Sat. Nov. 13: Tour the Private Paradise!

Join us for a guided tour of the world exclusive exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) called "The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City." The exhibit was created from over 90 works of art which are being revealed to the public for the first time.

After coming first to Salem, the exhibit, organized by the PEM in partnership with the Palace Museum, Beijing, and in cooperation with World Monuments Fund, will travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Milwaukee Art Museum in 2011.

From 1736-1796, China's Qianlong emperor, who was one of the richest, most powerful men in the world, created a private compound filled with lavish palaces, hidden courtyards and finely manicured gardens. The pieces you'll see which come from this "glittering Asian Versailles" range from luxurious textiles and furniture to ornate Buddhist shrines, mandalas and other devotional objects. Other highlights include a massive jade-and-lacquer screen decorated with botanical images and a bamboo-inlay throne produced for the Qianlong (pronounced "chee'en lohng") emperor himself.

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 13, 11 a.m.

WHERE: Peabody Essex Museum, downtown Salem, Mass
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COST: If purchased in advance from me, $8 per person. (Otherwise, tickets at the door: Adults $15, Seniors $13, Students $11, and Youth (16 and under), Salem, Mass. residents and members admitted free.)

To reserve a space, send check made out to "Beata Panagopoulos" and mail to me at: 28 Maple Ave., Apt. 3, Cambridge, MA 02139-1130.

We are very fortunate that BSLUG Board member, Paula Felsher, will be our tour guide. We will not only have a most excellent tour, but also more flexibility than a museum docent could afford us. In addition, with our own tour guide, we are able to use passes to get into the museum

If you haven't been to the Peabody Essex, now is the perfect opportunity to see this spectacular museum. Recently transformed, the PEM "presents art and culture from New England and around the world. The museum's collections are among the finest of their kind, showcasing an unrivaled spectrum of American art and architecture (including four National Historic Landmark buildings) and outstanding Asian, Asian Export, Native American, African, Oceanic, Maritime, and Photography collections. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens, and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year old house that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture in the United States." (Excerpted from the Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc. webpage.)

All friends and family welcome. If you can offer a ride or need one, please contact Beata.