Topic: Many people visit museums when they travel abroad. Why do
people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your
response.
Vacationing abroad is always
fun. There are many things to see and do that are very different from
what we see and do in our own countries, and these differences are part
of the charm of foreign travel. One activity which people often do when
travelling overseas is to visit the famous museums of the country they
are touring. They do this because they wish to learn more about the
region’s history and culture, and because they wish to see world-famous
exhibits that cannot be seen anywhere else.
Museums are without doubt a
storehouse of a particular nation’s history and culture. Through their
exhibits, they chart the course of the country’s development. Museums
often describe a nation’s journey from prehistory to modernity, and
this description is enriched by the display of historical artifacts
such as tools, weapons, clothes and jewelry. A good example is the Edo
Museum in Tokyo. Visitors to that institution can obtain valuable
insights into life in the Japan of three centuries ago. It is always
easier to appreciate a place if you know something of its past, and
museums certainly help us to do that.
A further attraction of
museums is that they often contain special collections which are
rarely, or even never, allowed to be displayed abroad. This may be
because they are too valuable or perhaps to delicate. Many of the works
of world-famous artists fall into this category. If one wishes to see
the Mona Lisa with one’s own eyes then a visit to the Louvre in Paris
is necessary. Another great work of art which is never allowed to leave
its museum is Picasso’s Guernica. The size of the canvas and its age
mean that it is now in a very fragile condition and would probably not
survive an attempt to move it. As such, only a visit to Madrid can
provide the chance to see this masterpiece. One would be foolish indeed
to pass up such an opportunity.
All the great cities of the
world are home to museums, many of which are national museums that
showcase the best of a nation’s heritage. Many of these museums also
contain collections that are unique, and unable to be experienced
anywhere else. It is this blend of cultural heritage on display and
uniqueness that attracts tourists to museums. A visit to a foreign city
is always enhanced by time spent in that city’s museums. (401 words)