Category: Museum

Guiding Light

Happy Friday! Today on Museum Bites we’re touring Valley Camp, a massive Great Lakes freighter that has been transformed into a maritime museum. Located in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, Valley Camp (formerly known as the Louis W. Hill) was launched in 1917 and for 49 years hauled cars, coal, grain, and iron ore. Today it is filled with a wide variety of seafaring gizmos and gadgets, including a stunning collection of Fresnel lenses. Join me for a closer look at this ingenious device.

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Power Couples

Today on Museum Bites we’re celebrating power couples. From a royal abduction to religious reformists these dynamic duos have inspired a cult, scandalized the church, and went so far as to start a war. Join me for a brief look at the lives and loves of three legendary couples. We begin by rolling back the clock to ancient Greece…

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Knocking on Heaven’s Door

Happy Friday! We’re shooting for the stars today on Museum Bites with a tour through the Galileo Museum in Florence, Italy. Named after superstar scientist, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), this museum is filled with scientific instruments from a wide variety of fields including astronomy, cartography, medicine, meteorology, navigation, physics, and much, much more. There are so many delightful gizmos and gadgets, but such little time. We’ll focus on just three. We begin with a massive sphere that is a colorful mix of both art and science…

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Hey Jude

Today on Museum Bites we’re celebrating biblical badass, Judith of Bethulia. Clever, pious, and downright ruthless Judith saved her city with a mix of charm and brute force. She has inspired artists throughout the ages and her portrayals have ranged from dainty and devout to bold and bloodthirsty. Join me for a brief look at three interpretations of the mighty Judith, but first a little background…

Mother Road: Reboot

Fasten your seat belts because today on Museum Bites we’re taking a trip down Route 66. This iconic US highway spans over 2,000 miles, crosses 3 time zones and rolls through 8 states. Nicknamed Mother Road and the Main Street of America, Route 66 has been immortalized in books, movies, songs, and even a TV series. Join me for a ride down this historic road. We begin by rolling back the clock to the 1920s...

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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