London’s Imperial War Museum, with 16-inch guns ©1977 UrbisMedia
Most of the cities we regard as “great” cities, or at least interesting cities, are usually regarded as such because they exhibit some of the same characteristics that we find great or interesting in people. The sources of urban greatness or interest may not necessarily always be to liking, but they have the capacity to fascinate, inspire, and move us in ways in which the commonplace places do not.
When we visit an interesting person’s home we tend to find, not some bland, color-coordinated, out-of-the-catalog-designer furniture and appointments, but meaningful items and mementos related to their lives and deeds. Like people, cities have histories, and very often, like people, the more interesting and “character-building” those histories the more interesting the place.
urban “closets” and “attics” that hold the artifacts and records of a city’s history (and those of other cities and civilizations as well) are its museums. Museums can be devoted to nearly every imaginable human endeavor and accomplishment, from the special subject (the Simmelweiss in Budapest is devoted to medical antisepsis), to the range of arts, or science and technology. Indeed many great cities house numerous museums. Some cities not only contain several museums (both Florence and Venice have an “Academia” museum) but these cities themselves might be regarded as museums.
Here is a score of major museums from around the world to match with their cities. (City Museum Quiz)
The quiz is no longer available at this time.
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©2004, ©2015, James A. Clapp (UrbisMedia Ltd. Pub. 1.1.2004)