art | Daydream Tourist

Aug 7

Baroque gallery, National Gallery of Art

Masterpieces for Free: An Art Day in Washington DC

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are treating you to An Art Day in some of our favorite city. Check out all the stories below!

Pablo PIcasso's "Family of Saltimbanques" at the National Gallery of Art

Viewing “Family of Saltimbanques” in the Picasso Gallery at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

I am so lucky to live in Washington DC! We have interesting architecture, great music and performing arts organizations, very active international Embassies, beautiful public art and monuments, and an incredible collection of museums and galleries. Since the National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian Museums are administered by the US federal government, admission is always free. While this is a dream come true for DC’s students, it is great symbolic gesture for visitors to the city – the visual arts should be enjoyed freely and shared with all. With all the special exhibits to see, I practically get an “art day” every month and so I absolutely recommend an art trip to DC!

Jul 15

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Gilded Age Decorative Arts: Chicago’s Driehaus Museum

Magnificant marble front entrance to the Driehaus Museum

Nothing captures the artistic spirit of an era like a historic home. Through a coherent assemblage of architectural elements, furniture, and decor, you can get an absolute understanding of a period’s design principles. I recently visited the Driehaus Museum in Chicago which presents within its luxurious rooms the evolving American decorative arts of the Gilded Age. This mansion is also a startlingly beautiful oasis in the modern business center of Chicago and definitely worth a visit!

Jul 7

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Brunelleschi the Architect: More Than Florence’s Duomo

The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme. This month we are looking at architecture. Check out all the stories below!

Florence Cathedral Duomo (Photo: Flickr, Bruce Stokes)

If you know Florence, Italy, then you know Filippo Brunelleschi. He was the architect who designed and constructed the soaring dome of the Florence Cathedral. While still impressive today, this engineering feat was revolutionary in the 15th century. But what many people don’t realize is that Brunelleschi completed several other equally influential buildings in Florence. Brunelleschi’s chapels and churches set the standard for Renaissance architecture by re-introducing and expanding on Roman architectural concepts. The harmonious and proportioned designs of Brunelleschi’s buildings makes them a must-see, even in a city overflowing with fantastic art.

Jun 30

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Exploring China and Kenya at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

It’s not every day that you can walk from Kenya to China, but that’s what I did this Saturday. Every summer for two weeks, the National Mall is DC is transformed into a center for global culture when it hosts the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Over 100 artisans, musicians, performers, and chefs take up residence and share their national traditions with Washington DC. The rich cultures of Kenya and China were presented this year and I had a wonderful time exploring the festivities!

The Flower Plaque gate made of bamboo, paper, and plastic welcomes visitors into the Chinese section of the Festival.

Jun 25

The Ruins of Pergamon

The ancient city of Pergamon, just outside modern Bergama, is not necessarily on the “tourist trail” in Turkey, so I made a special point to visit. From the garden behind my guesthouse, I shared a bottle of Raki with the other travelers and watched the fading sunset and twilight dance across the ancient ruins on the mountain above us. My mind wandered back and forth between imagining this once magnificent capitol city and contemplating the quiet, emptied ruins present today. That ancient Pergamon exists at all today in Bergama, Turkey is a wonder and a testament to its phenomenal and multi-layered history.