Art museums are the best thing about large cities, but they’re not as easy to figure out as you might think.

Here are some tips for finding your way around an art museum, and for making the most of your visit.

Don’t just look at what’s in front of you; look for things around corners and above you. Art museums often have art on the walls that is hard to see unless you’re looking up or down, or even behind you.

Look at the labels. Museums are filled with information: artist biographies, histories of movements and periods, descriptions of techniques and materials, and so on. You can learn a lot just by reading the labels; don’t be afraid to slow down and read them.

Expect to graduate from one area of the museum to another. If you start in medieval paintings and move through history, you’ll likely end up in contemporary art; if you start in contemporary art you’ll likely end up in ancient ceramics; if you start in ancient ceramics, head for contemporary craft. They’re all connected.

Don’t forget about half-hidden rooms off the main halls; there’s a lot more to see than what’s immediately apparent.

Art museums are often intimidating to the first time visitor. With so much artwork to see, it is hard to know where to start. There are many wonderful art museums in the world and whether you are a local or just visiting, it can be overwhelming.

Tours of art museums typically focus on the great masters. These tours tend to overlook the contemporary and modern art sections of the museum. While this is understandable, a visit to an art museum should include visits to both contemporary and classic artwork.

Some museums have begun offering special tours for children and families. If you have young children in your family, you may want to consider taking them on one of these tours. Many of the works discussed will not be easily understood by a small child but they will enjoy looking at all the interesting works of art.

With so much to see and so little time, there is often not enough time to take in everything an art museum has to offer. However, if you plan ahead of time, you can increase your enjoyment of your next trip to an art museum.

In this section we will be talking about art museums. As a non-profit organization, the museum’s goal is to educate the public about art and its place in society, as well as to provide a collection for research and education.

**The Art Museum**

If you are visiting an art museum, there are a few things you should know before you go. Here are some tips to help you while you are there:

* Dress appropriately: While you may want to express your individuality with your clothing, please remember that this is a museum. In order to avoid offending other guests or disrupting their experience, it is important that everyone wear appropriate clothing. While this may seem restrictive, do keep in mind that the museum will have more enjoyable exhibits for everyone if everyone abides by these simple guidelines.

**Artwork at Museums**

One of the main attractions of being at an art museum is looking at the artwork. This can be a fun way to spend time with friends and family, or even to enjoy some quiet time alone. The best part of looking at artwork is imagining what inspired the artist to create it. The next best part is sharing that inspiration with others by describing what you see in each piece. To get the most out of looking at art,

At the museum you will find a lot to see, so it is important to know where to go first. The main thing to remember is that you want to make sure you catch a few of the “masterpieces.” These are the big pieces that everyone has heard of and that have been the subject of many stories, paintings, movies and even songs. To get an idea of what I mean, I would check out this website: http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/929

Once you’ve got a few masterpieces under your belt it’s time to move on to some of the modern art. Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of cubism now and then? If you don’t know where to start, try looking at some blogs written by people who actually know about art and can tell you which pieces are the most important: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp

There is nothing better than having a guided tour when in a new place, so be sure to ask for one at the front desk before leaving for your museum trip. They may or may not be free, but they are worth every penny!

Art is a broad topic. Within the field of art there are many categories. The best way to begin to understand art is to visit an art museum. The art museum will have paintings, sculptures, and other objects that are related to the study of art.

As you enter the building you will notice that there are usually several floors. The first floor is mainly for gathering before going into the exhibit areas. It is also where many people often make a mistake in not looking at all the floors. Each area of the museum can be different and can reveal a lot about how an artist thinks about his or her work.

If you are visiting with kids, make sure you alert them about what they should expect before entering the exhibit area so that they can focus on what they will see here, instead of the other distractions around them like souvenir shops or food vendors.

As you walk into one of these areas, look around and try to find a guidebook or pamphlet that can help guide your tour through this section. Guidebooks will usually contain information on artwork such as dates, mediums used, and descriptions of the piece itself as well as more interesting facts about it and why it was created.

Look around at everything displayed in front of you and try to determine whether

We recommend the following tips as a good starting point:

1. Try to plan your visit in advance. Check out the museum’s website and find out what you might like to see in advance. You might be able to download a map of the museum or a guidebook of special exhibitions.

2. Arrive early enough so that you can wander the galleries at your leisure and spend some time in front of each work before it is crowded by other visitors.

3. If you are visiting a large, complex museum with several floors, be sure to know where you are going before you leave the ground floor and find yourself wondering where you are and how to get back to your starting place. Many museums have maps available at the doors, so take one if there are no attendants nearby who can help direct you. Keep it with you and refer to it as necessary throughout your visit.

4. For many people, art is more enjoyable when they can understand something about the artist or subject matter depicted in any given painting or sculpture. You may want to read or download an essay on a particular artist or period before you go, so that when you see their work in person it will have more meaning for you than if it were just one more pretty picture among many on display

Porcelain and ceramics may be the first thing you think of when you think of China. But the greatest cultural achievement of that country is, hands down, its art. From paper cutting to painting, from bronze work to calligraphy, the Chinese have been producing beautiful art for thousands of years.

In fact, one could argue that it is precisely because of their excellence in art that China has not become as technologically advanced as Western countries. The Chinese were producing exquisite jade carvings by 3000 B.C., which means they had already developed a durable stone carving medium that was perfect for intricate work on small scales. They didn’t need to develop any other material until they were forced to do so by Western industrialization.

Technological innovation requires a willingness to accept failure and move on. But the Chinese used the same basic process in creating art objects long before they developed their written language or even their written numbers (which is why none of their dates are precise). They used soft stones like jade and bone or ivory to carve delicate designs into hard stones like marble and granite. As long as an artist’s design was deemed pleasing enough, his cut would be accepted. Even if it wasn’t, he would be allowed another try using different stone