Renoir going to Paris, you should too

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Don’t you want to hang out in Paris with Renoir? The exhibit “Renoir in the 20th Century” is coming to the national Galleries of the Grand Palais on September 23, 2009 and will stay through December 21, 2009. That gives you plenty of opportunity to soak in what promises to be an impressive exhibition. And, since you’re already hooked on Paris (who isn’t?), Concorde Hotels & Resorts is trying to lure you in the door … which shouldn’t be that hard when you see what they’re offering.

So, shell out for a hotel room (starting at $282 a night), and you’ll pick up two priority tickets to the Renoir exhibition and buffet breakfast for two for every night you stay. You can choose from six hotels for this package.

  • Hotel de Crillon – this 18th century masterpiece has a history closely linked to that of the Place de la Concorde
  • Hotel du Louvre – facing the Musée du Louvre and the Opéra Garnier in the heart of Paris’ fashion district, Hotel du Louvre is differentiated by its colorful interior
  • Hotel Lutetia – the grand hotel on the Left Bank is right in the middle of the action of Saint-Germain des Prés and its fashion boutiques and isn’t far from the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Musée d’Orsay
  • Hotel Concorde St. Lazare – uniquely charming and only a short walk from the Opéra Garnier and several famous Parisian department stores
  • Hotel Concorde La Fayette – located between the Champs-Elysées and La Défense
  • Hotel Concorde Montparnasse – you’ll find it in the heart of Montparnasse

Delaware museum exhibits copy of famous art

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Delaware Art Museum is proud to exhibit a copy of the Mona Lisa. So, if a trip to the Louvre is not in your budget this year, consider Wilmington. You can enjoy the lovely smile of Leonardo da Vinci’s Norwegian artist Tor Egil Hansen’s masterpiece without breaking the bank. Apparently, Hansen spent five months (in 2004 and 2005) to create this knockoff, committing around 400 hours to paint what had already been painted.

So, don your Folex watch, Prado shoes and Armanee suit, and head out to the Delaware Art Museum. Or, if you’re feeling bold, wait for this newer Mona Lisa to appear alongside pirated DVDs on Manhattan’s Canal Street.

It’s announcements like this one that make the financial crisis come to life. We’re celebrating knockoffs in Wilmington.

Paris on a budget: Museums with free admission

by Anna Brones on

In an attempt to make art accessible to everyone, in January, the French government embarked on a 6 month program which opens up several of Paris’ museums free to the public. That means that you have until June 30, 2008 to take advantage of free admission to some of the city’s best museums.

Here are the six museums that are participating:

Musée Guimet – National Museum of Asian Art
Musée Cluny – National Museum of the Middle Ages
Musée des Antiquités Nationales de Saint-Germain-en-Laye – National Museum of Archeology
Musée National de la Renaissance d’Ecouen – Everything from Renaissance sculpture and paintings to furniture
Musée des Arts et Metiers – Houses the collection of the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, which was founded to preserve scientific instruments and inventions
Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace – National Museum of Air and Space

If you are a student, you can also have a pretty complete weekend of Parisian art thanks to the French Ministry of Culture. Four well-known Paris museums are enticing the younger crowd, ages 18-25, with free admission one night a week. This means you can check out the Centre Pompidou (Wednesday nights), the Musée d’Orsay (Thursday nights), the Louvre (Friday nights) and the Musee du Quai Branly (Saturday nights) without spending a penny — except for your Metro ticket.

Photo of the Day (08/27/07)

by Iva Skoch on

A shot dramatic enough to make even Dan Brown jealous! It convinced me that is possible not to get bored of seeing photos of the Louvre. Ain’t Paris grand?

Great job, G. Wells.

Abu Dhabi to Get A Louvre, Two

by Willy Volk on

Everyone knows how beautiful the artwork inside Paris’ Louvre is. However, since not everyone can travel to Paris, wouldn’t it be cool if the Louvre could “franchise” itself so people the world over could enjoy the pieces? Guess what? Yesterday, France’s culture minister confirmed that he will approve the construction of a satellite museum in Abu Dhabi: a Louvre 2.

Experts have estimated the multi-faceted deal — which calls for the Louvre to lend its name, expertise, and some of its art to the branch in the United Arab Emirates — could be worth as much as $1 billion to France. While critics charge that France is trading its heritage for profit, the director of that country’s national museum service said France has an obligation to share its art treasures with the world.

Abu Dhabi is in the midst of creating a $27-billion “cultural district” on Saadiyat Island, hoping to attract prestigious art museums and turn the city into a tourist destination. So far, the only other group to sign on is the Guggenheim, which is in the midst of building a $400-million museum on Saadiyat.

[Photo: Bonita711]