in everyday life there. Another thing that amazed me was the Underground system. Public transportation is generally underdeveloped within the United States, especially when compared to other countries in the world. Although it was dirty, to be able to traverse anywhere in the city with the tap of a card was freeing, and I could not help but wish we had such a system here. The United States may have developed much differently than London, but it is my hope that an efficient and effective public transportation system can be instituted. It was interesting to see how London sprawls and maintains its level of density within the context of historical landmarks and other major nodes. Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention that the people really made the trip special. Whether it was Casey making a guard laugh on duty, Jeff explaining why Disney is not nearly as good as Universal, or Blake’s general pursuit of ice cream, getting to know everyone on the trip and exploring the city together was special. Traveling to London has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to make my way back to the city someday—ideally not during a global pandemic.

Also, one of my favorite quotes: (in reference to Westminster Abbey) “A junkyard of stuff we don’t know where to put” -Blue Badge Guide

 

Palm House at Kew Gardens

Some of the disused stations along Tube lines

View from the Shard

Experiencing London

My Experiential Map!

By far my favorite sketch that we have done from this trip was the experiential map. I liked it because it helped me to reflect back on the day and remember exactly what we did. It also gave a new perspective to just how much are we covered, and helped me relate a map to the experience of walking through a space. I also enjoyed making quick little sketches of the places we visited, and accompanying them with longer descriptions of my experience in that space. I think this is the sketch I’m most proud of, and I am really happy I learned about this type of sketch in this class.

London on our Own

Today was the first day that we had the most free time on our own and it was an adventure. We started the day at Westminster

In the Victoria and Albert Museum

Front facade of Westminster Abbey

A food market we found downtown

Abbey with a blue guide who knew a ton about the church and who was buried there. I personally did not know how many people were buried there and how cluttered it all was. I could not believe that we could just step on all the people including Isaac Newton. I also was shocked about how many small rooms were within the church because from famous pictures you never got to see the other parts of the church besides the main nave. We then went to Victoria and Albert Museum for our free choice of museum. I was shocked when I walked through those doors and discovered what was actually in there. I thought that the museum was tiny and only famous because of its origin and not the amount of artifacts and paintings that were actually there. I could spend hours looking at those sculptures. I appreciated the difference in scale between each sculpture, from large to small. We also saw the architecture exhibit and although hard to find, it was amazing and I would love to go back.

A Willingness to Change?

London continues to amaze. I have been afforded the opportunity to visit some culturally and historically rich sites of England. These sites included Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, and Tower of London. After all sites had been visited, I think the idea that stuck out the most to me was the idea of change. The Blue Badge Tour Guide at Westminster Abbey indicated that the church was a combination of years of ideas with no original plan. He elaborated that even though Westminster may appear to be finished, they will continue to update the architecture to fit current needs. I found this idea that they would be so willing to change the building as seen fit instead of freezing it in its current time period very unique. The openness to change was quite different than what I experienced in Stonehenge and Tower of London. Stonehenge had had an unfortunate history of vandalism before it became a much more regulated area, but as a result, Stonehenge never seems likely to change. The historical preservationist organization that cares for the structure seem to have frozen it in place with only additions and changes to infrastructure around the site. This idea seemed more normal as that has been my general experience. When going to museums like the Tower of London, the pieces within seem to be static and unlikely to ever change. The whole idea of willingness to change was extremely surprising to me, but I am glad that the people of England and its visitors will have spaces that make sense for current uses instead of outdated purposes.

West works of Westminster Abbey. Latest additions include 10 small statues above doorway.

Stonehenge: A Complete Mystery of Use

White Tower within larger Tower of London fortress

Window into the old Monarchy: The Tower of London

Today I am thankful that our group was fortunate enough to have received a tour of Westminster Abbey. From seeing the tombs of Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I, it was only a natural segue that for the museum we were able to venture to on our own was the Tower of London. Upon entering the establishment one immediately spots “Traitor’s Gate”, which Queen Elizabeth I herself passed through while under arrest by her half-sister Mary I. This entry point from the river comes to meet the first set of the Tower’s defenses as its path joins that of the pedestrian to being to pass through the multiple layers of inner fortifications of the Tower. This dense layering most definitely serves its purpose of intimidation upon the pedestrian even today as it proved to be an impenetrable labyrinth of walls we most certainly needed to be guided through. Upon entry into the main center of the Tower, it was incredible to enter the White Tower itself; serving as a fortress, palace, armory, etc. it was well apparent its significance at the literal and contextual core of London’s history. Across from the White Tower the Crown Jewels are housed. To be allowed to view these left me speechless. The items all showcase the deep, rich history of the United Kingdom as one of the world’s foremost empires in history from the sheer grandeur and global utilization of materials for the jewels themselves. I am most thankful to have been able to see them. On a more solemn note however, from the entrance of the Crown Jewels display one is able to gaze upon Tower Green. It is here numerous history shaping, albeit gruesome events took place. For example, Lady Jane Grey, Queen of 9 days before Mary I usurped her on throne, was beheaded here at just age 16; as well as Queen Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, just at age 19. Most infamously though, it is also the location of Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution; mother of Queen Elizabeth I and the catalyst for England’s split from the Pope. Anne is buried underneath the floor of the adjacent chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, and to witness the seemingly nondescript tomb of one of the most controversial women in all of history, was well worth the overall ticket price and free choice to visit the Tower of London today in my opinion.

Anne Boleyn’s floor grave marker in chapel

The White Tower

Interior Chapel of St. John

Detail meets function

Sketch of a column detail in the Natural History Museum

Photo of a detail on a column in the Natural History Museum

When we visited the Natural History Museum I was immediately struck by the beauty of the building on the inside and outside. I was even more intrigued when I looked closer at the walls columns and ceiling and noticed the immense, and purposeful, amount of detail that was present. The stonework in particular contained lots of small surprises that could be easily overlooked, such as this monkey that was clinging to the column. I thought that these details were great because they correlated with the function of building, which was a natural history museum. Just as a religious building would have religious iconography engraved in the stone, this museum had its main characters carved into the building, acting as a constant reminder of the space that you are in.

Rescued or Taken Hostage?

I think that the question of whether Britain should return the Elgin marbles definitely can not be answered with a simple yes or no, otherwise I wouldn’t be writhing this blog. I feel that back when Britain “rescued” the marbles and put them on display in 1817, they were a much more civilized and developed country than Athens, Greece was. Therefore this raises the question of was Athen’s capable of properly housing, caring for, and protecting the Elgin Marbles. Who knows, if Britain never moved the marbles, they might not even exist today. However, since we cannot change the past, we must look at the fact that they do exist today, and are a focal point of Athenian and Greek culture. It would be similar to taking the Declaration of Independence from The United States. Therefore, I do feel that now Britain should return the stones or at least have some way of Athens buying or trading back for them.

View from the center of the exhibit

Statues from the frieze

War horse carved depiction

Museums, Greenwich and Cathedrals, Oh my!

On Saturday, the afternoon after we arrived in London, we went to St Paul’s cathedral. The inside was incredibly intricate and vast, the structure is monumental and absolutely gorgeous. We climbed up many compact, winding stairs (through the double dome structure) to get an amazing view of the city, which really helped me to orient myself, and gave a great preview to all the activities and places to look forward to in the coming days.

View out from top of St Pauls towards One New Change shopping mall.

Our second full day in London consisted of a 10 mile walking tour, starting with Monument, then heading down to Tower of London, across Tower Bridge to Tate Modern, a boat out to Greenwich, and finally ending at the Olympic Village. My favorite part of this whole day was visiting Greenwich, where we saw the Painted Hall, The Queens House, and the Prime Meridian. The whole complex was incredibly beautiful, I especially enjoyed the Thornhill paintings in the Painted Hall. We also hiked up the hill to the observatory, and got a great view out towards the Thames.

Ceiling by Thornhill in Greenwich Painted Hall

The next day, we visited the British Museum, where we drew the central plaza and reading room. This was a real challenge, because the ceiling is very complex. My favorite part of the museum was all the Greek statues.

View of Reading Room and ceiling at the British Museum

Sam’s Blog 1

Sketched view looking down the nave from the quire at St. Paul’s

I really enjoyed visiting St Paul’s on our first day, and I thought that one of the coolest views that I saw was this view from the quire area, looking down the nave. I thought it was important to add the scripture book in front, because from this view it felt like I was addressing the congregation. I also thought it was important to get the deep perspective in this view because the nave is so long, so I used converging lines that all meet at the end of the nave. This view was also full of detail, so I had to limit the amount of detail I included in my sketch, and instead just added a little more density to the lines in certain spots to give the illusion of more detail.

Sketch of part of A statue of King Ramses I

I thought that this huge statue of part of a statue of King Ramses II was one of the coolest artifacts in the museum. It was located right in the. Middle of three Egyptian artifacts, and towered over all of the other items, so it was the first thing that most people notice when they walk in. For my sketch I tried to use a wide range of shading so that the drawing wouldn’t appear flat, as it did originally with just the linework. It also seemed like Ramses II was gazing out over the crowd unbothered by the people below him in this statue, which is the feeling that I tried to capture in this sketch.

Blog 1

On Saturday, we were able to go to so many cool places such as Barbican, Museum of London, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. We took the tube for the first time from Tottenham Court Road to St. Paul’s on the Central Line! The tube was much cleaner than I could’ve imagine, especially compared to the subway in NYC. It felt very easy to navigate which was very reassuring for the rest of the trip.

Casey and I in the Tube for the first time.

Barbican was a very different building to be in, as I haven’t been in many brutalist buildings before. It was really interesting learning more about Brutalism from Troy’s lecture while we were in the building.

From Barbican we went to the Museum of London. There were a few really cool sections to see, but the most exciting one was definitely the London Wall. Even though it is just a small bit of the wall, it is so amazing to think of how long that has been standing and how much history is within that wall. We got to go all the way up to it, which I wasn’t expecting. The wall was amazing to see, and obviously Casey was very excited about it.

Casey being extremely excited about the London Wall.

After being at the museum we made our way to St. Paul’s Cathedral. This was by far my favorite part of the trip so far. I’ve been in many beautiful churches but this was one of the most amazing churches I’ve ever been in. The dome was unreal and even though the stairs all the way up to the top were extremely difficult, the view from the top was so worth it.

The inside of the dome at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Piece By Piece

After our first couple of days in London, I was absolutely in awe of the eclectic styles and cultures seen blended into an everyday hustle. While visiting the British museum, I was able to enjoy beautiful art from these many different parts of the world that were acquired by the British, whether it’s fully intact paintings, replicated models, or bits and pieces of sculptures. This varied display shows the history of the world and Britain through their own eyes in a heroic way, but the pieces were often wrongfully taken from other societies that have been pieced into British culture. Although this appropriation has a horrific past and troubled presence today, the scavenged art, even if broken, is beautiful and a sight to see all in one place. I focused on one broken piece that provoked this idea of collaging cultures, with one bust of Apollo split asymmetrically and chipped all over. Despite the damaged material and brutal facial reconstruction, it is a glimpse into another time and allows a look at its past by its current state, all the while remaining a breathtaking view, just like London.

Sketch of Apollo

 

Montel’s Blog Post 1

We’ve made it to London! There is so much new to offer culturally and societally. Many of the museums offer a deeper look into history than some of the same in the states, even though we share some of the same history. Visiting the British Museum on day two was a strand and overwhelming experience. The building offers such a majestic canvas to house artifacts, however the content dissolves from British history drastically. Many objects and artifacts weren’t originally in British possession, a double edged sword; many unanswered questions about how they were obtained but the preservation is impeccable for how old they are.

Statue of King from a tomb in Egypt.

Some of the displays did bother me because they showed pictures of how the artifact would be originally displayed in its original location. As I walked around I wondered if that were from my culture how would I feel seeing bits and pieces in a glass box. Regardless, the collection was extensive, and I’d say one of the most complete I’ve seen from a museum about world history. I might check it back out later on the trip. It would be well worth the time to see some of the exhibits.

Caryatid from the Erechtheum.

Sarcophagi from Egypt

Blog 1

  • I really enjoyed the British Museum. The Greek exhibit area was my favorite because I love the figural statues. I’ve always enjoyed sculptural art the most, specifically Greek sculptures. My favorite statue was the crouching Venus. I am grateful that I was able to see an exhibit of Greek art when visiting the British Museum. However, I do not agree with the mindset that the museum has that they are the rescuers of this art. This art, especially the pieces of the Parthenon, are apart of Greek culture and history and no foreign country should believe they have the right to steal that history. I interpret England’s refusal to return this art to its rightful home as a way of showing dominance over another country or culture which can loosely be interpreted as cultural suppression. England “rescued” something that not only did not need to be rescued, but they “rescued” something that they had no authority to. I found it strange that the British Museum consisted of history from many non British cultures. Greek art is not the only foreign art. There are many cultures represented in the British Museum. I believe that it is important for people to have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and I am glad there is a place like this museum for people to experience the art of different cultures. However, the question in then raised again if this artwork belongs in its own country or if the museum has the right to display this art for the public.

Crouching Venus

Caryatid in British Museum

British Museum Greek art

    Jeff and Troy admiring art together

Blog 1

I was thinking about the question Aimee asked at the British museum and I was thinking about those kind of questions the entire time I was at the museum before, as well. I think it is not okay that they took the pieces from all of the places around the world. The museum was extremely beautiful and grand and I really appreciated the artifacts as they were but I could feel myself becoming more and more uncomfortable thinking about how they took the pieces. That being said, I think they did a great job at displaying everything that they stole from other people and providing a vast amount of information about every piece and making sure they are cared and treated for. Although, some of the artifacts captions had a fancy way of saying that they were stolen sprinkled into the paragraph. My friends and I are planning on going back to the museum when it is dark to look around more at places that we did not see and to look at everything in anew perspective. Although difficult, I enjoyed sketching the ceiling of the British Museum. You got to look at the detail of the ceiling and understand where the beams were and how the pattern of the structure comes together to form such an extraordinary clerestory.

The British Museum, is it right?

Today we went to the British Museum. I had a great time as there was so much to see. One of the best things about the Museum was its vast collections of artifacts and art from all over the world. However, the location of those pieces here in London raises questions concerning Britain’s (and other nations) history of “relocating” or “saving” items of cultural significance from around the world. While admiring all of the artwork, I couldn’t help but ponder on whether the British Museum should be allowed to hold such important pieces of other societies. On one hand, I would argue that it is good that the British Museum has done this, as someone like me can visit one place and see art from all over the world, dating back thousands of years. London, being such an international city, provides easy access for all of the world to experience those works of art. Had those pieces stayed in their places of origin, I would not have been able to see Greek pottery, Roman sculptures, Egyptian mummies, Chinese jade jewelry, and so much more in just one day. Most likely, I, and many other people, would have never been able to experience any of those things. On the other hand, I would argue that there is something not quite right with someone growing up in Greece, living within eyesight of the Parthenon and never seeing the Parthenon Marbles while a kid living in England could see them whenever they choose. The more I think about it, the harder it is for me to say that it’s okay. Why does England (and several other countries) get to take the most incredible pieces of culture from all over the world and keep them for themselves? Imagine if the U.S. (or any other country) just took the Crown Jewels and held them in a museum. I think everyone would agree that that isn’t right, so what’s different about what England has done? Nevertheless, I am grateful that I was able to visit the British Museum and experience all of “its” wonders.

Me displaying Greek Statues

A bronze Chinese sculpture

Me wondering if the Parthenon marbles should be housed in England