Museums – Page 4 – Snapping The Globe

The Seeker of Independence

Walking down Barnes Road, toward the coast, on many occasions, to purchase local crafts at the Arts Market in Accra, I’ve noticed a large structure in a park-like setting. Checking a local map, I discovered it to be the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial, dedicated to the memory of the prominent Ghanaian leader Kwame Nkrumah.

Dr. Nkrumah, the former prime minister and Ghana’s first president, led Ghana to seek its independence fifty-nine years ago. Born on the country’s gold coast, he was educated in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and sociology in 1939, a Bachelor of Theology from Lincoln seminary, a Master of Arts degree in philosophy and a Master of Science in education from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Upon his return to Ghana, he made brief stops in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. He then started his political career by working for the colony’s first true political party, the United Gold Coast Convention in December of 1947. His first office, Leader of Government Business, eventually led to his appointment as prime minister. After Ghana’s independence in 1957, he was elected president, with his reign ending in 1966 when he was deposed. Going in to exile in Guinea, he was never to return to Ghana during his lifetime. Falling ill, he died in Bucharest, Romania in 1972, while seeking medical treatment. Buried in Guinea, where he was served as co-president, he was finally returned to Nkroful, Ghana, the village of his birth. The empty tomb, can still be found in Nkroful, however, Nkrumah’s remains were transferred to the large national memorial tomb in Accra.

Having an extra day on my most recent trip to Ghana, I decided to dedicate it to seeing more of what Accra has to offer. Since the Nkrumah monument was not far from the hotel, I decided to make it the focus of my day.

Arriving at the front of the property, there are no signs which direct you to the entrance. A security guard pointed me to an open gate and said that I was welcome to walk throughout the complex. After entering the grounds and being asked for my ticket at the museum, however, I was finally directed to an entrance gate on the far right side of the property, where I paid my admission fee.

The impressive structure that dominates the property is a mausoleum, designed by Don Aurthur and houses the bodies of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former prime minister and Ghana’s first president, and his wife Fathia Nkrumah.

When approaching the mausoleum from High Street, it is preceded by statues of bare-chested Ghanaian flute blowers and other musicians sitting in long fountains of water. The fountains were not operating, taking away from what I would imagine would be a beautiful sight. Directly in front of the mausoleum, is an impressive bronze statue of Kwame Nkrumah standing in the precise spot that he declared Ghana’s independence on March 6, 1957. The mausoleum is reached by concrete bridges on all four sides. The five acres of gardens surrounding the fountains and the mausoleum are alive with old and newly planted trees from dignitaries of other countries.

The mausoleum, built with Italian marble, represents an upside down sword, a symbol of peace in the Akan culture. The black star at the apex symbolizes unity and a skylight at the top of the Mausoleum illuminates the grave which is in the center of the mausoleum.

Another Nkrumah statue, behind the mausoleum, stands headless. Originally residing in front of the Old Parliament House, this statue was vandalized and de-headed during the February 24, 1966 military and police coup d’etat. The recovered head, which was presented by a patriotic citizen to the information service department, sits next to the statue.

A small museum is at the rear of the property. This museum, houses many of the personal items of Dr. Nkrumah as well as correspondence and photographs of his meetings with many important world dignitaries.

There is also a small gift shop at the rear right side and a refreshment stand on the left side of the property with some picnic tables.

The Memorial is interesting to visit and very educational for those unaware of Ghana’s history. Though needing a bit of upkeep, it is also a fitting tribute to a great man.

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Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and Mausoleum

Address: High Street, Accra, Ghana
Hours: unknown
Admission: 10 cedi

The Lost Lights

Remember the Sands Hotel? The Stardust? The Golden Nugget? The old neon signs?

Well, I certainly miss the old Vegas. I miss the $1.99 breakfasts and the $5.99 steak dinners. I miss playing roulette for fifty cents. I miss all of the old casinos with their beautiful neon signs that decorated the strip. Everything is now new, commercialized and quite expensive. Vegas is still fun, but in a different way.

Having heard about the Neon Museum some time ago, it has been my desire to visit this place so that I could reminiscence about the Vegas I remember. Since visits are by guided tour, only a set number of guests are allowed each day and evening, therefore, tickets are hard to come by, usually sold out weeks in advance.

This year, finally remembering to purchase tickets to the Neon Museum, we selected an 8:30 a.m. entrance to avoid the heat of the day. My husband and I, realizing what a lengthy trek is was to reach the venue, then investigated all avenues of transportation, finally deciding to rent a car for the day.

Our arrival at the museum was met by 98 degree temperatures and we quickly ducked into the lobby to collect our tickets and await our tour. The waiting area, a unique space, once the La Concha Motel lobby, showcases the original sign from the motel, acts as a visitor’s center and offers a multitude of souvenirs as well as a machine to send an email postcard.

Upon the appearance of our guide, we were ushered into the outdoor courtyard to begin our tour which commenced with the presentation of the history of the museum and history of the city. As we were ushered past the first sign in the collection, we ventured into the Neon Boneyard which houses the main outdoor exhibition space for the remainder of the signs. The abundance of signs here is staggering.

As the tour guide navigates you through the collection (some restored, some in their original condition), unique stories about the personalities who created them, inspired them, when and where they were made and roles that these signs played in Las Vegas’ history are presented. Much time is allowed for photographs, however, visitors are instructed that their captured images may only be for personal use.

Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum, a non-profit organization, has dedicated itself to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting these iconic Las Vegas signs. The museum also chronicles changes and trends in sign design and technology through pieces ranging from the 1930’s to the present day.

Night tours are offered, with the museum lighting seven of the collection’s signs and the remainder illuminated by spotlight. Although I had originally wished to tour the museum in the darkened hours, I was happy to see the collection during the daylight which enhanced the abundance of beautiful colors. Eventually, I would like to re-visit the museum and see the signs illuminated…that, in addition to a different tour guide’s narratives, would be like a wholly different tour.

Having been to Vegas close to fifty times over the years, I can say, without a doubt, this was one of my most favorite things that I have ever done in the desert city. Worth every penny for the tour and the rental car, my husband and I considered it a fabulous way to spend part of our day!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Neon Museum

http://www.neonmuseum.org/
Address: 770 N Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Hours: 0800-2000 daily. Closed New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Admission: Day tours, $18 general admission, $12 seniors 65+, students, active military, veterans and Nevada residents.
Admission: Night tours, $25 general admission, $22 seniors 65+, students, active military, veterans and Nevada residents.
Parking for museum guests is free and located adjacent to the museum off of McWilliams Ave.
Tours are subject to inclement weather, such as high winds over 25mps or lightning.
Useful Information: No backpacks, camera bags, large bags, additional camera lenses, monopods, selfie sticks or tripods are allowed on tours. No alcohol. No weapons. Service animals only are allowed. Closed-toe shoes are recommended. Visitors must remain with their guide at all times. No smoking, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff allowed. Museum-appropriate attire required. Guests arriving more than 20 minutes late may forfeit tour.

Cloudy and Gaudi

If you love both architecture and Barcelona, you can’t help but think of Antoni Gaudi the Spanish Catalan architect, whose work was influenced by the passions in his life, mainly architecture, nature and religion. When in Barcelona, it is an absolute must to see Gaudi’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia and interesting to visit Unesco Heritage Sites Parque Guell, Casa Batló and Casa Milà, all designed by Gaudi. (Later this year, Casa Vicens will be open to the public as a museum, as well).

Rain had been in the forecast for Barcelona all week and I had hoped that as the time went on, that maybe the forecast would change for the better. No dice…when we landed, there were raindrops all of over the airplane windows and it was dark and gloomy outside.

Pondering the many things to do in Barcelona, I had originally thought of taking the bus to Parque Guell if the weather was nice. Obviously, this wasn’t going to happen. My second idea was to re-visit Sagrada Familia; it had been three years since I had last toured the impressive church. Definitely worth a second visit, I checked the website for available tickets, however, the only time slot available was 7:00 pm. Not wanting the pressure of trying to squeeze in something before and having to make it there for the admission time, I decided it probably wasn’t the day to do it.

Since Gaudi was on my mind and I had visited Casa Batló last year, Casa Milà caught my eye. Just down the street from Casa Batló on Passeig de Gràcia, it was an easy bus ride from my hotel. And….I would be indoors in the event that the weather was not optimum.

Not raining any longer, but still quite cloudy and threatening, we took the number 7 bus down to Passeig de Gràcia near the Diagonal Metro Station. Disembarking, we walked down the street and proceeded to get in line with the hordes of people that were where we assumed was Casa Milà. Thankfully, I looked up at the building and realized that it looked very familiar. We were not at Casa Milà, but Casa Batló, as we had walked in the wrong direction! Without having wasted much time, we headed in the opposite direction and soon came to the correct destination, Casa Milà. Here, thankfully, there was a very short line and as we stood in the queue, the sky began to clear and we actually saw a bit of sunshine.

Built from 1906 to 1912 as two apartment blocks with separate entrances and linked by two large courtyards, Casa Milà was erected as a family home for Pere Milà i Camps and his wife Roser Segimon i Artells, but with apartments for rent. The building’s facade is compromised of undulating stone with twisting wrought iron balconies and windows. It resembles an open quarry, thus earning the nickname, La Pedrera. Casa Milà was Gaudi’s fourth and final work that he did on Passeig de Gràcia, which was the main avenue of Barcelona at the time.

As we began the long climb up to the top of the building, we passed some of the apartments that share the space. We exited the stairwell onto the Roof Terrace, and were in awe of the sight before us. Many architectural sculptures stood before us which serve the building artistically as well as practically as stairwells, ventilation towers and chimneys. There were many a picture here on the terrace and from the building as the Sagrada Familia and multiple parts of the city could be viewed from here. I learned later that the Roof Terrace closes when it is raining, so we were extremely fortunate that the weather was cooperating at that time…a little cloudy, but overall dry.

The next space to visit, was the Espai Gaudi. This spectacular attic space, with its arched ceiling devotes itself to Gaudi’s work. The 270 catenary arches of various heights support the Roof Terrace and is an amazing display of architectural genius.

The Pedrera Apartment recreates the life of a bourgeois family in Barcelona during the early twentieth century. Located on the fourth floor, the apartment is decorated with period furniture, works of art, ornaments, fabrics and household accessories. Displayed here, not only the way of life during the time period, but the eloquent architecture.

Finally, on the lower level of the building is the Courtyard. Looking up to the open air above where the Roof Terrace is located, this space aids with light and ventilation. Colorful murals adorn the ceilings and walls of the lobbies and main staircase. At the top of the staircase, the Exhibition Hall is located. This main floor was the former residence of the Milà’s and displays the open-floor plan used by Gaudi.

As our visit to La Pedrera was complete, we were shocked to see how much time had passed. So absorbed in the building and all that it offered, we had spent almost three hours taking in this astonishing architecture! An interesting way to spend an afternoon, we learned that we could return at another time to experience Casa Milà by Night which offers multiple projections in the stairwells and Passeig de Gràcia Courtyard as well as an extraordinary audiovisual show on the Roof Terrace. Truly a remarkable, well-rounded experience!

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Casa Milà “La Pedrera”

https://www.lapedrera.com/ca/home
Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 92. 08008, Barcelona
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 to 20:30
Hours: La Pedrera by Night, Monday to Sunday, 21:00 to 23:00
Admission: La Pedrera by Day, Adults, 20.50€, Students, 16.50€, Children (7-12), 10.25€, Children (under 7), free. Includes audio guide.
Admission: La Pedrera by Day and Night, Adults, 39.50€, Children (7-12), 19.75€, Children (under 7), free. Includes audio guide.
Admission: La Pedrera Premium, Adults, 27.00€, Children (7-12), 10.25€, Children (under 7), free. Includes guide book, audio guide and premium admission with no waiting.
How to get there: Bus, 7, 16, 17, 24 and V17. Metro, lines 3 and 5, station Diagonal. FGC, Provença-La Pedrera. RENFE, Passeig de Gràcia

Museum Time in Mainz

If you ever find yourself in Mainz, Germany on a Sunday, you may ask yourself, “How on earth will I occupy myself today?” Yes, everything is pretty much closed on Sundays throughout much of Germany. Well, not everything…

After a little bit of googling, it was uncovered that the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz is open on most Sundays and can be quite entertaining for a few hours. The history of printing, writing and books is showcased in a three story volunteer-run modern institution.

Located in the heart of the old part of Mainz near the cathedral, it is one of the oldest museums of books and printing in the world. Founded in 1900, it was dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg, who in the 15th century ushered in the information age by perfecting movable type.

Most notable in the gallery are the extremely rare and valuable examples of Gutenberg’s original 42-line bible, kept in a walk-in vault. Another main attraction is a reconstruction of Gutenberg’s workshop. Museum visitors are shown on the hour (at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00) how printing was done during the time of Johannes Gutenberg.

Printing presses spanning a period of several centuries are on display. Detailed information of European and non-European printing technology and books in the course of centuries as well as the history of paper and writing, the history of newspapers and magazines and bookbinding are also presented.

One section that I found most interesting was the section on the history of printing beginning with the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. Very fascinating to see was the Chinese wood blocks used for printing as well as writing on tortoise shells and bone. The Chinese invented movable type long before Gutenberg, but the thousands of characters required to create written Chinese made the invention impractical. A table, on display in the museum, which contains thousands of Chinese characters in movable type, is most impressive.

In the museum’s Druckladen (print shop) you can try out Gutenberg’s technology yourself, with instruction on the art of hand-setting type…backwards, of course. Nearby, master craftsmen produce elegant posters, cards and certificates using the labor-intensive technologies of the past.

Either before or after your visit, take some time to see the statue of Johannes Gutenberg outside of the museum as well as the unique printing block sculptures.

The tour is self-guided and most exhibits are in English. If you care for more information, an audio tour can be purchased for €3.50.

.For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Gutenberg Museum

http://www.gutenberg-museum.de/index.php?id=29&L=1
Address: Liebfrauenplatz 5, 55116 Mainz
Admission: Adults, € 5,00, Children (ages 8-18) € 2,00, Children (under 8) free, Family ticket (parents with own children up to 15 years): € 10.00. Reduced Fee: € 3.00 applicable for students from 19 years onward; trainees; disabled persons; recipients of Social Security benefits; seniors from 63 years onward; pensioners; conscripts / conscientious objectors undergoing civilian service – corresponding documentation is necessary.
Hours: Exhibition Building, Tuesday to Saturday: 9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m., Sunday: 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Closed on Mondays and on public holidays.
Self-guided Audio tour (German, English, French): € 3.50
Getting there: Bus routes 54-57-60-65 and 71 from the central station to the Höfchen bus stop or bus routes 64, 71 from the south central station (Römisches Theater) to the Höfchen bus stop