Scrum like a masterpiece: A contest worthy of the Louvre

I'VE never seen the Mona Lisa in person, although while cruising down the Seine under grey skies on an early autumn day, a light sprinkle of rain collecting on my brow - I did see the Louvre.

- MORGAN BOLTON

There are over 500 000 works stored in that Parisian landmark, Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic portrait just one of the 35 000 items on permanent display.

One day, if I am lucky - if the Rand allows it I hope to look upon it and appreciate the masterpiece.

If you ever make it to Oslo, be sure to visit the Munch Museum, where you can stare into the distress of The Scream, or wonder at the intimacy of Love and Pain.

Some 5km away, the Viking Ship Museum presents one of the most well-preserved vessels of its kind.

It is beautiful to look upon the craftsmanship a thousand years old - yet still translating through the ages the care and pride of the workmanship.

In the British Museum, hidden away in a corner of the African section, beyond the idealised Greek sculptures and the verism of their Roman counterparts, you can sit and admire the Benin Bronzes, looted in the late 19th century by the British when they sacked that kingdom.

Clearly, all these things deserve to be on display, preserved for posterity and enjoyed by the public.