Month: June 2019

Catherine’s Head

Today on Museum Bites we’re wrapping up our Italian adventure with a visit to the Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico in Siena. On display inside these hallowed walls is the sacre testa (sacred head) of Caterina Benincasa (1347-1380). Pious, obstinate, and hell-bent on sacrifice, Saint Catherine of Siena lived an austere and yet colorful life. Join me for a brief look at this 14th century saint’s rise to fame and the miraculous heist of her mummified head. We begin with saintly bones…

Ciao Vespa!

Happy Friday! Today on Museum Bites we’re taking a whirlwind tour through Vespa history, courtesy of the Bici & Baci Vespa Museum in Rome. This iconic scooter is quintessentially Italian, full of life and carefree fun. The Vespa made its debut in 1946 and throughout the years it has gone through an amazing transformation while still maintaining its peppy vibe. From retro to racy, the Vespa comes in a variety of flavors and some include accessories such as pedals, a sidecar, modern art, and a very big gun. Hop aboard and we’ll test drive three favorites, but first a little history…

Stairway to Heaven

Today on Museum Bites we’re climbing the stairway to heaven, Italian style, with a floor-to-rafters tour of the Duomo di Siena. More than a thousand years of art and history are contained within the walls of this imposing cathedral. We’ll sample a small slice, but first a little history…

Uffizi Favorites

Today on Museum Bites we’re embarking on a whirlwind tour of Northern Italy. Over the next few weeks, we’ll soar high above the Duomo in Siena, meander through marble-filled museums in Firenze, zip through Rome on a Vespa, and pick through some decorative bones along the way. We begin this first of a four-part series with some Uffizi favorites.

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