Museums in Italy: Part I

Guggenheim Venice (Photo from Wikipedia)

Italy is a country rich in art and artistic talent. The country holds between 55 to 65% of all the world's art. Based on these stats it's clear that art lovers will have a lot to see and do in Italy, and that the country would have some of the best museums in the world to offer its visitors.

One of the most important museums in Italy is the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the building of which was initiated by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 when Cosimo de' Medici was in power. The name (Uffizi = Offices) came to be because, originally, the building was built to host the city's most important offices. As Florence's ruling family the 'de Medicis collected countless works of art, including paintings and sculptures, and then began using the Uffizi to exhibit them. At the same time artists who would become legends, like Leonardo, met at the Uffizi to share ideas and create art. It took 200 years for the Uffizi to become an official museum, like it is today. At present the Uffizi is the most visited site in Florence.

Genova, Liguria, Italy

Moving south to Rome--to Vatican City, to be exact--you'll find the Vatican Museums. On the last Sunday of every month entrance here is free. You may be wondering why its called Museums, plural. Well, while the Museums feel like one big place they are indeed a combination of several smaller galleries that make up one of the most important museums in the world. The Vatican Museums are where much of the Catholic Church's priceless art is stored as well as some of the classical sculptures and masterpieces of the Renaissance. Of course, here you'll also be able to see the famous Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Judgement Day. The museum is over 500 years old and is made up of 54 galleries that vary in content, including one that has the world's best collection of Egyptian art. Next to the museum is St. Peter's Cathedral, with its grand dome and own collection of priceless art.

Victoria and Albert Museum, Renaissance in Italy

Aside from Florence and Rome one must also not forget the incredible art city that is Venice. The most influential museum in Venice is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, an art museum housed in a palazzo on the Grant Canal. The museum exhibits the private collection of Peggy Guggenheim, who died in 1979. The collection is known for its vast artistic importance and features both European and American artists with a focus on 20th century art--from modernists to futurists--including Picasso, Dali and Pollock.

After enjoying the splendors of Venice let's head back to Rome for a moment and the Capitoline Museum, which takes its name for its location on Capital Hill. The main nature of this museum is to exhibit archeological pieces, in three different buildings, laid around the famous square designed by Michelangelo. What is wonderful about the Capitoline is the range of periods that can be found here from art dating back to the Roman Empire on to medieval times and the Renaissance. The museum also features many items that were used in everyday life centuries ago. The large statues of Constantine and Marcus Aurelius are two of the most impressive in the collection. The latter, after being exposed to the elements in the outside square for years, was finally brought inside so it could be preserved. Another piece of art not to miss if you visit the Capitoline is the She-Wolf with Romulus and Remus, the icon of symbol of Rome.