Museum Mayer van den Bergh, Antwerp

Advantages: beer
Disadvantages: sad in winter

...Until the 15th century Antwerp was a minor city in Belgium. It was only when its port begun to take more and more of the market share of its competitor Bruges, that Antwerp became a rich city. Some of the merchant based here soon became very rich and did not hesitate in spending money on their residences. The Baroque buildings, together with the tapestries and paintings, which can be seen today, remind us of this glorious past. I only visited one art museum, while there, the “Royal Museum of Fine Arts” in Leopold de Waelplaats 1-9, bang in the middle of the town. I would recommend a visit to it, as a way of getting a good overview on the heritage of Antwerp. However, everyone seems to agree that the finest monument in Antwerp is the Gothic cathedral of Our Lady. Do not miss the “Flemish Renaissance... Read review

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Advantages: A well-presented exhibition and superb collection of works
Disadvantages: Can get very busy, especially at weekends

...With only two days in Amsterdam I was keen to cram in as much as possible. As it rained pretty much the whole time we were there, indoor activites were top of the list and as the Rijksmuseum was closed for essential works, next on my list was the Van Gogh Museum. This museum houses the biggest collection of the artist's work held in one place as well as displaying works by other artists of the period - this is interesting as it gives you an opportunity to put Van Gogh's work into context. The Museum is located close to the Rijksmuseum and is easy to find. It is housed in a modern building which has wheelchair access. The building also has lifts to the upper floors. The admission prices are displayed clearly at the entrance and you can pay with Euros, although I think I saw a sign indicating that sterling is also accepted. Prices... Read review

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Advantages: A must see attraction.
Disadvantages: Not to everyone's taste.

...Having just returned from a weekend in Amsterdam I thought I'd share one of my experiences with you. Surprise, surprise, it's nothing to do with the red light district or one of the city's multitude of 'coffee shops' either. Oh no, it's one of Amsterdam's many museums, The Van Gogh Museum. BACKGROUND Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) didn't even start painting until he was 27 years old. He had already tried several other professions such as a lay preacher, schoolmaster and art dealer, none of them with much success. Largely self taught his early works were landscapes and townscapes. It was later on that he took to painting farm life depictions and his most famous still life paintings. The last 10 years of his life were spent in a number of locations around the Netherlands and France and each reflected a different stage in his... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful