In pics: Syrian children in focus at Sarajevo museum on war and childhood

<p>It may not put a meal on the table for furloughed federal employees, but some US museums and symphonies are supplying food for the mind in free admission for workers affected by the longest partial federal <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-make-major-announcement-saturday-on-shutdown-donald-trump-191318">government shutdown in US history</a>.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-shutdown-could-stunt-economic-growth-new-york-federal-reserve-chief-191315">With the shutdown in its fourth week</a> with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music.</p>

<p>Museums in at least 27 states, along with at least 19 orchestras, offered free admission to federal workers who have unpaid time on their hands. Institutions range from The Metropolitan Opera in New York to the San Diego Air &amp; Space Museum, home of the Apollo IX Command Module, which helped pave the way for a man to walk on the Moon.</p>

<p>Nearly 200 furloughed employees have taken advantage of an offer from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which waived its admission fee for each furloughed worker plus one guest, said museum spokesman Norman Keyes. Fine art highlights at the museum, whose front steps were made famous in the "Rocky" movie series, include Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and an array of Rubens and Renoirs.</p>

<p>"Museums can offer a place both to get away from the fray and to recharge, and to gain perspective," Keyes said. "It will not solve the shutdown crisis, but it can help build positive experiences during a difficult time."</p>

<p>Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has also waived admission fees for each furloughed worker plus two guests for the duration of the shutdown. Star attractions include a German U-Boat submarine seized in 1944, the only one captured during World War II. It is the length of a city block, the museum boasts on its website.</p>

<p>Symphonies from Boston to Akron, Ohio, offered no-cost concert tickets to ease the stress of wondering when your next paycheck will be issued.</p>

<p>"Great music has the power to inspire, reduce stress and ease burdens," said Joseph Giunta, who conducts the Des Moines Symphony.</p>

<p>"We invite federal employees to join us as our guests for an upcoming Masterworks concert," said Giunta, noting each worker was offered two tickets which otherwise sell for $20 apiece or more.</p>

<p>Much of the federal workforce lives in or around Washington, DC, but these people may be out of luck. That is because premiere cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian's museums, galleries, and zoo, which are always free to the public, remain closed to all for the remainder of the shutdown.</p>


With the shutdown in its fourth week with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music.

It may not put a meal on the table for furloughed federal employees, but some US museums and symphonies are supplying food for the mind in free admission for workers affected by the longest partial federal government shutdown in US history. With the shutdown in its fourth week with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music. Museums in at least 27 states, along with at least 19 orchestras, offered free admission to federal workers who have unpaid time on their hands. Institutions range from The Metropolitan Opera in New York to the San Diego Air & Space Museum, home of the Apollo IX Command Module, which helped pave the way for a man to walk on the Moon. Nearly 200 furloughed employees have taken advantage of an offer from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which waived its admission fee for each furloughed worker plus one guest, said museum spokesman Norman Keyes. Fine art highlights at the museum, whose front steps were made famous in the "Rocky" movie series, include Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and an array of Rubens and Renoirs. "Museums can offer a place both to get away from the fray and to recharge, and to gain perspective," Keyes said. "It will not solve the shutdown crisis, but it can help build positive experiences during a difficult time." Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has also waived admission fees for each furloughed worker plus two guests for the duration of the shutdown. Star attractions include a German U-Boat submarine seized in 1944, the only one captured during World War II. It is the length of a city block, the museum boasts on its website. Symphonies from Boston to Akron, Ohio, offered no-cost concert tickets to ease the stress of wondering when your next paycheck will be issued. "Great music has the power to inspire, reduce stress and ease burdens," said Joseph Giunta, who conducts the Des Moines Symphony. "We invite federal employees to join us as our guests for an upcoming Masterworks concert," said Giunta, noting each worker was offered two tickets which otherwise sell for $20 apiece or more. Much of the federal workforce lives in or around Washington, DC, but these people may be out of luck. That is because premiere cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian's museums, galleries, and zoo, which are always free to the public, remain closed to all for the remainder of the shutdown.

Shutdown sojourn: Free museums, music for furloughed US workers

<p>Nearly a century after the idea was first floated, a museum dedicated to the magic of cinema is finally set to open in Los Angeles, with the first temporary exhibition devoted to Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.</p>

<p>The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, slated to open by the end of 2019, will be devoted to the past, present and future of film, offering visitors a look behind the screen and into how movies are made.</p>

<p>"Los Angeles was at one time and still is to some degree one of the major capitals for the production of film... so it seems the natural place to have a major museum to ensure that the legacy of film lives on," said Kerry Brougher, director of the museum, which is the brainchild of the Academy of Picture Arts and Sciences, the institution behind the Oscars.</p>

<p>Dorothy's famed ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz," a copy of a script annotated by Gregory Peck for the 1962 drama "To Kill a Mockingbird," the doors to Rick's Cafe Americain from "Casablanca" or the typewriter used by Joseph Stefano to write the screenplay to Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" are among a trove of objects that will be on display.</p>

<p>Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the near $400 million museum will be housed in a historic building -- the Saban Building formerly home to the May Company department store -- and will feature six floors that include exhibition spaces, a cafe, a store, plus a 1,000-seat theatre.</p>

<p>"The Museum will be a gathering place for film lovers and will invite people from all over the world to re-experience and deepen our collective love of this art form, accessible to all," said Dawn Hudson, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."</p>

<p>"Like the experience of watching a movie, a trip to the Museum will be a kind of waking dream in which visitors feel as if they've slipped through the screen to see how the magic is created," she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several Hollywood A-listers, including Tom Hanks, Annette Bening and Laura Dern, have been involved in the project, hosting fundraising events and drumming up support both at home and abroad.</p>

<p>"It's going to be a combination of the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Hermitage," Hanks told reporters on a recent tour, referring to world-class museums in Paris, New York and St. Petersburg, Russia.</p>

<p>"Everybody who comes to Los Angeles will want to see what's inside and they will linger for more than just a few hours."</p>

<p>The museum will open with a retrospective devoted to Miyazaki, whose animation masterpieces include "Princess Mononoke" and the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away."</p>

<p>Brougher said that apart from paying tribute to the genius of Miyazaki, the exhibition was also intended to reflect the global scope of the museum.</p>

<p>"I wanted to make sure that we came out of the gate with an international figure to show people that this museum isn't going to be just about Hollywood or American cinema," he told AFP. "I was concerned that being in Hollywood and being part of the Academy, the museum might be seen as being too much about Hollywood and the Oscars."</p>

<p>Jessica Niebel, curator of the exhibition, said the retrospective, the first of its scope in the United States, will take visitors on a thematic journey through Miyazaki's world and will include more than 200 concept sketches, storyboards and film clips, with the animator himself hopefully launching the exhibit.</p>

<p>"Animation plays a big part in the mystery of film and is sometimes overlooked," Niebel told AFP. "And Miyazaki is a genius... and a filmmaker I admire because he is making movies generally about life... and what it means to exist in this world."</p>

<p>The retrospective will be followed by an exhibition on the history of African-American filmmakers and their contribution to American cinema.</p>


Nearly a century after the idea was first floated, a museum dedicated to the magic of cinema is finally set to open in Los Angeles, with the first temporary exhibition devoted to Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.

Nearly a century after the idea was first floated, a museum dedicated to the magic of cinema is finally set to open in Los Angeles, with the first temporary exhibition devoted to Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, slated to open by the end of 2019, will be devoted to the past, present and future of film, offering visitors a look behind the screen and into how movies are made. "Los Angeles was at one time and still is to some degree one of the major capitals for the production of film... so it seems the natural place to have a major museum to ensure that the legacy of film lives on," said Kerry Brougher, director of the museum, which is the brainchild of the Academy of Picture Arts and Sciences, the institution behind the Oscars. Dorothy's famed ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz," a copy of a script annotated by Gregory Peck for the 1962 drama "To Kill a Mockingbird," the doors to Rick's Cafe Americain from "Casablanca" or the typewriter used by Joseph Stefano to write the screenplay to Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" are among a trove of objects that will be on display. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the near $400 million museum will be housed in a historic building -- the Saban Building formerly home to the May Company department store -- and will feature six floors that include exhibition spaces, a cafe, a store, plus a 1,000-seat theatre. "The Museum will be a gathering place for film lovers and will invite people from all over the world to re-experience and deepen our collective love of this art form, accessible to all," said Dawn Hudson, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences." "Like the experience of watching a movie, a trip to the Museum will be a kind of waking dream in which visitors feel as if they've slipped through the screen to see how the magic is created," she added. Several Hollywood A-listers, including Tom Hanks, Annette Bening and Laura Dern, have been involved in the project, hosting fundraising events and drumming up support both at home and abroad. "It's going to be a combination of the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Hermitage," Hanks told reporters on a recent tour, referring to world-class museums in Paris, New York and St. Petersburg, Russia. "Everybody who comes to Los Angeles will want to see what's inside and they will linger for more than just a few hours." The museum will open with a retrospective devoted to Miyazaki, whose animation masterpieces include "Princess Mononoke" and the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away." Brougher said that apart from paying tribute to the genius of Miyazaki, the exhibition was also intended to reflect the global scope of the museum. "I wanted to make sure that we came out of the gate with an international figure to show people that this museum isn't going to be just about Hollywood or American cinema," he told AFP. "I was concerned that being in Hollywood and being part of the Academy, the museum might be seen as being too much about Hollywood and the Oscars." Jessica Niebel, curator of the exhibition, said the retrospective, the first of its scope in the United States, will take visitors on a thematic journey through Miyazaki's world and will include more than 200 concept sketches, storyboards and film clips, with the animator himself hopefully launching the exhibit. "Animation plays a big part in the mystery of film and is sometimes overlooked," Niebel told AFP. "And Miyazaki is a genius... and a filmmaker I admire because he is making movies generally about life... and what it means to exist in this world." The retrospective will be followed by an exhibition on the history of African-American filmmakers and their contribution to American cinema.

Museum devoted to magic of cinema to open in Los Angeles

Anne Frank House Museum reopens

<p>Angelina Jolie was recently spotted in high spirits while walking down a road in Paris with her kids in tow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Visiting Paris for shooting her Guerlain campaign and getting some face-time with France&#39;s First Lady Brigitte Macron, Angelina took out some personal time with her large family of kids.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Angelina was spotted with all her six children -- taking them to Louvre museum to appreciate some fine art, we suppose?&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her eldest son Maddox is 16,&nbsp;Pax is 14, Zahara is 13, Shiloh is 11 and the twins, Vivienne and Knox, are 9.</p>

<p>See the pictures here:&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Angelina Jolie spotted with kids (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Angelina clutching hands of her daughter. (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Angelina Jolie was all smiles for the camera. (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Angelina Jolie with kids (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Angelina Jolie filed for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/angelina-jolie-files-for-divorce-from-brad-pitt-6584" target="_blank">divorce</a> from husband Brad Pitt in 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


She was clicked taking them to visit the Louvre museum in Paris while on a work-related trip to the city

Angelina Jolie was recently spotted in high spirits while walking down a road in Paris with her kids in tow. Visiting Paris for shooting her Guerlain campaign and getting some face-time with France's First Lady Brigitte Macron, Angelina took out some personal time with her large family of kids. Angelina was spotted with all her six children -- taking them to Louvre museum to appreciate some fine art, we suppose? Her eldest son Maddox is 16, Pax is 14, Zahara is 13, Shiloh is 11 and the twins, Vivienne and Knox, are 9. See the pictures here: Angelina Jolie spotted with kids (Twitter) × Angelina clutching hands of her daughter. (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie was all smiles for the camera. (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie with kids (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt in 2016.

In Photos: Angelina Jolie steps out in city of love with kids

<p style="text-align: justify;">French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday, the 8th of November as the UAE capital positions itself as a cultural hub for tourism with a display of hundreds of works that it hopes will draw visitors from around the world.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Macron is on a two-day visit that will see him hold talks on the geopolitical situation with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, before ending his trip in Dubai to attend an economic forum.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Surrounded by water from three sides, the museum houses 600 artworks it has acquired, alongside 300 works on loan from 13 leading French institutions, in its 23 permanent galleries. The artists range from Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh to Pablo Picasso and Cy Twombly.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Macron, along with his wife Brigitte Macron were among the guests of honour at the opening, along with other heads of state.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Abu Dhabi museum was set up under a 2007 inter-governmental agreement between Paris and Abu Dhabi. Originally slated to open in 2012, it was delayed by the global financial crisis and then by low oil prices, which led the United Arab Emirates to rein in spending.</p>


French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday

French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday, the 8th of November as the UAE capital positions itself as a cultural hub for tourism with a display of hundreds of works that it hopes will draw visitors from around the world. Macron is on a two-day visit that will see him hold talks on the geopolitical situation with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, before ending his trip in Dubai to attend an economic forum. Surrounded by water from three sides, the museum houses 600 artworks it has acquired, alongside 300 works on loan from 13 leading French institutions, in its 23 permanent galleries. The artists range from Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh to Pablo Picasso and Cy Twombly. Macron, along with his wife Brigitte Macron were among the guests of honour at the opening, along with other heads of state. The Abu Dhabi museum was set up under a 2007 inter-governmental agreement between Paris and Abu Dhabi. Originally slated to open in 2012, it was delayed by the global financial crisis and then by low oil prices, which led the United Arab Emirates to rein in spending.

Watch: Macron guest of honour at Louvre Abu Dhabi opening

<p>National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) is a new addition to the list of Egypt&rsquo;s museums.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As part of the International Campaign for the Establishment of the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, UNESCO has paired with the Egyptian government on the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently inaugurated in the ancient Fustat city, location of the original city of Cairo, NMEC will become the first museum devoted entirely to&nbsp;Egyptian civilization. Though it was conceptualised much earlier, the museum was put on hold because of the 2011 revolution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The expansive Museum is spread across 25-acres and is home to more than 50,000 artefacts. The premises also includes the ancient Ain Basira natural lake.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It promises to offer a narrative that will give the viewers an entry into the the roots and origin of one of the world&rsquo;s first civilisations. The NMEC will showcase Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day, using a multidisciplinary approach that highlights the country&rsquo;s tangible and intangible heritage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Historically, Egypt has influenced several world cultures, providing building blocks for Greek and Roman culture, and, through them, influenced all of the Western tradition, as per Khan academy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NMEC has been designed by Egyptian architect El Ghazzali Kosseiba. The exhibition spaces are being designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. For those who are looking to explore the museum, it is right behind the famous <em>Amr Ibn El Aas </em>Mosque. Entry and photography is free for everyone until the end of February, after which entry will be set at EGP 30 for Egyptians and EGP 60 for foreigners, according to the Museum&rsquo;s Facebook page.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These are some pictures from the Museum:&nbsp;</p>

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<p>National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook)</p>
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<p>National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook)</p>
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<p>National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook)</p>
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<p>National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook)</p>
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<p>(WION)</p>


The museum is house to more than 50,000 artefacts and the ancient natural lake of Ain Basira

National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) is a new addition to the list of Egypt’s museums. As part of the International Campaign for the Establishment of the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, UNESCO has paired with the Egyptian government on the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo. Recently inaugurated in the ancient Fustat city, location of the original city of Cairo, NMEC will become the first museum devoted entirely to Egyptian civilization. Though it was conceptualised much earlier, the museum was put on hold because of the 2011 revolution. The expansive Museum is spread across 25-acres and is home to more than 50,000 artefacts. The premises also includes the ancient Ain Basira natural lake. It promises to offer a narrative that will give the viewers an entry into the the roots and origin of one of the world’s first civilisations. The NMEC will showcase Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day, using a multidisciplinary approach that highlights the country’s tangible and intangible heritage. Historically, Egypt has influenced several world cultures, providing building blocks for Greek and Roman culture, and, through them, influenced all of the Western tradition, as per Khan academy. NMEC has been designed by Egyptian architect El Ghazzali Kosseiba. The exhibition spaces are being designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. For those who are looking to explore the museum, it is right behind the famous Amr Ibn El Aas Mosque. Entry and photography is free for everyone until the end of February, after which entry will be set at EGP 30 for Egyptians and EGP 60 for foreigners, according to the Museum’s Facebook page. These are some pictures from the Museum: National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (Facebook) × (WION)

Inside the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

<p>The Louvre and Orsay&nbsp;museums&nbsp;in&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;moved&nbsp;art&nbsp;works&nbsp;stored underground to safety on Friday as the swollen river Seine kept rising, the city&#39;s deputy mayor said, following days of torrential rains that have killed two people.</p>

<p>Floodwaters&nbsp;have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and dozens of schools have closed south of&nbsp;Paris. Earlier this week the army was also called in to rescue stranded motorists on a major highway.</p>

<p>&quot;For the&nbsp;museums, even if fortunately there isn&#39;t any&nbsp;flooding of storerooms as of today, there is an automatic process above 5.50 metres to&nbsp;move&nbsp;works&nbsp;in the deepest storerooms higher,&quot; Bruno Julliard,&nbsp;Paris&#39; deputy mayor, told France Inter radio.</p>

<p>The Louvre and the Musee d&#39;Orsay are both home to world-renowned&nbsp;art&nbsp;collections.</p>

<p>Julliard said the&nbsp;works&nbsp;in the&nbsp;museums, which overlook the Seine, were not at risk as of early Friday. Some low lying roads running along the river are underwater and one underground commuter line has been closed.</p>

<p>Officials forecast the Seine could peak at 6 metres in central&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;on Friday, stressing this is still well below the level where it would threaten residents and businesses.</p>

<p>The river reached a record high of 8.6 metres in 1910, when thousands of&nbsp;Parisians had to flee flooded low-lying areas of the city.</p>

<p>Environment minister Segolene Royal told France 2 television on Friday that the&nbsp;floods may take several weeks to subside.</p>

<p>&quot;What&#39;s going to be even more painful for the families who have lost their homes, the heads of companies who have lost their businesses, the employees who will be unable to go to work, is that the drop in the water level will be very slow,&quot; Royal&nbsp;said.</p>

<p>The retreating&nbsp;waters&nbsp;could reveal further victims, she&nbsp;added.</p>

<p>In Evry-Gregy-sur-Yerre, south of&nbsp;Paris, a man on horseback drowned on Thursday, becoming the second fatality. Le&nbsp;Parisien newspaper said the 74-year-old had been trying to cross a flooded field.</p>


The Louvre and Orsay?museums?in?Paris moved?art?works to safety on Friday as the river Seine kept rising. Thousands of people have evacuated their homes and dozens of schools closed down.

The Louvre and Orsay museums in Paris moved art works stored underground to safety on Friday as the swollen river Seine kept rising, the city's deputy mayor said, following days of torrential rains that have killed two people. Floodwaters have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and dozens of schools have closed south of Paris. Earlier this week the army was also called in to rescue stranded motorists on a major highway. "For the museums, even if fortunately there isn't any flooding of storerooms as of today, there is an automatic process above 5.50 metres to move works in the deepest storerooms higher," Bruno Julliard, Paris' deputy mayor, told France Inter radio. The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay are both home to world-renowned art collections. Julliard said the works in the museums, which overlook the Seine, were not at risk as of early Friday. Some low lying roads running along the river are underwater and one underground commuter line has been closed. Officials forecast the Seine could peak at 6 metres in central Paris on Friday, stressing this is still well below the level where it would threaten residents and businesses. The river reached a record high of 8.6 metres in 1910, when thousands of Parisians had to flee flooded low-lying areas of the city. Environment minister Segolene Royal told France 2 television on Friday that the floods may take several weeks to subside. "What's going to be even more painful for the families who have lost their homes, the heads of companies who have lost their businesses, the employees who will be unable to go to work, is that the drop in the water level will be very slow," Royal said. The retreating waters could reveal further victims, she added. In Evry-Gregy-sur-Yerre, south of Paris, a man on horseback drowned on Thursday, becoming the second fatality. Le Parisien newspaper said the 74-year-old had been trying to cross a flooded field.

Paris museums move art works as flood waters rise

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