Anytime Visit II: London Victoria & Albert Museum

Greetings from London! And I know I've had very little time to blog. I arrived in London on a train into King's Cross (and yes, we did see Platform 9 & 3/4!). We've seen a lot in the short time that we spent here but today I'm going to briefly cover one particular adventure. The Victoria & Albert Museum (more commonly referred to as the V&A). Founded in 1852, the V&A is one of the world's largest museum. The Victoria & Albert was named to honor Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Inerestingly enough it houses artifacts, pictures, and paintings from all ages, styles, and artists. Right as you walk in there is a large glass sculpture designed by Dale Patrick Chihuly - I believe the same guy who designed the Sunburst located in the MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Art). We originally were required to visit the V&A as a part of our HUM 312 requirements. We headed straight back to the 18th & 19th century paintings related to the English Expansion. However, after visiting the "required" portion of our trip, I got the chance to explore. One thing I did not know was tgat Britain has an incredible collection of history from all around the world. There are more than 145 galleries in the V&A with art from ancient Mesopotamia to Modern day. The gallery that I most enjoyed was that of the theatre. There were collections of costumes, props, play bills and advertisements, an entire section devited to William Shakespeare, model sets and more. There was also a gallery devoted to jewelry from around the world. Its set up was incredible and fascinating. Though I wish I could have spent a week exploring the entirety of the V&A, there was a lot to see in a Day and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an appreciation for all things.