I’ve been writing about some of my favourite museum experiences this month. This week, I’ll mention three others that I’ve visited. None of them merit a whole post, but they each stand out for one reason:
– The least likely museum we’ve ever seen was the Marzipan Museum in Talinn, Estonia. Did you know that Talinn was the birthplace of marzipan? Or that there was a whole (if tiny) museum devoted to it? Before this trip I didn’t, but one look at the fabulous creations in this tiny basement museum made me realize what I’d been missing. I’ll never look at Shrek in the same way again.
– The Alte Pinakothek in Munich was the only museum we’ve visited where we set off an alarm by being too close to a painting. A security guard was on top of us immediately, but the sight of eleven-year old tears convinced him that it was an innocent accident. He issued a very kind warning, and in the seven years since then, we have never set off another alarm.
– Visiting the Prado museum in Madrid marked my height of organizational and parenting skills. I couldn’t visit Madrid without seeing the Prado, but I knew it would be a tough sell for the girls. So I told them they’d each be an expert on a Spanish painter of their choice. My youngest daughter bought into this when I told her she could do her research on-line, especially when I agreed that she could design a brochure too. She took her expert designation seriously; I’m not exaggerating when I say that we didn’t leave the Prado until we had seen every single Goya on display. (And every Father’s Day, the girls give Andrew a copy of Goya’s masterpiece, “Saturno Devouring his Children”, with great amusement.)
A marzipan museum?! It's a medium that I could never work with because I'd just want to eat everything. Puss in Boots looks so tasty!
Your daughter's idea of a Father's Day gift is brilliant! 😀
That father's day gift is hilarious!! 🙂
Love the marzipan museum – how bizarre!
The marzipan museum looks fun! I made it to the Prado when I lived in Spain, and studied Goya in college~ that painting has always scared me a little 🙂
What a great Shrek model!
I've been to Tallin, but I didn't know there was a marzipan museum. That would have been so cool to visit.
Our kids always get museum burnout on our trips…we try to fit in as many activities as we can each day. I think they're grateful in the end that they've experienced so much. I love how creative you were in selling the Prado Museum 🙂
The marzipan museum is too funny! I can see why you had to go to that one.
I wouldn't have thought that marzipan would last this long without degrading or something!
I love that idea for a Father's Day gift. Your daughters have great senses of humor! And, who knew there was a museum for marzipan? So interesting!
There's an actual marzipan museum? That is too fun! I'm a total fiend for almond paste, so you'd have to hold me back from eating the sculptures.
The marzipan museum sounds like fun! Had no idea.
I set off an alarm once too. You feel like a criminal.
That Goya is a perfect post for Halloween, Beth. Loved the Prada.
Beth, what a wonderful post about these three museums. I must say that I am impressed with all the different places you visited. Estonia, Germany (next time you visit that country, do let me know!) and Spain – I have never been most of the places that you mentioned and I love the way you tell nice stories about each of them!
It's amazing how detailed those marzipan creatures are and I never knew that it came from Estonia. What nice memories from each of your museum visits.
The marzipan is pretty impressive, how fun! Your kids are going to have such great memories.