Thanks to an upcoming homeschool field trip with a deeply discounted admission fee, we will finally be getting to see the Vatican Splendors exhibit which has been open here in St. Louis since early May. For those who still haven’t seen it, don’t forget that educator’s guides are available for download. The religious education guide, for grades 4-12, is a whopping 27 pages which I am looking forward to perusing before we see the exhibit.
Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Faith and Art is comprised of nearly 200 rare artworks, historical objects and cultural artifacts from the collections of the Vatican, many of which have never been allowed outside of Rome, and including special objects never before on display, even at the Vatican. The collection includes mosaics; paintings; frescoes; works by well-known sculptors; intricately embroidered silk vestments; precious objects from the Papal Mass; historical maps and documents; and historical objects from three major basilicas in Rome.
Vatican Splendors will be at the Missouri History Museum through September 12. We are getting in just under the wire!
KenC
Allow me to complain about it a little bit. For those of us who cannot get discounts, it’s expensive, especially for larger families. I was surprised at the things that are copies and not originals. And when I’ve paid so much for admission, I’d like to be able to take photos.
evann
Price is exactly what has kept me away till now. The deck is stacked against those of us with large families. Until this field trip popped up, I had resigned myself to missing the exhibit altogether. Whether you want to go to the museum, a play, sporting events, or just the movie theater — it’s gonna cost you! The no-photo-thing doesn’t bother me as that is often the case with art and antiquities. Besides, due to the special exhibit lighting, the photos don’t come out that great anyway, and flashes are very disturbing to others viewing the exhibit. I do know that some of the pieces are copies, but I’ll take what I can get.
KenC
What’s funny is that the FAQ says twice that photos “unfortunately” are not allowed. If it is so “unfortunate,” they are the ones who made the decision.
My rant aside, hope you enjoy the exhibit. There are some good things there and you can learn a lot about the Vatican.
Thanks for a great blog.
evann
Thanks, Ken! I’ll report again after our visit. Thanks for your tweets — I do enjoy them!