I still remember the good old
times, before visiting museums became a must ingredient for all tourists. In those
days, tourists would cover the museum slot, by visiting a Madame Tussauds. In
those days, you could enjoy the wonderful treasures of the world’s major museums
in peace and quiet. Now, you get pushed around by hordes and cannot really concentrate
in a museum, let alone, in any of the mega-exhibitions, which all museums seem
to be offering. They are all filled with groups, often totally uninterested, as
they chatter away with their friends, whilst their guides weave and waive them
through the art-filled rooms.
Another phenomenon is the photo-taking-museum-visitor.
I stood and watched, as one visitor after another placed themselves in front of
a painting, took a picture and walked on. The point is, they would walk on without
actually looking at the painting. It was all about taking a picture. I am not
quite sure what the purpose of it is. Are they trying to create a cheap version,
a self-made catalogue of the exhibition?
And to top it all, you get the selfie takers. Why look at the painting, such as the Mona Lisa, if you can get yourself a selfie with her?
Thank you for confirming my impression of Paris as over crowded, over priced and over rated. Visiting the over hyped art exhibitions at premiere venues is clearly a waste of time, as it is in London.
ReplyDeleteIf you go at the right time of day and year you will still be able to enjoy Leonardo, Boticelli and all the other exhibits at the Uffizi in Florence.
ReplyDeleteI’m reading your blog now...your comment about crowds of tourists in museums is exactly right... I experienced that in London in the National Gallery a couple of months ago.
ReplyDeleteSchön, Euer Museumsgruss mit Selfiüberfluss. Auch diese grosse Welle wird vorbeirollen, spätestens, wenn entdeckt wird, dass die Grossveranstalter zur Schonung der Originale hervorragende Repros ausstellen. Niemand merkt es, bitte nicht weitersagen!
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