If I were a journalist

Favourite Natural History Museum ~ Oxford University Museum of Natural History 

Aside from the fact that the museum is in Oxford, which by its self wins it triple brownie points for the sheer history that the place seeps from every crevice, this natural history museum has a charm that exceeds most others.

For one, the building is old, 1850 to be exact - that just makes it feel more authentic. Otherwise the impressive displays, showcasing heaps of animals are superb. My favourite part is easily the upstairs gallery that has case after case of insect specimens.  

Other Natural History Museum highlights must include the impressive moa housed at the Auckland Museum and the very, very good aquatic section at the American Museum of Natural History. There are an array of fishes daintily hung from the ceiling along with all sorts of pickled delights and sea creatures pinned to the walls. The place is literally rammed with things from the sea, in a modern and informative section of the museum. 

It should be noted if quantity is more your thing then Natural History Museum, London trumps them all. I’ve personally never made it round more than a few sections because it’s literally gigantic.   

Favourite Art Gallery ~ MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)

It isn’t hard for me to pick a favourite art gallery. As soon as I had completed one floor of MoMA, I knew that I have never visited such an impressive gallery as this. For one, unlike most art galleries, the staff are youthful and trendy. It seems a reoccurring theme in all other galleries I visit; the staff are old and stuffy, perching themselves on a chair or bench, eyeballing anyone who should as much breathe on a painting. 

Second of all is the layout. I’m not sure if the museum designers underestimate the importance of layout, when it comes to exhibitions, but I always seem to find fault with them. One way or another I end up getting confused as to what I have or haven’t seen - rarely is there a logical flow to the way you view the art. However, MoMA have it perfect. I walked flawlessly from room to room, floor to floor and saw everything. No retracing my steps, no getting lost. I even discovered the lunch room as I got peckish, as if it had magically appeared like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter.

As an aside, the food at the restaurant was absolutely superb. I was running out of $ at the time and with no ATM in sight, I had to buy lunch on a budget of $10. Disappointing as I saw an array of incredible sandwiches, main courses and pudding that I could have easily spent as much time enjoying, as I did the art. 

Finally, and probably most important to a lot of people, is their collection. Impressive, vast and rich - in every meaning of the word. At the time of my visit I was lucky enough to see Performance 1: Tehching Hsieh. Other pieces that reside almost permanently at the museum and made me stop in my tracks were; 

• Kerry James Marshall - Study for Vignette 2004
• Tom Wesselmann
• René Magritte  - my absolute favourite 
• [A delightfully large] Monet
• Jasper Johns - Map

Favourite Random Museum ~ Sir John Soane’s Museum

One rainy London day I ambled to Lincoln’s Inn Fields, in a hope of getting myself into the Soanes museum, after a recommendation from a friend. The mere fact that the museum is set in a house that looks like something out of Dickens is exciting in its self. 

Inside you will find every nook and cranny stuffed with trinkets, books, pieces of furniture or just something that has some amazing historical value that dear old John Soanes picked up and thought worth keeping. An avid collector, he wanted his house to be preserved for use after his death, and so it has. First serving as a collection for the use of students in architecture and later becoming a museum at the turn of the 19th century. 

Well worth a visit, and well worth a bit of a queue. 

Favourite Living/Interactive Museum ~ Galleries Of Justice museum

I’m a sucker for anything historical that involves actors. Far more believable and engaging than reading a boring old plaque detailing what happened. 

I feel certain Nottingham’s Galleries of Justice is amongst the most impressive. At the start of the tour you are given a card which dictates which prisoner you are - they give you a history and a crime. From there you are to go to the court and then to prison, the wash house, the cell its self, exercise yard and all the other delights. The actors were fine and believable. My favourite was the crazy lady in the prison cell, who stole my glasses to wear and locked us in the cell. 

All in all, excellently well done and definitely unmissable if you’re in the area. 

Worth noting is Unlocked - Oxford Castle. Tours are given with people in costume for the relevant periods, though no acting is done it was engaging and interesting. Don’t forget to check out the ridiculously old tower that dates back to the 10th century.