More Pictures of the Frontier Flight Museum

Each Exhibit has its own customized mount and surroundings to make it look attractive.

Frontiers of Flight Museum - Dallas, Texas

Last weekend I had an opportunity to visit the Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas. The museum is a treasure trove of information, exhibits, models and simulations. There are several different metal birds, right from 1920s and 30s, an era known as "Golden age of Flight". On display are award winning aircraft including the Culver Dart, Regulus II, Tiger Moth, Learjet 24D, and several others. The museum set inside a giant hanger in the precincts of the Dallas Love Field Airport is a visual delight of colorful planes. Recent models of fighter jets are also on display.

I was on duty so I couldn't really enjoy all the exhibits on display but I tried to capture as many of them as possible in my mobile phone. I was particularly impressed by the way the flights were kept on display within the hanger, some were parked on the ground while others were suspended from the roof as if they were in mid-flight performing aerobatics for the benefit for museum visitors.

Of course like all things American there is a marketing twist to the entire place. Apart from educating visitors the museum generates revenue through ticket sales ($3-8 depending on age), selling collectibles (made in china), books, toys, and souvenirs in the store. There is a children play area where kids can get into bounce houses resembling flight cockpits, air traffic control towers, etc. Of course there are private corporations that have sponsored the museum. This in my opinion is an expression of the corporation's promoter's love for their country and the pride they have about their people. I wish Indian corporations would get into sponsoring and creating such institutions in the country.

Egypt Aggressively Repossessioning Stolen Art Works

All ancient civilizations across the world have been subject to ruthless plundering by unscrupulous elements in the world. The greatest plunderers have been Europeans and Arabs. As I write this post the largest trove of emeralds lies in the treasury of Turkey, property of India, plundered by Nadir Shah during the 18th century. A visit to any of the world famous museums in London, Paris, Berlin, or any other European nation would reveal hundreds of artworks plundered by these nations when they were busy colonizing the rest of the world.

Anyway today I was listening to National Public Radio while driving home from work and this news caught my attention. There was a report that a 3000-year old stolen Sarcophagus - highly decorated wooden coffin - was seized by the US customs in Miami and Egypt government staked a claim. Following some back and forth communications the US has agreed to return the Stolen Sarcophagus to Egypt.

During the program one Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities was interviewed. The Egyptian authorities don't know anything about the Sarcophagus except the name of the person buried in it. They feel that it was stolen from Egypt in 1970 but there are no facts known. But still they pursued and pressed for its return. That is the true spirit of patriotism and national pride. According to Hawass over 30,000 artworks have been repossessed during the past few years. The Egyptian government continues to press for return of many other major artworks including those housed in Louvre, and other globally renowned museums.

I am quite impressed by the way Egyptian government is pursuing its heritage and pressing for its return. Even though the present Egyptian population and its government are Islamic they are interested in their non-Islamic past and want to preserve it as part of their national heritage.

I wish Indian government would set up a similar council to chase after the plunderers and repossess all the art, and wealth that was plundered from our country during the 1200 years of Islamic and Christian colonization of our country. It is time that the westerners who plundered India said sorry and returned the things they stole from us. They can't return the people whom they killed but at least they can return our art works!!!

Pictures in this post was sourced from NPR who sourced it from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Statuettes at Kimbell

Last Sunday we visited the Kimbell art museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Here are pictures of some interesting artworks in their permanent collection. There are many paintings in the collection, but I am interested in sculptures so I captured only those that appealed to me. I am not so enamored by European sculptures because in my opinion they are too boring. Sculptural art from South America, Africa and Asian countries are much more vibrant and interesting. There is some kind of intrigue, mystery, and rugged aesthetics.

Sculpture from South America

Sculpture from Africa

Visiting Kimbell Art Museum

Visiting museums in the US of A is usually an expensive affair, entry fees, parking, membership, etc... etc.. are associated with every art gallery/ museum. Of course most of these museums are state owned. Then there are few private collections of super rich Americans, which are accessible to everyone free. Kimbell museum in Fort Worth, Texas is one such free art space which is accessible to everyone. There are two collections one is a permanent collection and the other is the private collections. The permanent collection is free while the private collection is ticketed. We visited the permanent collection today.

Entrance to the museum

Mayan Sculpture on display in the Kimbell Museum

Neglected Hero Stones - Ignored History

For my school project I made a PPT on the ancient Indian tradition of installing Hero Stones in memory of those who sacrificed their life in defense of their community, village, kingdom or country. As I compiled the presentation I realized that I have a pretty good repository of pictures of different types of Hero Stones. I thought it would be a good collection to share on this blog.

Hero Stone in Tumkur district, Karnataka, India

Damaged Hero Stone in Tamil Nadu

Tusayan Museum, Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon 052
Originally uploaded by srinidhilv.

This is picture of the entrance of one of the several museums located on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. When I first saw the building, I thought that this must be a very old building renovated to house the museum. But I was wrong, according to a local official, this building was re-built in the style of the ancient buildings using locally available material and some debris of the old ruins.
Though the exteriorl of this building makes it appear like a ramshackle hut, the insides have all the modern comforts such as fire place, air conditioning etc. It is definitely worth a visit.

Exploring America's Wild West Country

The best way to learn about the history and heritage of a place is to visit the best museum out there. Texas the second largest state in the US is famous for as Wild West Country and is known for its adventurous and carefree cowboys and cowgirls. When one hears about the Wild West, one tends to think only of cattle, cowboys, fighting, drinking, vast plains etc. But wait there is lot more to Texas than just that. The Wild West evolved its own form of art, Art of the American West.


Recently I heard about this wonderful museum with a vast collection of art, collections lay special focus on the art of the American West. Sited in Orange, Texas the Stark Museum of Art is a treasure trove of Western Art, American Indian Art, Decorative Arts, and Rare Books and Manuscripts. The museum is one of the best places to learn about the rich cultural and artistic heritage of American West in general and Texas in particular.

Stark Museum began as a private collection of Miriam Lutcher Stark who brought in pieces of art, furniture, and decorative items from around the world. Her son, Lutcher Stark developed a similar passion but specialised his interest towards nature and art depicting the American West. Both mother and son shared the desire that one day a museum in Orange, Texas, would display the works of art they collected.

Lutcher Stark began his collection with artworks of Texas artists and during the late 1920s and early 1930s, he amassed American Indian objects from New Mexico. And as he passed out of university and entered into business he continued to build his collection with his wife Nelda Childers. During the 1950s, Lutcher Stark expanded his collection with the rare five-volume set of John James Audubon's Birds of America; porcelain birds and flowers by Dorothy Doughty and Edward M. Boehm. Towards the end of the 1950s, the Starks added 230 works by Paul Kane.


In 1961 the couple founded the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation to enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas through education and the arts. But sadly in 1965 Lutcher Stark passed away and the foundation came under the direction of Nelda C. Stark, who initiated building of the Stark Museum of Art. After over a decade of hard work, the Stark Museum of Aat opened its doors for public on November 29, 1978.

The Stark Museum of Art is famed for some of the finest collections of 19th and 20th century Western American art and artifacts in the country. The main focus of the exhibits at the Stark Museum is the region's dramatic people, stunning land and diverse wildlife. The collections have been carefully organised into four distinct galleries viz, Western Art, American Indian Art, Decorative Arts and Rare Manuscripts and books.

The Western Art collection conveys the artistic interpretation of the American west through the works of the region's best artists. Artworks of over two centuries have been collected and displayed in this section.

The collection of American Indian Art comprises of fascinating works of art created by members of the native Indian tribes of the Great Plains, Southwest, Eastern Woodlands and Northwest Coast. A must see section in my opinion.

The Decorative Arts section of the museum features stunning artworks in glass and porcelain including numerous items by Steuben Glass and also the only complete set of the United States in Crystal.

The collection of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Stark Museum is a treat to the eye and envy of museums across the world. The collection includes John James Audubon’s rare work titled The Birds of America, seven Books of Hours, and hundreds of rare manuscripts.