Culture
photo: Richard Harris
This is the Children's Museum which is "open to children and families" and contains "interactive and fun exhibitions to get to know each other and discover the world." Notice the red elephant-horse in the lower left corner.
This is the Children's Museum which is "open to children and families" and contains "interactive and fun exhibitions to get to know each other and discover the world." Notice the red elephant-horse in the lower left corner.
photo: Richard Harris
I went to the Royal Arts and History Museum to use my free entrance with my MNF pass which had an expiration date of March 31st. The temporary exhibit I wanted to see ended March 3rd so I decided to see as many of the permanent exhibits as possible. It turned out a be a magical experience. I saw incredible Amazonian feather costumes, Tibetan copulating Gods, elaborate Roman Vth Century mosaics, XVIIIth and XIXth Century Belgian high-end sleighs, XIXth machines, Brussels' tapestries, Antwerp woodwork, actual shrunken heads, Meuse valley metalwork, antique glass, Merovingian graves opened, glass covered and set in a reconstruction of the hill they found in, a fascinating five minute action map of the barbarian invasions across Europe from 200-600AD, a Catteau Art Deco pottery collection, and many other things including (see photo above) the only Rapa Nui statue removed from the island. It's also unique in that its top knot is part of it as opposed to sculpted separately, that it has hieroglyphics carved on it, that it has no ears, that it has legs, and that it has anatomical depictions on it. It is the God of Fishermen and came with a song written by a Rapa Nui woman to commemorate the removal of the statue. The song ends with the phrase "and they will place you in a hallowed place in Belgium and all the girls will come to honor you."
I went to the Royal Arts and History Museum to use my free entrance with my MNF pass which had an expiration date of March 31st. The temporary exhibit I wanted to see ended March 3rd so I decided to see as many of the permanent exhibits as possible. It turned out a be a magical experience. I saw incredible Amazonian feather costumes, Tibetan copulating Gods, elaborate Roman Vth Century mosaics, XVIIIth and XIXth Century Belgian high-end sleighs, XIXth machines, Brussels' tapestries, Antwerp woodwork, actual shrunken heads, Meuse valley metalwork, antique glass, Merovingian graves opened, glass covered and set in a reconstruction of the hill they found in, a fascinating five minute action map of the barbarian invasions across Europe from 200-600AD, a Catteau Art Deco pottery collection, and many other things including (see photo above) the only Rapa Nui statue removed from the island. It's also unique in that its top knot is part of it as opposed to sculpted separately, that it has hieroglyphics carved on it, that it has no ears, that it has legs, and that it has anatomical depictions on it. It is the God of Fishermen and came with a song written by a Rapa Nui woman to commemorate the removal of the statue. The song ends with the phrase "and they will place you in a hallowed place in Belgium and all the girls will come to honor you."
This is a very useful website. It catalogues and gives all the vital information for the approximately 100 museums in Brussels. Plus they produce a really nifty free map of Brussels with all the museums indicated. Who knew there was a Museum of Spontaneous Art or a Modern Religious Art Museum or a Museum of Public Social Welfare? Or a Clockarium? Or two different pharmacy museums? Or a Museum of Medecine with a separate room dedicated to venereal diseases etc etc etc. Check it out.
photo: Richard Harris
Even though A-list American actors refuse to do advertising in the US as it's considered very déclassé, they are very happy to grab the bucks by posing for advertising in the rest of the world. It also underlines the isolation of the US that they can get away with it.
This week Uma Thurman has invaded the metro system in Brussels hawking Givenchy's new perfum. And these are not isolated posters; Givenchy seems to have purchased every other location and there are up to a dozen Umas per station. Someone decided to editorialize on this one.
Even though A-list American actors refuse to do advertising in the US as it's considered very déclassé, they are very happy to grab the bucks by posing for advertising in the rest of the world. It also underlines the isolation of the US that they can get away with it.
This week Uma Thurman has invaded the metro system in Brussels hawking Givenchy's new perfum. And these are not isolated posters; Givenchy seems to have purchased every other location and there are up to a dozen Umas per station. Someone decided to editorialize on this one.