4 Museums to visit in a Lifetime
Nextstreet gallery lists museums around the world that you must have visited at least once in your life. We start this month with a European selection: from Norway to Spain via Italy and the Netherlands.
ASTRUP FEARNLEY MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Opened to the public in 1993, the Astrup Fearnley is a private museum based on a private collection begun in the 1960s. It focuses on works or artists more than on movements. You will find representatives of Young British Artists or artists from German abstract expressionism. The museum made a name for himself in 2002 when it acquired Jeff Koons’ “Michael Jackson with bubbles” for $5 million.
MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts
Designated by Zaha Hadid, MAXXI is a National Museum of Rome that opened its doors in 2010. Located in the popular district of Flaminio, it stands out in the classic landscape of Rome thanks to its quality contemporary architecture. Dedicated to contemporary creation, the museum is run by a foundation created and subsidized by the Italian Ministry of Culture. In its 10,000 square meters of exhibition space, you will stroll among works by Anish Kapoor, Gilbert & George and Gerhard Richter.
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO
Designated by the Canadian American Achitect, Frank Ghery, the Guggenheim of Bilbao was inaugurated in 1997 by Juan Carlos. Known worldwide for its structure and architecture, the Guggenheim of Bilbao is also renowned for its gigantic works such as the Snake by Richard Serra. It also houses works by Basque artists but most of the pieces come from the permanent collection of the Guggenheim but the museum has also acquired paintings by Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko or Anselm Kieffer.
STEDELIJK MUSEUM
Next to the famous Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk is a museum of modern and contemporary art and design. It opened in 1895 and was designed by Adriaan Willem Weissman. In his collection you will find artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollok, Karel Appel, Andy Warhol or Willem de Kooning.
