Victoria and Albert Museum
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Recommendation added: 16/03/2006 22:26
By: jsimons128 (YSUK rating +136)jsimons128 has been thanked 1 times for this contribution
"Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for the present building in 1899 and the building, designed by Sir Aston Webb, was opened in 1909 by Edward the seventh. In it were placed the art treasures from the South Kensington Museum, which had been built under the direction of Prince Albert from money derived from the Great Exhibition of 1851. It now contains one of the worlds outstanding collections of fine and applied arts. In the primary British galleries there is a series of rooms decorated and equipped with the paintings, furniture and household accessories of particualr periods. Amongst the exhibits on display are the enourmas 16th century Great Bed or Ware, an exquisite portrait miniture by Nicholas Hilliard called Young Man leaning against a tree, and furniture by Chippingdale. There are also primary galleries devoted to Continental arts and crafts, medieval gothic and renaissance art, oriental art, and islamic art and crafts.The subject galleries on the ground floor take in English and Continental sculpture, architecture, and costumes. The costumes, mostly English and dating from the 16th to 20th centuries, are displayed in the Octagon Court. I strongly suggest visiting. Written by Jonathan Simons"
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