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  • The voyage had begun, and had begun happily with a soft blue sky, and a calm sea.

    They followed her on to the deck. All the smoke and the houses had disappeared, and the ship was out in a wide space of sea very fresh and clear though pale in the early light. They had left London sitting on its mud. A very thin line of shadow tapered on the horizon, scarcely thick enough to stand the burden of Paris, which nevertheless rested upon it. They were free of roads, free of mankind, and the same exhilaration at their freedom ran through them all.

    The ship was making her way steadily through small waves which slapped her and then fizzled like effervescing water, leaving a little border of bubbles and foam on either side. The colourless October sky above was thinly clouded as if by the trail of wood-fire smoke, and the air was wonderfully salt and brisk. Indeed it was too cold to stand still. Mrs. Ambrose drew her arm within her husband’s, and as they moved off it could be seen from the way in which her sloping cheek turned up to his that she had something private to communicate.

  • They must know, then, that the above-named gentleman whenever he was at leisure (which was mostly all the year round) gave himself up to reading books of chivalry with such ardour and avidity that he almost entirely neglected the pursuit of his field-sports, and even the management of his property; and to such a pitch did his eagerness and infatuation go that he sold many an acre of tillageland to buy books of chivalry to read, and brought home as many of them as he could get.

    But of all there were none he liked so well as those of the famous Feliciano de Silva’s composition, for their lucidity of style and complicated conceits were as pearls in his sight, particularly when in his reading he came upon courtships and cartels, where he often found passages like “the reason of the unreason with which my reason is afflicted so weakens my reason that with reason I murmur at your beauty;” or again, “the high heavens render you deserving of the desert your greatness deserves.”

  • Oceanic Inspiration


    Winding veils round their heads, the women walked on deck. They were now moving steadily down the river, passing the dark shapes of ships at anchor, and London was a swarm of lights with a pale yellow canopy drooping above it. There were the lights of the great theatres, the lights of the long streets, lights that indicated huge squares of domestic comfort, lights that hung high in air.

    No darkness would ever settle upon those lamps, as no darkness had settled upon them for hundreds of years. It seemed dreadful that the town should blaze for ever in the same spot; dreadful at least to people going away to adventure upon the sea, and beholding it as a circumscribed mound, eternally burnt, eternally scarred. From the deck of the ship the great city appeared a crouched and cowardly figure, a sedentary miser.

  • Flowers

    Seaweed

  • Paul Signac was a 19th century French Neo-Impressionist painter who helped develop the Pointillist style.

    In 1886, he painted a number of works focused on the harbor in Les Andelys, a village on the Seine River.

    Impressionist painting by Paul Signac of a seaside scene.
  • Before you arrive

    Want to have the best possible experience at the museum? Here’s what to do before you arrive.

    1. See what’s on show

    The museum has a handful of seasonal exhibitions, alongside permanent showings. Explore what’s on view this month.

    2. Get directions

    Figure out the best way to get to the museum, whether by car, foot, or public transit. See a list of our accessible entrances.

    3. Buy your tickets

    Save time by buying your tickets before you arrive. Show your printed or digital ticket to staff and then walk right in.

  • Views of Mt. Fuji

    An exhibition of early 20th century woodblock prints featuring the majesty of Mt. Fuji.

    Learn More →

  • Hello Rover

    The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was designed to transport astronauts and materials on the Moon. Original from NASA.

  • Virtual Tour ↗

    Get a virtual tour of the museum. Ideal for schools and events.

    Current Shows ↗

    Stay updated and see our current exhibitions here.

    Useful Info ↗

    Get to know our opening times, ticket prices and discounts.

  • Which treats of the character and pursuits of the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha.

    Which treats of the first sally the ingenious Don Quixote made from home.

    Wherein is related the droll way in which Don Quixote had himself dubbed a knight.