Finland: Turku joins Tallinn as European Capital of Culture for 2011. The city has announced two over-arching themes for artistic events and exhibitions to mark its year in the spotlight: 876 Shades of Darkness and Turku on Fire, references to Finland's long winters and the many blazes that Turku has suffered during its history.
France: A sketchbook of drawings by Pablo Picasso worth an estimated £6.8m has been stolen from the Picasso Museum in Paris. The theft was discovered on 9 June, although it is unclear when the incident occurred, as there was no sign of a break-in and the alarm did not sound. The museum is to close later this year for a €20m refurbishment.
Greece: The long-delayed Acropolis Museum opened last month with gala ceremonies attended by international guests, few of whom were from the UK. Visitors will enjoy a discounted admission price of €1 until December, to appreciate the Parthenon Marbles that remain in Greece, framed by views of the ancient temple.
Italy: Finland's pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale, co-curated by Kiasma, the Finnish museum of contemporary art, has been transformed into the Fire & Rescue Museum by artist Jussi Kivi. Kivi has re-created an abandoned Soviet-era nuclear civil defence bunker and its contents, which were found in Estonia.
Netherlands: Plans for a National Historical Museum in Arnhem were hotly debated in the lower house of the Dutch parliament in June. Politicians are divided as to whether it should be built in Arnhem, as the Hague and Amsterdam also have support. Whether the museum should be celebratory or take a more critical look at Dutch history and identity is also an issue.
UAE: The Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which is constructing the Abu Dhabi island of Saadiyat, has rejected charges by Human Rights Watch about the exploitation of migrant labour. The developer is encouraging contractors to pay workers promptly, not seize their passports, and to provide contracts. Saadiyat will boast branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.
US: Funds have been set up to support the family of Stephen T Johns, the security guard shot dead at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC on 10 June. The suspected killer, an 88 year-old with a history of antisemitism, opened fire in the crowded museum before being wounded by other security guards.
Compiled by Javier Pes. Seen in the Washington Post, Reuters, BBC and Agence France-Press
France: A sketchbook of drawings by Pablo Picasso worth an estimated £6.8m has been stolen from the Picasso Museum in Paris. The theft was discovered on 9 June, although it is unclear when the incident occurred, as there was no sign of a break-in and the alarm did not sound. The museum is to close later this year for a €20m refurbishment.
Greece: The long-delayed Acropolis Museum opened last month with gala ceremonies attended by international guests, few of whom were from the UK. Visitors will enjoy a discounted admission price of €1 until December, to appreciate the Parthenon Marbles that remain in Greece, framed by views of the ancient temple.
Italy: Finland's pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale, co-curated by Kiasma, the Finnish museum of contemporary art, has been transformed into the Fire & Rescue Museum by artist Jussi Kivi. Kivi has re-created an abandoned Soviet-era nuclear civil defence bunker and its contents, which were found in Estonia.
Netherlands: Plans for a National Historical Museum in Arnhem were hotly debated in the lower house of the Dutch parliament in June. Politicians are divided as to whether it should be built in Arnhem, as the Hague and Amsterdam also have support. Whether the museum should be celebratory or take a more critical look at Dutch history and identity is also an issue.
UAE: The Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which is constructing the Abu Dhabi island of Saadiyat, has rejected charges by Human Rights Watch about the exploitation of migrant labour. The developer is encouraging contractors to pay workers promptly, not seize their passports, and to provide contracts. Saadiyat will boast branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.
US: Funds have been set up to support the family of Stephen T Johns, the security guard shot dead at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC on 10 June. The suspected killer, an 88 year-old with a history of antisemitism, opened fire in the crowded museum before being wounded by other security guards.
Compiled by Javier Pes. Seen in the Washington Post, Reuters, BBC and Agence France-Press
