Visiting this museum was high, very high, on my list of things I wanted to do in Munich.

Today I visited and I was delighted.

As I entered, I thought to myself, I think I’ll just enjoy it without taking a lot of pictures and may I won’t even blog about it, for a change.

My resolve continued through the first room, although I was immediately impressed with the supreme quality of the works exhibited and the gorgeous, apprpriate spaces in which the artworks were shown. I felt calmed by the space, and bewitched by the art works.

Again, as I have been saying since I first arrived in Berlin, I am very impressed by the quality and even quantity of labeling in English (and Italian. There are a lot of visitors from Italy in Germany. I hear Italian every day).

And then I passed from the Room of the Kouroi to the next, gorgeous, domed gallery, where in the center sits the magnificent Hellenistic sculpture, the Barberini Faun. It took my breath away. Behold.

I’ve seen copies of this famous work in other museums and although we can’t be sure this is the original Hellenistic version (it may be a Roman copy), nothing prepared me for this work in this space.

Nothing prepared me for the opportunity to walk around the sculpture and admire its form and structure from all angles.

Nothing prepared me for the chance to be up close and personal with this incredible thing.

It was downhill from this room onward. I was lost and taking pictures right and left. You’ll get to see the cream of the crop in a few upcoming posts. I cannot recommend German art museums highly enough.