From one of the largest art galleries in New York to the house where Christian Dior spent his childhood years. All this is a combination of historical architecture and amazing creativity, which are key in the ranking of the 12 most beautiful museums in the world. This list has been prepared for you by an art connoisseur and a casino expert at the same time: Jeff Vertes from BestCasinosInCanada.net company.
Galeries Museum in Paris
The legendary Parisian fashion museum, housed in the palace of the Duchess of Gallier, who in 1978 decided to create a museum that would house works of art saved by the Duchess to popularize Parisian culture. Under the direction of the architect Leon Ginan, the museum building opened its doors in 1894, but only in 1977 did the palace become a world-famous fashion museum in Paris thanks to the exhibitions Alaïa, Dalida, Les Années 50 and Margiela-Galliera in 1988-2018. The museum is currently closed for renovation, and at the end of 2019 it will reopen to the public with a new permanent exhibition, The Gabrielle Chanel Rooms, made possible by a partnership between the museum and Chanel. The underground tunnels will hide the secrets of fashion history since the 18th century. The reconstruction of the tunnel spaces was paid for by the Parisian fashion house, and the project was designed by architect Dominique Brard. The museum is now under the coordination of Mirene Arzaluz and will soon become the only permanent fashion museum in France.
Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris
The Museum of Decorative Arts was designed by Gaston Redon and first opened in 1905 in one of the wings of the Louvre. The main exposition of the museum is a monumental collection of decorative art and design objects. Its archive, which includes about 150,000 items, includes items from such eminent designers as Paul Poiret, Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristobal Balenciaga and Christian Lacroix. The historical origin of the items is the period from the eighth century to the present day. Particular attention is drawn to the exhibition dedicated to the iconic images of the House of Dior, as well as two exhibitions that gathered 700,000 guests from all over the world in 2017 – the Dries van Noten and Tenue correcte exigée! exhibition and another exhibition dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the French fashion house Christian Dior, Designer of Dreams exhibition.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art on Fifth Avenue is one of the largest art galleries in the world and is located in the heart of the Big Apple. Opened in 1872, the museum is home to more than two million works of art collected around the world. There are ancient statues, paintings by great French artists, and an incredible collection of American art. The museum’s thematic exhibitions usually break all attendance records. On May 6, an exhibition dedicated to the camp will open here.
Victoria and Albert Museum in London
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is one of the largest in Europe. Opened in 1851, the museum specializes in decorative arts. It also has collections of jewelry, clothing, furniture, tapestries and glassware dating back to ancient times. After the success of the exhibition dedicated to Christian Dior at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, London decided to follow suit and organized a monumental exhibition in honor of the French designer, where you can trace the history of the fashion house with a purely British approach.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Paris
On October 3, 2017, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum was opened on Avenue Marceau in Paris in the building of the hotel where the Pierre Bergé Foundation operates. The museum covers almost 5,000 square feet and houses a retrospective collection of 50 designs, sketches, photographs and videos. The museum also hosts thematic exhibitions. A special feature of the institution is the old couture halls and Yves Saint Laurent’s workshop, where you can trace the beginning of the development of the Parisian House, founded in 1961. The museum’s design is overseen by Nathalie Criniere, and Jacques Grand is responsible for the decor, both of whom are employees of the foundation. Jean-Michel Rousseau’s agency worked on the design of the space, which managed to recreate the original atmosphere of the fashion house. The permanent exhibition L’Asie Rêvée d’Yves Saint Laurent is traveling to Nice in April.
FIT Museum in New York
Since its opening in 1969, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York has become the site of the most innovative and talked about fashion exhibitions in the world. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the museum will focus on 33 of the most memorable exhibitions in the history of the museum: from the first one dedicated to the Hollywood costume designer Gilbert Adrian to the more relevant Denim: Fashion’s frontier in 2016, Black Fashion Designers in 2017, or A Queer History of Fashion in 2013. At these collections of exhibitions, you will be able to trace the development of fashion over more than a hundred years and see how it has evolved along with society, as well as admire the surreal dresses of Elsa Schiaparelli and the structured models of Alexander McQueen.
Christian Dior Museum in Granville
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Christian Dior grew up in the villa Les Rhumbs, built on the edge of a cliff in northern France. The typical pink and gray Norman house has always been a source of inspiration for the designer. “I owe my life and style to the architecture and arrangement of my home,” Christian Dior wrote in his memoirs. His house was a well from which the designer drew the style and elegance visible in his designs. In the late 1990s, the house in Granville became the Christian Dior Museum, dedicated to the history of the French fashion house and to Dior’s admirers such as Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly.
Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria
The Cristobal Balenciaga Museum, which opened in 2011 in the designer’s hometown, honors the couturier’s work. The museum is housed in a modern extension of the Aldamar Palace, designed by Spanish architect Julián Argülogos, and is located not far from San Sebastián. Six museum halls are dedicated to the history of the fashion house. There is also a rich Haute Couture collection, some of which are part of the Balenciaga Foundation.
MoMu in Antwerp
This museum is a prime example of Belgian fashion. Although it is closed for reconstruction until 2020, the National Museum of Antwerp boasts more than 30,000 exhibits that will be presented at MoMu after the opening. The exposition is likely to secure a good reputation thanks to professionally coordinated exhibitions, including Dries van Noten – Inspirations 2015 or Margiela: The Hermés Years in 2017.
Gucci Garden in Florence
In January 2018, Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele turned his fantasy into reality by opening the doors to the Gucci Garden at the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence. The museum created by the designer is entirely dedicated to the fashion house. Maria Luisa Frizza became the coordinator of numerous exhibition halls. The museum also has a boutique with exclusive products and a restaurant, the chef of which is the world-famous Massimo Bottura.
Lace Museum in Calais
The Boulart lace factory, founded in 1870, experienced a fashion renaissance in June 2009. In the museum’s galleries, you can delve into the history of lace and get acquainted with 3200 lace designs from 1850. The museum also has a library of fabrics, which includes more than 500,000 samples and 30,000 pieces of lace. Among the best exhibitions of the museum is Haute Dentelle, which shows a series of couture dresses and images from Chanel and Dior to Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier and Maison Margiela. The museum presents a retrospective of the history of the fashion house and the most iconic designs of Hubert de Givenchy. For this exhibition, videos, sketches, and even anecdotes about the designer, who passed away on March 10, 2018, were collected.
Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence
Since 1995, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum has been housed in the heart of the Palazzo Spini-Ferroni in Florence. The museum impresses with a room with photographs and videos, as well as a room with a wall covered from floor to ceiling with pairs of shoes from the collections of the 1950s and 1960s. Old models from the 1930s are kept behind glass. In May 2015, the museum paid tribute to Florence, among other things, by organizing an exhibition curated by Stefano Ricci and Riccardo Spinelli, which highlighted the 150-year history of the palace through works of art and archival documents. From the beginning of construction in 1289 to the installation of the Luigi Bellini Gallery in the 1920s, the exhibition highlights key moments in the history of the medieval palace.