The National Gallery of Victoria is also commonly known by its acronym NGV. It is one of the oldest and largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites – NGV International on St Kilda Road, and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square. Both of these sites are easy walking distance from the Royal Botanic Garden.
The photos above are those of the NGV International. For details about the NGV history, collections and even about a Picasso theft, click here.
Don't get me wrong, all the exhibits ....over 65,000 artworks, Western and Eastern collections, ranging from paintings, antiquities, sculptures to photography, multimedia and decorative arts are worth the time to explore the NGV. All these are open to the public for FREE. The touring exhibitions however do require entry tickets.
However, after the "energetic" morning walk through the Royal Botanic Garden, I thought it is about time for some brunch (breakfast and lunch together), so that is how we come to know about The Tea Room, located on Level 1, overlooking The NGV Shop.
As advertised, The Tea Room offers a modern interpretation of a timeless tradition, the Afternoon Tea. Said to be first introduced by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, it was later made popular by Queen Victoria.
Yummy!
Love the tea there. Good place to meet with friends.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I walked past the Gallery with a friend from New Zealand as we were walking by she sid This gallery was built and is based on the measurement and design of Noah's Ark I said no way However she we will go in ask the girl at the info desk immediatly said Yes it was true and that's what the moat represents the water on which the ark floated and the rain falling 40 days and nights is represented by water continually falling down the big glass windows. I Know what I heard but I have been back since and it is always denied. They almost seem horrified at this suggestion does that mean God must be real and they then have to acknowledge him I don't understand why the cover up this truth
ReplyDeleteI drove tour coaches around Australia and a lot of tours around Melbourne. Several years ago the coach drivers were instructed not to talk about Nor mention the history of the NGV and how Roy Grounds designed it on the measurements Noah's Ark according to the book of Genesis, because it might upset tourists who have other religious beliefs. That's why you'll find most deny it now. Although a lot of us rebelled and made a point even more so, of talking about it. It's our country, our history, stuff them. That was our motto at the time !!
DeleteIf you calculate the measurements of the NGV (according to Profile of a Gallery,6th Ed) you will find that this is just a rumor. The NGV is slightly larger in length (152.4m vs 137.16m) and height (15.8496m vs 13.716m) proportions and is almost 3 times wider than Noah's Ark (60.96m vs 13.716m). There is no documentation available to Suggest Sir Roy Grounds took the idea into account when designing the building if looking at historical documents. The building does though seem however to create metaphorical imagery, that could support the rumor.
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