Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel - The Exhibition

This is a fantastic idea that offers the opportunity to see the art painted by Michelangelo about 500 years ago. The art speaks for itself - it tells the stories from the Bible of Adam and Eve, and the ancestors of Christ associated with stories Catholic children have all been told.nnThe canvases do offer the up close and personal view that you will NOT see if you visit the Sistine Chapel, as they are not hung so that you can see the cracks in the paint, the carvings in ceiling done before the paint was laid, the shadows and other details of the paintings. However, it does not offer the same perspective you would get standing in Sistine Chapel - panels that include framing are two dimensional, it was not until I looked at photos that I took I could see the angles of the ceiling framing.nnI think that it if you are Catholic, it will resonate and will provide the chance to be closer to the messages and other elements of God. From an art perspective, it fell short of what I expected.nnSuggestion is to visit this during the week - the crowds are much smaller, and you have opportunity to sit and gaze at the panels for as long as you wish. There is small gift shop at entrance selling magnets, books, t-shirts and silk scarves; all items are reasonably priced. Audio tours are available for $3 in multiple languages. Parking is free, and there is ample handicapped spaces near the entrance.nnTake the time to walk around the campus, you will have the most amazing views of sculptures, grounds, fountains and the bell tower. At the time of my visit, the Cathedral was closed for renovations, but I believe that normally during the week it is not open for tours. If you are interested in seeing the inside, check before you visit.

It was great to see a copy of Michelangelo's famous art work up close. The audio tour added another layer to the exhibit and provided important information of each piece. Would definitely recommend visiting while it's still here.

Pretty cool exhibit. Definitely worth the time to watch the 22 min long video and the extra 3 bucks to get a audio guided tour.

Nice to see the images up-close, but the prints were very low resolution and did not look like paintings.

Always good food! The Panchito's dinner has so much that you end up with lunch the next day too!