h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How about the Weald and Downlands Open Air Museum at Singleton in Sussex?

avoid the boston museum of fine arts....They tend to keep all the good stuff locked up where it can't be seen. The curator(s) sould be flogged.

And if you come across it check out a book called 'the Museum At Purgatory' by Nick Bantock...a fictional collection of items such as "Bottled Angel Essence" and the "Archangel reincarnationngel Hat" among other interesting things.

Sorry...."Reincarnation".

Museums should be places of inspiration since the word is derived from the word Muse.

Being a painter I have to agree. Unfortunately the Boston MFA can't grasp the concept. I cancelled my membership with them a few months back.

I'd hate to hear your idea of what MFA stands for.

I would tell you but since there is no spitting allowed in here ....

The American Museum of Natural History (http://www.amnh.org/ ) in New York City is amazing. A recent first visit inspired me to "collect" visits to natural history museums. The one at Harvard (http://www.peabody.harvard.edu/default.html ) is okay...but embroiled in controversy since some of the artifacts belong to people in other lands and should be returned to them. Harvard is being very snobby and pigheaded about it. The one in Bratislava (Slovakia) is the expected stuffy atmosphere with more than a touch of communist influence on the design. In Nitra (also Slovakia) you have a hovering guide who is a bit overbearing, but oh so happy to give the most detailed explanation of items.

If I get to Europe this summer, I will certainly find more museums for my collection!

--Zmrzlina

Everyone should visit the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford ar least once. It has the most amazing collections, including lots of anthropological stuff. It looks like the inside of the mind of a crackpot Victorian amateur explorer and scientist.

It's great to wonder round, but if you can get shown round by one of the staff it's even better, as lots of draws get opened and lots of specimens get explained. Probably best to go at a quiet time if you want a chance of this.

Sadly I see that it is partially closed for renovation until the 25th of this month (March 2000).

Here's a link for more info.

http://units.ox.ac.uk/departments/prm/

This place is a little known gem!