Victoria and Albert Museum

We visited the V&A Museum and were quite taken

with it. It bills itself as the largest collection of decorative

arts in the world. But it is also a wonderful statement of

Victorian values and aspirations, a major collection of

many types of items, and an educational institution.

Beware: a day would not be enough even to jog through

its many halls, galleries, and wings. Above, someone

else's shot.

Entry rotunda

The Raphael Cartoons (for Sistine Chapel tapestries)

One of three Victorian designer cafes, this one by

William Morris

Inner courtyard

Glass galleries

One of the giant Cast Courts; Albert had this
idea that, since most people couldn't travel,
he'd just bring authentic copies of the world's
great art to London; agreements were made

with relevant other countries, and a couple
big rooms were filled; then it went out of
fashion and the rooms were closed off for
decades; then they were rediscovered, replete
with copies of several things destroyed in the
wars; and are now open; Trajan's Column is
pictured, along with various other items

In the tapestry galleries, the largest tapestry I have ever

seen

Part of the silver galleries

Part of the sculpture galleries

In the stained glass gallery

The Ardabil carpet, very large, intricate, old