What to See in France's Very Own Orsay Museum

The glorious Gare d’Orsay railway station now stands proud as the country's home for its national collection of the impressionist, postimpressionist and art-nouveau movements spanning from 1848 to 1914. The museum itself is an art-nouveau showpiece. The must-see on every visitor's list is Orsay Museum's painting collections, centered on the world's largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art. Download the Orsay Museum Travel Guide and Offline Map and take a trip to France now.

1. Polar Bear

Considered as the museum's most iconic work, Polar Bear is one of the standouts by Francois Pompon. The master himself was once an assistant to Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin who later on struck out on his own and create his animal-inspired works. Eschewing realism, he sought to communicate the barest minimum of the animal and upon closer inspection, the animal begins to fade away – leaving only marble.

2. Olympia

Edouard Manet was fondly known as the bad boy of the art world in his days. His most controversial work, Olympia, depicts a nude prostitute who looks calmly at the viewer and in complete indifference of her nakedness. This was a huge clash against the classical tropes of blushing virgins and highborn women in art, which ignited a huge conversation about the representation of women in art.

3. Poppy Field

This dreamy, peaceful landscape painted by Claude Monet is one of the artist’s most famous works. Painted after he had moved from England to laidback Argenteuil, the impressionist artist produced vibrant colors to channel the spirit of a beautiful sunny day in nature. The striking reds of wild poppies against a muted green background serve to make the piece all the more vivid, heightened only by the black and white figures slipping through the field.

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Reasons why The British Museum is London's Most Visited Attraction

We've talked about the MET, the MoMa, and SFMoMa, but now it's high time we talk about London's very own British Museum. Considered as the country's largest and one of the oldest museums in the world, it boasts a wondrous collection of Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman, European and Middle Eastern galleries. Be among the 6.5 million visitors annually and download the British Museum Travel Guide and Offline Map now.

1.     It's Free

The British Museum in itself is a work of art. But the architecture and the pieces of rich history within its walls isn't just the reason why it draws the crowds. It isn't much of a wonder why it draws millions of visitors each year as visiting the British Museum is for free. Yes, we're not kidding here. You can enjoy a slew of the best art pieces in the world for free. If that's not enough to entice you to visit, we don't know what will.

2.      The Egyptian Rooms

See ancient mummies for yourself and if you think that's cool enough, think again. Here, you will also learn a great deal great deal of Egyptian history--from its early years of Rapid advances in the technology to the significance of death and the afterlife to Egyptians who will be in awe at every turn. If you're up for some truth in gossip, in these rooms you will also learn about Cleopatra's unbelievable true story.

3.     The Middle-Eastern Rooms

Middle-Eastern history and artifacts might be overshadowed in other museums, but in the British Museums, it is definitely one of the stars. In Room 10, for example, you will catch a glimpse at the extravagant hunting rituals of the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal, who lived between 668 and around 630 B.C. The sculpted reliefs on alabaster panels that line this gallery mark the king's prowess and power.

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