After nearly 7 decades, IKEA moved from its first store–opened in 1943–to a new location in in Älmhult, Sweden and has since decided to convert the original location into a museum about the store’s history. Apparently, IKEA already maintains a small museum telling the history of IKEA products. The company hopes to open the museum in … Continue reading
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Monetary Museum
Atlanta, Georgia USA Quick Review During my hike from downtown Atlanta to the High Museum in midtown, I walked by the Federal Reserve Bank at the corner of 10th and Peachtree Streets. The banners hanging from the light poles invited visitors to visit the Fed Museum and interact with the exhibits. I accepted the invitation, … Continue reading
Another One Bites the Dust
Although museums are founded as durable institutions with long future lives, reports continually surface about museums on the brink or about to close. For example, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy for the past half decade, a situation resolved only recently. (The co-chair of its board … Continue reading
Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island
Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, Canada Quick Review The Acadian Museum tells the history and culture of the Acadian community of Canada, with an emphasis on the Acadian community in Prince Edward Island (Acadians also live in New Brunswick and the U.S. state of Louisiana.) This simple, but well-presented museum, begins telling its story in the … Continue reading
Museum of Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Quick Review Located on the bottom floors of an impressive, massive, and recently built (last 15 years) high-rise office building, the Museum of Sydney tells the history of the city of Sydney, Australia. From its significant location to its succinct but well-rounded presentation of Sydney history, the museum is a … Continue reading
International Museum of Design Atlanta
Background During a recent visit, I had planned to visit the High Museum, Atlanta’s encyclopedic art museum, which was significantly strengthened in the last decade by an expansion designed by Renzo Piano. The expansion provided better space for displaying the permanent exhibition and providing both more cohesion to the galleries and significantly improved traffic flow. … Continue reading
Powerhouse Museum
Powerhouse Museum Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Quick Review One of my favorite museums in the world is the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia. Although ostensibly classified as a science and technology museum, the label overlooks its significant focus on design and popular culture, two of the reasons I enjoy this museum so much. The … Continue reading
Potato World
Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada Quick Review I’ve wanted to visit Potato World ever since I first learned about it while researching my first road trip to the Maritimes. Given that it’s located in a just off of the highway in a small town that’s 90 minutes from the nearest city, I expected a kitschy-tourist … Continue reading
Shelburne Museum
Burlington, Vermont, USA Quick Review Soon after I moved to Montreal, I was discussing day trips with the locals and someone suggested the Shelburne Museum near Burlington, Vermont. People described it as a farm with an eclectic collection. On the first of many trips, I endured a 1.75-hour wait at the border (learning a valuable … Continue reading
Nine Wishes for Museums in Montreal
This is the last of several posts with suggestions for the museums of the cities I have called home. I first posted these in the summer of 2010; this series of posts features some updated information and additional suggestions. Museums are integral to Montreal in a way that they’re not integral to most other … Continue reading
Museums: A Free-Choice Learning Experience 