I've driven to Canberra twice in the past neither of which I had GPS in my vehicle so I must have just written myself instructions to navigate.
It's not tricky to navigate in Canberra, but I certainly appreciated having my phone plugged into my ute with CarPlay giving me Google Maps directions to the National Gallery of Australia (underground car park). There weren't too many places with awkward directions, but it was appreciated having that (metaphorical) hand guiding me.
There's no outward indications that there is an underground car park for the National Gallery. It's opposite the National Gallery rather than being underneath it, and it's got a park on top of it.
It's located at Parkes Place East.
The sign says it's 2.0 metre height clearance, but driving through it definitely feels lower. Going down the ramp there is a left corner and then you're in the car park. It's two long lanes to park with the option turn at two locations.
Be careful exiting the car park, there is a slight dog leg from the exit lane which requires a left and then you need to be straight on to get your window level with the ticket machine which is at the car park level (there is a barrier at street level that opens automatically). Don't follow really closely in the line to exit, as you need that extra car length to manoeuvre properly to line up with the ticket machine.
Exiting the car park on foot is either lift or stairs, both depositing you to the entrance of the National Gallery of Australia (NGA).
I'd gotten there early, and mindful of the COVID conditions, didn't want to try and enter the exhibition too early than what my ticket read.
So I went for a little wonder around outside.
The High Court of Australia is just across from the NGA, and it has a nice view of Lake Burley Griffin also.
There were a few school groups at the NGA as well, many congregated outside. A bunch of high school kids shouting "wanker" to anyone (including me) as they walked past them.
Inside there were a lot of older people in the NGA and the exhibition I was there to see as well.
The exhibition itself was…fine?
About 10 years ago I visited the NGA to see the exhibition "Masterpieces from Paris" which included Van Gogh's Starry Night, and that was a really moving exhibition. I remember being able to lean in quite close to look at Starry Night, see the globs of paint, the 3D-ness of the painting, something I'd only ever seen in print or on a screen. Seeing it in person was a moving experience for me.
This exhibition Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London was somewhat…underwhelming.
Although still insightful, the different ranges of artists and styles on show were broad and really explained and displayed a lot.
I feel a saw a lot of different styles.
The two drawcard paintings Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Monet's Water Lillies were…good?
Both paintings I learnt from the information cards beside were one of multiple versions of the paintings.
Although the version of Van Gogh's Sunflowers was one of two that was signed by the artist himself.
So that was interesting and notable seeing that.
Monet's The Water-Liliy Pond was kinda underwhelming.
Probably because I've seen different versions of this artwork, this version (one of more than 200+) was somewhat odd.
It's quite oddly shaped, while it does show the bridge and the lily pond below, it doesn't show the banks of the pond.
The information beside the artwork claims "this shows it floating above the water". But to me, it just seemed an odd perspective, like the painting had been poorly cropped.
The exhibition is three and a half rooms, with paintings generally on three of the four walls. There is one half room covering “The Grand Tour” as one of the tour people described a grand tour as a "kind of gap year" (where {the tour guide said} the people on it were expected to churn out paintings while on it).
There were some large and interesting paintings of Venice in this room.
Overall it was the other paintings that really enlightened me on the styles of the periods covered, not those draw card paintings that were on display.
One slightly detracting thing were the tours that were being run of the exhibition. One was alright by a woman who seemed professional and part of the NGA, she had an official looking lanyard at least and spoke with knowledge and authority (and not in too much of a loud voice), and had a small gathering of older people with her.
The other was an American woman, and she had a raised voice, had to keep checking the information plaques on the wall, didn't speak with much authority and was kind of annoying. I tried to stay away from her, but it did get close to irritating and kinda ruined the self discovery of the art works as I wandered around looking at them.
The exit, through the gift shop
You exit through a gift shop, not THE NGA gift shop, that's downstairs near the exit. This gift shop was just for this exhibition. There were various books, mugs, water bottles and other collectable things related to the art work. Plus other things like tea towels and napkins that seemed to tout their Australian-ness, but when you looked closer the might be designed in Australia, but their actual manufacture was a little less clear.