Guangdong Museum

On Thursday morning I headed back to the park area from the night before to see some of the buildings in daylight and spend some time in the museum. In daylight I could see the sports stadium which is one of the focal points of the park.

The Opera House looks like a space ship from a distance and up close is impressive with its reflecting pond.

Once again the library soared.

And Chinese New Year decorations were beginning to pop up.

The Museum proved to be a true treasure.

Architecturally the museum is interesting with a huge open atrium surrounded by four floors of galleries. One of my favorite areas was the wood carving which is an art form the Guangdong province is known for. The friendly guard even took my photo in front of one of the carved and painted screens. The detail in the workmanship is awesome.

The only paid area in the museum was an exhibit of Baroque paintings from Naples, Italy (and since I was over 60 my admission was half price - US $2.75 including the narrated tour device). The area even included an opportunity to be a part of one of the famous paintings.

Another gallery featured more of the folk type arts including puppetry.

Another of my favorite exhibits featured gemstones and stone carving. Gems were shown in both their natural state and as jewelry quality gems. Unfortunately, you couldn't shop in this section. The carvings were most impressive.

And lest you think this is only an art museum (there is an art museum in another location), there was also a section similar to a natural history museum. This area shows the geologic history of the province and the significance of both the sea and the natural land formations.

Several hours after entering, I emerged with some new knowledge and very happy with my choice of activity for the day.