Learn the art of sugar flowers or take in art at The Met. Plus, a hot new show at the Fringe Festival.
Tag Archives: museum
November 20, 2014
Glenn Close returns to Broadway for just 18 weeks, Russell Brand signing copies of his children’s book, the opening of one of our favorite holiday markets, and more on this chilly Thursday!
November 6, 2014
The incomparable Stevie Wonder plays for one night only, and funny man Dane Cook heats up the Beacon…November 6 is a splendid day New York!
New Museum: Night and Day
The New Museum presents the first major solo museum exhibition in the United States of the work of artist Chris Ofili.
November 4, 2014
The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler drops her new girl power album and El Greco lands in New York…today, Tuesday November 4, the Big Apple is especially sweet!
October 23, 2014
Check out the largest Henry Matisse exhibit in the country or spend the day shopping with David Yurman and Hermes….Thursday October 23rd is a great day New York!
October 20, 2014
The incomparable Glenn Close makes her Broadway return and something mournful is happening at The Met…Monday October 20, 2014 in NYC is all abuzz!
October 14, 2014
From a Neil Patrick Harris book signing to the Killer Heels exhibit at Brooklyn Museum, Tuesday October 14 in NYC is absolutely buzzing!
New Museum: Here and Elsewhere
The New Museum presents “Here and Elsewhere,” a major exhibition of contemporary art from and about the Arab world.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in New York City, is the one of the world’s largest and finest art museums. Its collections span more than 5,000 years of visual culture from every corner of the globe.
Dark Universe
Now playing at the Hayden Planetarium is the new show Dark Universe, a glorious journey that takes audiences through the Milky Way and explores the mysteries of the universe.
Power Of Poison
Learn about the striking presence of poison in nature and myth when you visit the Power of Poison, the new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Be sure to pick your poison carefully when checking out this thrilling new exhibit.
Come see Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom only at the MET
For the first time in New York City, explore a unique side of East Asian history through the Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom exhibit at the MET.
Explore the Chris Burden Exhibit at the New Museum
Chris Burden’s work over the years are shown in this new exhibit that is currently overtaking the New Museum!
Under The Sea at Fernbank
Dive into an IMAX® adventure to explore some of the ocean’s most exotic and isolated undersea locations and experience face-to-face encounters with the mysterious and unusual creatures found under the sea.
Just in time for summer, Fernbank Museum invites you to enjoy an underwater IMAX® adventure! Under the Sea explores some of the ocean’s most exotic and isolated undersea locations and is narrated by Jim Carrey. You’ll come face-to-fin with some of the planet’s most extraordinary marine creatures—from the exquisitely stunning to the downright deadly.
Under the Sea offers an inspirational look the impact that global climate change has had on our ocean wilderness, combining stunning underwater cinematography with state-of-the-art digital surround sound.
Click here for more information.
Visit The Past At The American Museum Of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its global mission to discover, interpret, and disseminate information about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through a wide-ranging program of scientific research, education, and exhibition.
The Museum is renowned for its exhibitions and scientific collections, which serve as a field guide to the entire planet and present a panorama of the world’s cultures.
Current exhibits include Whales: Giants of the Deep which transports visitors to the vibrant underwater world of the mightiest animals on Earth. Also visit Frogs: A Chorus of Colors where you can explore the rich diversity of frogs and learn about their evolution, biology, and the threats they face in the world’s changing environments. Also Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture where you can take a journey around the world and through time. Stroll through an ancient market, cook a virtual meal, peek inside the dining rooms of illustrious individuals—and consider some of the most challenging issues of our time.
Visit amnh.org for more information.
Visit The New Museum
Founded in 1977, the New Museum is a leading destination for new art and new ideas. It is Manhattan’s only dedicated contemporary art museum and is respected internationally for the adventurousness and global scope of its curatorial program.
The New Museum is devoted entirely to contemporary art from all over the world. Its exhibitions are often shocking, controversial, and they attract great criticism. But isn’t this what contemporary art is all about? The building of the New Museum, located on Bowery and Prince, is a contemporary art piece in itself. The Japanese architecture firm designed the building as a series of gigantic boxes, the museum’s galleries, placed on top of each other. It is truly a monument of contemporary art. Located in the Lower East side, where most buildings are old and poorly maintained, the building of the New Museum definitely stands and makes a strong statement – contemporary art exist, and it matters. The New Museum seems to reject everything that is bourgeois or old, making space for a new direction in art and culture – modernity.
This summer, the New Museum will present the first major New York museum exhibition of the work of Ellen Gallagher. Spanning the past twenty years, “Don’t Axe Me” will provide one of the first opportunities to thoroughly examine the complex formal and thematic concerns of one of the most significant artists to emerge since the mid-1990s. The title of the exhibition, “Don’t Axe Me,” evokes her radical approach to image, text, and surface—drawing equally from modernism, mass culture, and social history. This focused survey at the New Museum will run concurrently with Gallagher’s exhibition at the Tate Modern, London (May 2013).
Visit newmuseum.org for more information.
Check Out Nature’s Wonders At The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Food The Nature of Eating
Harvested from the minds of our spectacular design team, our newest self-curated exhibit Food: The Nature of Eating goes beyond your plate to bring you a farm-fresh perspective on how food connects us to family, friends and ultimately back to the people who produce it.
Join us on this interactive journey from the 19th century to the present day as we show you how our relationship with food has impacted the land, the environment and our society. Along the way, you’ll discover how food travels the world before it reaches your home and learn how millions of acres of fertile Illinois prairie were changed to farmland in less than a century by a tiny technological marvel called the plow.
Judy Istock Butterfly Haven
Get up close to more than 75 species of exotic butterflies and stunning bird species from the Southern hemisphere in a 2,700 square-foot greenhouse filled with pools of water, flowers, tropical trees and 1,000 butterflies, including those never-before-seen in our region.
Click naturemuseum.org for more information.
Experience CSI at the Ft. Worth Museum of Science and History!
Imagine entering a crime scene and being the one responsible for noticing and collecting every trace of evidence. The pressure is on: you know the analysis of your evidence must be scientifically sound to crack the case.
You’ve seen the hit television crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on CBS. Now you play the role of the investigator in a forensic science exhibit created in collaboration with the TV series and actors. CSI: The Experience is a completely immersive exhibit that invites you to enter “crime” scenes where you identify and record evidence. It takes you inside “laboratories” for scientific testing and to “autopsy” rooms for pathology analysis. Then it returns you to the “office” to build your case, based on the scientific evidence. The exhibit brings to life real scientific principles and the most advanced scientific techniques used today by crime scene investigators and forensic scientists.
From DNA and firearms analysis to forensic anthropology and toxicology, you’ll be immersed in hands-on science in an exciting multi-media environment with dazzling special effects direct from the CSI TV series. Cast members from the TV show welcome you into the exhibit from a large video monitor, lead you through the experience, and praise you for a job well done at the end. Visit CSI: The Experience, opening May 25 and running until September 2, 2013. Click here for more information.
Visit The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Learn About The Man Behind “Peanuts”
Remember a love of Peanuts. Housing the largest collection of Peanuts strips in the world, the Museum explores the art and nuances of Schulz’s craft. Learn about the man behind Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, Woodstock and the Little Red-Haired Girl.
The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center was designed to reflect the modest, low key, and comfortable personality and style of the internationally-famous cartoonist. Until his death in 2000, Charles “Sparky” Schulz himself was involved with each design stage. After his passing, his widow, Jean, along with close friends, family members, and museum and design professionals kept his vision in mind to create this beautiful and meaningful space as a tribute to an extraordinary man.
The museum is about 50 miles north of San Francisco in beautiful Sonoma County. Click here for more information.
Expand Your Scientific Knowledge At The Franklin Institute!
Looking for something fun yet educational?
Visit The Franklin Institute, one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. In the spirit of inquiry and discovery embodied by Benjamin Franklin, the mission of The Franklin Institute Science Museum serves to inspire an understanding of and passion for science and technology learning. Among other exhibits, The Science Museum holds the largest collection of artifacts from the Wright brothers’ workshop.
The Institute is full of interesting and interactive exhibits, both permanent and traveling. Some of the permanenet exhibits are:
Kid Science, Space Command, The Train Factory, The Franklin Airshow, The Giant Heart and Changing Earth.
The traveling Exhibit, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, runs until April 7, 2013. This exhibit contains more than 300 legendary artifacts conserved from the ship’s debris field, offering visitors a poignant look at this iconic ship and its passengers. The 15,000 square foot exhibition takes visitors on a chronological journey through the life of Titanic, from the building of the legend to life on board.
Click here for more information.
Explore The Past at The National Museum of American History!
In 2013 the country will commemorate two events that changed the course of the nation – the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the 1963 March on Washington. Standing as milestone moments in the grand sweep of American history, these achievements were the culmination of decades of struggles by individuals – both famous and unknown – who believed in the American promise that this nation was dedicated to the proposition that “all men are created equal.” Separated by 100 years, they are linked together in a larger story of freedom and the American experience.
To commemorate these two pivotal achievements, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture will present an exhibition that explores the historical context of these two crucial events, their accomplishments and limitations, and their impact on the generations that followed. The exhibition will be on view from Dec. 14, 2012 through Sept. 15, 2013. Click here for more information.
The diverse collections of the National Museum of American History reflect a wide variety of subjects relating to the history of the United States as well as the history of science, medicine, and technology.
Music at The Phillips Collection
Music has been a vital part of the Phillips’s cultural offerings since the museum opened in 1921.The flagship Sunday Concerts is the longest uninterrupted concert series in Washington, D.C., and has enriched the community since 1941, providing a platform for internationally acclaimed musicians and emerging artists at critical moments in their careers.
In partnership with embassies in Washington, the Phillips presents Leading European Composers, which introduces some of Europe’s finest talent to audiences in D.C. Each composer works directly with musicians of their choice, providing a unique dialogue between composer and performer.
Now in its second season our ensemble-in-residence, The Phillips Camerata, continues to carry the Phillips name and remarkable musical history into the concert circuit. Comprised of a flexible roster of leading instrumentalists from the D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York areas, the Camerata offers a range of performances each year under the artistic direction of Caroline Mousset. Click here for the schedule.
Explore French Impressionists And Others At The Barnes Foundation
The new 93,000-square-foot, two-story building, designed by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, is described as a “gallery in a garden, a garden in a gallery.” Boasting a textured grey-and-gold Ramon limestone exterior and a glass canopy that glows at night, the building is a breathtaking addition to the Parkway Museum District.
The four-and-a-half acre landscaped grounds reference the Barnes Arboretum in Merion, which will reopen in the late summer of 2012. In addition, the building boasts a number of sustainable features, including a green roof and permeable surfaces that allow for rain and grey water re-use.
But the true draw is the Barnes Collection featuring 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes and 59 Matisses, along with works by Manet, Degas, Seurat, Prendergrast, Titian and Picasso.
The 12,000-square-foot gallery preserves the scale, proportion and configuration of the original Merion location. The priceless works are symmetrically arranged according to size, and often paired with artifacts and furniture (think: African sculpture, Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, antique Chinese paintings) organized around themes and formal elements. The scheme is the physical manifestation of the teachings of the man who collected the works, Albert C. Barnes. Click here for more information.
Rocky Mountain Majesty: The Paintings of Charles Partridge Adams at The Denver Art Museum
Charles Partridge Adams was a Colorado landscape painter active during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Rocky Mountain Majesty: The Paintings of Charles Partridge Adams marks the first time that Adams’ paintings will be displayed together at a major art museum; and the Denver Art Museum will be the sole venue for this important exhibition that highlights his greatest paintings of Colorado.
Adams became one of the finest Colorado artists and is best known for his paintings of Longs Peak near Estes Park and other mountain ranges in Colorado. He was a highly prolific painter who created more than a 1,000 paintings during his lifetime. The DAM will exhibit 33 of the very best of his oil and watercolor paintings depicting Colorado and will show the diversity of Adams’ oeuvre, which includes such styles as realism, tonalism and impressionism. Rocky Mountain Majesty also will feature two of the museum’s own paintings, Moraine Park and Sunset in Colorado, alongside loans from lenders across Colorado. Click here for more information.
Visit the JFK Presidential Library and Museum
Visit us in our striking I.M Pei building on Boston’s waterfront. Located on Columbia Point, the Library and Museum is set on a ten acre park landscaped with pine trees, shrubs and wild roses reminiscent of the landscape of Cape Cod familiar to President Kennedy.
Experience our Museum through our three theaters, period settings, and 25 dramatic multimedia exhibits, and enter the recreated world of the Kennedy Presidency for a “first-hand” experience of John F. Kennedy’s life, legacy, and leadership. Click here for more information.
Discover Titans of the Ice Age in 3-D
In this exciting 3-D adventure, discover an icy world on the brink of extinction, where humans share the frozen tundra with majestic beasts. Encounter some of the Earth’s most awe-inspiring mammals, from saber-toothed cats and dire wolves to giant sloths and the iconic mammoths that lived 10,000-years before modern civilization. Click here for more information.
Denver Art museum
The Denver Art Museum is a private, non-profit, educational resource for Colorado. The mission of the museum is to enrich the lives of Colorado and Rocky Mountain residents through the acquisition, preservation, and presentation of art works in both the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, and by supporting these works with exemplary educational and scholarly programs.
Since its beginnings in the 1890s as the Denver Artists’ Club, the Denver Art Museum has had a number of temporary homes, from the public library and a downtown mansion to a portion of the Denver City and County Building.
DC’s only Presidential Museum – Woodrow Wilson House
The Woodrow Wilson House is a national historic landmark and house museum that tells of President Wilson’s Washington Years from 1912-1924. Through informative guided tours and exhibitions, this museum promotes awareness of his celebrated life and ideals for the future as a world statesmen.
Through visiting his house on S Street, NW, the Woodrow Wilson House allows visitors to peek into the private life of the twentieth century political icon.
After a walk through the house, one can truly reflect on President Wilson’s accomplishments not only as a revered world leader who sought peace through finding the League of Nations, but also as a down-to-earth husband and loving father.
Newseum
Newseum Blends High-Tech With Historical.
The Newseum — a 250,000-square-foot museum of news — offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.
The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall.
The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfill its mission of educating the public about the value of a free press in a free society and telling the stories of the world’s important events in unique and engaging ways.
The Newseum features seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services. It offers a unique environment that takes museumgoers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made. Click here for more information.
Miami Science Museum & Planetarium: A world of hands-on exploration
Hands-on, interactive permanent as well as traveling exhibitions are what Miami Science Museum is all about. Add in the interpretive presentations, Wildlife Center and Planetarium laser shows and it’s a full day affair!
Visiting this attraction means learning about all things scientific, whether it’s wind, electricity, the human body, dinosaurs, sharks, energy this place gets people moving since most all displays are interactive. Head outside to the Wildlife Center and see their amazing collection of turtles, snakes, birds of prey and other critters. It’s also a rehabilitation center for sick and injured birds so it’s an educational lesson as well.
And in the Planetarium, daytime shows focus on the telescope and on identifying the stars and planets. In the evening, laser shows take over, they’ve been a hit here for years and keep going strong. Watch laser lights move and groove while listening to the sounds of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Bob Marley. On the first Friday of the month they open up the rooftop observatory for star viewing.
The Miami Science Museum & Planetarium is located at 3280 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL
Hemingway Foundation: Read All About It
Just a quick and easy ride on Chicago’s CTA Green Line westbound to Harlem will bring you to the idyllic suburb of Oak Park. Here you may feel you’re walking on a movie set as the brick streets, mansions and adorable eateries seem too cute to be real.
This suburb defies the word by being anything but cookie-cutter and is packed full of culture. It is home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum and the somewhat lesser known Hemingway Foundation Exhibit. Yep, it’s right here in Oak Park. The celebrated author is originally from this cute town and thus Chicagoans and tourists can enjoy anything from wine auctions at the Foundation to tours, lectures and educational programs.
Afterward, head across the street to ponder life at Hemingway’s Bistro.
Laura Bruney- Executive director of Miami’s Arts & Business Council.
![laura_bruney[1]](http://citybuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/laura_bruney1-280x300.jpg "laura_bruney[1]")
Tell me about your current job and your past history that makes you the perfect person to be a Miami insider.
I moved to Miami when I was 11 years old so I think I am almost a native. I have been Executive Director of the Arts & Business Council of Miami for over 23 years. In this role I create working partnerships between the corporate and cultural communities. We have programs that help business professionals connect with their creative side and make meaningful use of their skills and their free time. I work with over 500 arts groups and hundreds of artists in Miami Dade and am a passionate fan of the arts in our community.
What do you love about Miami in the Fall?
The cultural season gets into full swing in the fall. I also love football which starts in the fall and love the Miami Dolphins (most years). The weather cools off and hurricane season ends.
What are some of your favorite neighborhoods?
South Beach on the bay side, Design District, Mimo and Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.
For eating? Lincoln Road, Coral Gables
Museums? Miami Beach, Downtown
What is your favorite place to shop in the city?
Museum gift shops have the best and most unique items for sale. Your purchase supports the arts. Many museums carry the work of local artists. You can find a list of all the museums in Miami-Dade at www.MiamiDadeArts.org and click on find an arts group.
What inspires you about Miami?
The diversity of the people and places, the sunshine, the warm and inviting atmosphere and of course our world class cultural community including over 1,000 arts groups.
Do you have an insider tip for tourists visiting Miami for the first time?
Explore. Go to the different neighborhoods for different experiences. Visit our museums, take an Art Deco walk or historic walking tour with Dr. George. Check the Weekend Section of the Miami Herald and go to a festival or special event. Miami has more festivals than days in the year! Visit the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau website www.gmcvb.com for a great calendar of events and programs and great promotions such as Miami Spice month at some of our best restaurants.
Are you a regular somewhere?
The Adrienne Arsht Center, museums, theatres and festivals.
Do you have a secret spot in the city (to unwind, get away, people watch, read a book, escape) and why?
Maurice Gibb Park in South Beach is a quiet little park right on the bay. Perfect for a small picnic with friends, walking the dog or just watching the sunset over beautiful downtown Miami.
What are your favorite
Restaurants – Joe Allen, Solea at the W, Dynamo Café at Wolfsonian, Garcias on the River, Sr. Martinez
Museums – Miami has a great variety of museums and I love them all. Some of my favorites Wolfsonian, Bass Museum, Lowes Art Museum, Deering Estate. Looking forward to our new museum park opening in a few years in downtown Miami.
shopping places – Lincoln Road, Bakery Center Art Space, Museum gift shops
favorite events:
Art Basel, Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Miami Book Fair, Summer Shorts, Miami Hispanic Theatre Festival
The Norton Simon Museum: Picture Perfect in Pasadena
The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is truly noteworthy when it comes to its artwork and exhibits.
Featuring Asian Art, European Art, and anything that is remotely Modern or contemporary, is featured in this hideaway. Current exhibitions at the Norton Simon include Hiroshige: Visions of Japan, while future exhibitions will be Raphael’s “The Small Cowper”.
The vast amount of exhibitions and collections keeps tours and memberships alive. The Norton Simon, known for relatively inexpensive admission rates, has multiple levels of membership for active visitors as well as same-day admission for $8.00.
Tours are also encouraged from those at Norton Simon who administer guided tours as well as spotlight talks featuring twenty minute discussions free to visitors.
Along with guided tours and visits to the Museum, Norton Simon frequently features adult drawing and art history classes as well as lectures and dance performances.
With multiple ways to enjoy the exhibits and collections, Norton Simon makes it easy for anyone to become fascinated by the works around them.
High Museum
With its renowned collection of classic and contemporary art and award-winning architecture by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the High Museum of Art has grown from its origins in a stately home on Peachtree Street to become the leading art museum in the southeastern United States. The High Museum of Art is the leading art museum in the southeastern United States. Located in Midtown Atlanta’s arts and business district, the High has more than 12,000 works of art in its permanent collection. The Museum has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American art; significant holdings of European paintings and decorative art; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography and African art. The High is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists and is distinguished as the only major museum in North America to have a curatorial department specifically devoted to the field of folk and self-taught art. Visit high.org for schedule and information.
Whales, Seahorses & Dolphins Oh Shedd!
Not only does the Shedd Aquarium play home to some of the most beautiful and exotic sea creatures humans could ever lay their eyes on, but it also is home to one of the best views you’ll find in the entire city of Chicago.
Located on a peninsula jutting out in Lake Michigan, from outside and within its dome-like windowed walls, the entire city of Chicago is laid out like a panoramic postcard from within the museum. The view aside however, kids and adults alike ooh and ahh over the amazing array of sea life. From teeny tiny seahorses of all colors and shapes majestically fanning around their world, to dolphins jumping and baby beluga whales being born, the Shedd Aquarium provides top notch entertainment day and night, all year round.
Visitors learn about sea creatures from every crevice of the world and can catch specially scheduled shows to see the dolphins and whales in action. After hours, the Shedd hosts plenty of parties and mixers so be sure to check their schedule to see if a cocktail hour at the Shedd is happening (always a blast!). Jazzin’ it at the Shedd happens Wednesday nights and serves as the perfect place to catch the nightly fireworks shooting from Navy Pier.
2. Denver Hosts World at Biennial of the Americas July 1-31
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Denver is playing host to the world all this month 
for the Biennial of the Americas. Artists and leaders from North, Central, and South America will be here to show off their ideas and works, as they take part in this celebration of the diversity of the region. From a rock and roll musical, a workshop on playing Caribbean drums, a breakdance competition in Skyline Park, to The Cell (pictured), the first state-of-the-art exhibit on global terrorism, nearly every major museum, cultural center and public area will have something dedicated specifically to this event. The best part is that many of these programs are free! Check the website for information on all the various events and their locations.
The Paley Center for Media, and More
There is no better place for The Paley Center for Media than Beverly Hills, where most of the celebrities you will be watching on their televisions probably live just miles away from the center. In the beautiful white building adorned with miniature TVs streaming video clips for those walking the streets, you can find anything from an old I Love Lucy rerun to a live event hosted by the cast of Greek. For the true television, radio and movie aficionado, The Paley Center for Media may just be everything you could possibly ask for.
With
150,000 advertisements, television and radio programs in its collection, The Paley Center is the world’s leading museum for preserving media as well as leading discussions on media trends. Just like the entertainment industry, The Paley Center is constantly changing its programs and events, from large festivals to preview parties. For the true media enthusiast, a visit to the Paley won’t only allow you to relive television’s past but also to embrace future celebrity performances. With appearances from late night talk show hosts to entire casts of television shows, there always seems to be a party happening at Paley.
Whether you choose a guided daytime tour or an event with a celebrity, it’s an unanimous vote that a Paley visit is a good visit. Thanks to free admission and convenient parking across the street, it has never been this easy to visit some of your favorite famous friends, either on screen or in person.
For the Love of Jurassic Technology
With displays featuring chicken skins and galleries devoted to the soviet space dogs, The Museum of Jurassic Technology is the exact opposite of what you would expect from a museum visit. Unlike other museums with uptight tour guides and galleries that can send you into a snooze, this museum’s offering of eclectic and sometimes wild 
exhibits combines science with conceptual art, making this place the perfect location for museum lovers and those who just want to have a good time.
Exhibits such as Rotten Luck feature decaying dice is just one exhibit of many that is unlike any other exhibit you are likely to find in a historical museum. Though the unique exhibits make for a unique visit, try not to mind the musty smell while making your way through this distinctive space.
Though this museum isn’t exactly for the faint of heart, the 5$ donation fee, (3$ for students) makes the visit worth it as it opens your eyes to what a museum can actually be. Afte, make sure to head upstairs for tea and cookies where you are awarded from your fine visiting efforts and donation.
With off the wall exhibits and masterful creations, it appears as though this museum has grabbed up all the fun from the other museums and conveniently placed it on Venice Boulevard.
2. Photography Exposed at the Denver Art Museum June 1-30
The Denver Art Museum’s newest exhibition digs deep into its art pockets with Exposure: Photos from the Vault. It literally is just that, featuring over 50 of the best photographs from the nearly 7,000 (!) piece collection to choose from. Highlights include iconic images by Ansel Adams and Chuck Close alongside recent acquisitions from up-and-comers Petah Coyne and Shirin Neshat. Not only is this exhibit showing the best of DAM’s photography collection, it also includes many works that have yet to go on view at the landmark museum. Check out the beautiful and the quizzical images all through June.
The Story of US! At the National Constitution Center
No trip to Philadelphia is complete without experiencing a bit of US history. Sure, maybe the last time a museum trip was on the agenda was back in fifth grade, but The National Constitution Center, newly minted in 2000, will not bring back bad memories of elementary school trips with your smelly teacher Mrs. Fernberger. Quite to the contrary, the National Constitution Center will remind you why its so great to live in the United States.
The National Constitution Center tells the story of us – as in you, me, and the United States, and the importance of the Constitution in our every day lives. One of the most intriguing exhibits is Signer’s Hall, a room featuring life-sized, cast bronze sculptures of the 39 signers of the Constitution and the three dissenters. Wandering among the statues and taking pictures with famous signers like George Washington and Ben Franklin gives visitors that eerie experience of being a part of history.
The Center is always hosting national exhibits, guest speakers and national events, so be sure to check their website before visiting. The lobby is spectacular and often hosts special events, like when Bono was awarded the Philadelphia Liberty Medal. The expansive space features 85,000 square feet of beautiful limestone from Indiana.
Parisian Sculptures in the Heart of Philly at Rodin
Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) changed the face of figurative sculpture and ushered in a whole new era of artistic expression, and Philadelphia is lucky to hold the namesake museum and the lush gardens that surround it. Based on the collections of Philadelphia’s great movie theater magnate and philanthropist Jules E. Mastbaum, the Rodin holds most of the sculptor’s works and strives to preserve and restore his art. It’s one of the only places outside of France that you can experience his work!
Perhaps the most exciting part of the Rodin is the collaboration between the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Fairmount Park Commission, and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to renew and exhibit this urban oasis. These Philadelphia big wigs are making the Rodin into the flowering utopia it was meant to be, showcasing both the artwork and the nature that inspires it. Sometimes trying to pay a visit to a national museum in one stop can be overwhelming, but the conciseness of the Rodin makes it perfect for an afternoon stop.
2. Contemporary Art Chicago April 30-May 3
This annual international fair of contemporary and modern art brings together the world’s leading emerging and established art galleries. There are plenty of current and historic works in a wide variety of media, including painting, photography, drawings, prints, sculpture, video and special installations. Programming highlights include Perspective Texas, which will have art from Texas’ top collectors and curators, and Survey America, a floor-wide exhibit that highlights works by artists living and working in the US. There will also be speaker programs that feature international artists, writers, curators and critics discussing trends and issues in the contemporary art market.
Kung Fu & King-Sized Collection at the Asian Art Museum
If you think of Asian Art as just orchids, bamboo, and cast iron teapots, 
you haven’t been to the Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center – and you need to go! Not only does the museum have priceless artifacts like the oldest Chinese gilt-bronze Buddha in the world (photographed in textbooks everywhere), but they offer some pretty cool interactive programs such as yoga inspired by the sculpture poses, storytelling for the kids (“How Ganesha Got His Elephant Head”), and learning the art of Japanese Tea Ceremonies.
The museum even has exhibitions for the night owls with their Thursday night after-hours parties called MATCHA. Observe the Shaolin Temple monks demonstrate some high-kicking kung fu while you listen to Shanghai Jazz. Always changing and never a dull moment, this Asian Art Museum will keep you exploring over 6,000 years of history.
Black History Always Shines at The Apex Museum
Black History doesn’t begin or end in February at The APEX Museum. Open year-round, APEX, which stands for African American Panoramic Experience, is Atlanta’s only museum dedicated to African American heritage and culture. Located in the historic Auburn Avenue district, a one-time hub for African American-owned businesses as well as many churches and civic organizations, APEX presents history from the unique African American perspective.
Established in 1978 by filmmaker Dan Moore who was spurred to action after attending a moving banquet honoring legendary Morehouse president Benjamin E. Mays (who mentored Dr. King), APEX packs a lot in a small space. Visually intriguing, APEX features several exhibits on a regular basis that date back to Africa and come full circle to today. As a result, ancient Africa, African American inventors and business owners all co-exist under one roof.
Celebrity visitors include Halle Berry and Gladys Knight, but stars aren’t the only ones amazed by the APEX’s awesome line-up of historical contributions.
1. Celebrate Chicago’s 173rd B-Day! March 4
Chicago is on
e of America’s most celebrated cities and on March 4th the Chicago History Museum is throwing the city a major birthday party. In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, this is the real deal. All day there will be musical performances, including members of the Latin School Jazz Band and Chinese musician Kerry Leung, as well as a very special birthday cake courtesy of famed Bleeding Heart Bakery. There’s free admission and all are welcome to join in on the celebration!
Walk Amongst Greatness with the Frank Lloyd Wright Tour
Oak Park, just a quick jaunt on Chicago’s green line train, is like walking into a Hallmark movie. It’s so charming and beautiful here that the hustle and bustle of Chi-town seems light years away. In addition to the picturesque main brick streets, mansions and bistros, this is also the hometown of architectural genius Frank Lloyd Wright.
Year round, Chicagoans 
and tourists alike gather for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and several other of his architectural designs. Wright’s home, where he lived from 1889 to 1909, will inspire even the most apathetic of design lovers. Its facade and interior design make most gawk in awe, and suddenly everyone can’t help but snap away a hundred photos.
Custom private tours are also an option at the house, educational programs and year round special events take place so be sure to check the calendar before your visit. The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust also has a museum and gift shop so don’t worry, you don’t have to leave empty handed.
Insider’s Tip: Advance tickets are highly recommended. Purchase tickets here or call 1.800.514.ETIX (3849).
Fall In Love with Art & Jewelry at Velvet da Vinci
Art has most of us seei
ng inspiration in its pure form. At Nob Hill’s favorite art-jewelry gallery, Velvet da Vinci, all you’ll see is too many pieces to fit in your box. The lofty and warm space introduces San Francisco to the most unique pieces in modern art available, such as last June’s Jane Adam Jewelry exhibition. With current pieces like Renee Bevan’s Rose Petal Lei, you may find something special just in time for Valentine’s Day or a special anniversary. And with 10-12 exhibitions a year, you’ll have monthly supply of fresh pieces for your home and heart.
Since 1991, Velvet da Vinci has featured craft artists from the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Japan. The regular exhibitions of artisanal jewelry, sculpture and metalwork are popular amongst collectors, museum curators and jewelry enthusiasts. With each unique piece up for grabs, this popular jewelry museum is a must-stop for everyday shoppers. With only the cream of the crop in contemporary art and sculpture, it’s hard for anyone appreciative of beauty to walk out empty handed.
Hyde Park Art Center: Obama’s Neighborhood Gem
Never before did Hyde Park gain such a name than in recent times, thanks to none other than the President of the United States. Reigning from Hyde Park, President Obama has heavy ties to his old neighborhood, just south of the downtown “Loop.” An eclectic mix of mansions and apartments, rib-joints and bistros, the South Side is certainly up-and-coming. But you can’t really make it until you’ve got some cool art on the scene and alas, there’s the Hyde Park Art Center, which has actually been around for 70 years.
Its mission si
nce it opened in the 1930s (it’s actually the oldest contemporary art venue in Chicago) is to “stimulate” and provoke the unexpected. Today it continues to do just that with a wide range of classes, lectures, workshops, camps, exhibits, and not to mention, fun, flirty, cocktail-enriched galas.
The HPAC always stays true to its roots, however, and aims to unite artists and the community. Their Not Just Another Pretty Face bridges the gap between patrons and artists by involving them together directly. If you think you’ve got a cool idea and want to see it materialize through the eyes of a verifiable artist, then this is the program for you.
Literally Unearth The Ice Age at The Page Museum & La Brea Tar Pits
Ever secretly fantasized about being an archeologist? Well, The Page Museum may be the closest thing to living out your dreams. The museum is at the Rancho L
a Brea Tar Pits, which is world famous for having the largest and most diverse collection of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world. Think 40,000 year old mammoths, saber-tooth tigers and pre-historic sloths, just to name a few.
For those who don’t want to get down and dirty, the museum has dramatic exhibits of prehistoric animals. At the Page Museum Laboratory, you can see (real) archaeologists unearthing, cleaning and repairing fossils. Outside in Hancock Park, amazing life-size replicas of several extinct mammals whose fossils are in the ground below will bring the whole experience into perspective.
History Lessons at Historical Museum of Southern Florida
Who says you can’t have a history lesson while vacationing in another city? Well that’s exactly what the Historical Museum of Southern Florida in Downtown Miami provides as one of the largest private, regional historical museums in the country
. Housed in a fortress-like structure, the museum is home to an impressive collection of objects, prints and photographs that depict the influence that Native Americans as well as Caribbean residents had in forming and shaping South Florida.
The history of the founding individuals as well as the history of the aviation, maritime and tourism industries in South Florida will leave you with a sense of knowledge of how the southernmost area of the Sunshine State came to fruition.
Wolfsonian Museum Boasts a Provocative Collection
It’s housed in a grand Art Deco building in the heart of South Beach, but what’s inside the Wolfsonian Museum is a design 
collection that’s unlike the Miami architecture, spanning from the late 1800s to the mid-1940s and featuring European and American pieces.
The multi-level structure is a vast wonderland of art, furnishings, objects, and memorabilia to suit any art lovers’ taste. Collector Micky Wolfson has amassed a thinking man’s collection focusing on the thought-provoking era of Decorative and Propaganda Arts. The Museum’s exhibitions and programs are an extension of the permanent collection’s theme and explore the important role of design during the industrial age through social, political, and technological topics.
DC’s Only Pre-Revolutionary Home: The Old Stone House and Garden
Washington, D.C. may be named after America’s Revolutionary War Hero, but there’s only one building remaining from that period: The Old Stone House & Garden. Known as the last Pre-Revolutionary building standing in Washington, D.C. on its original foundation, this house has been a part of American history since the beginning.
In fact, part of the reason the house was preserved was due to local legend. According to the folklore, the architect of D.C., Pierre L’Enfant, stayed in the house while he was designing our nation’s capital. Although the legend proved to be false, it has still made a mark on the city.
Today, the house is host to a museum that recreates life in the late 1700s. The house is about 85% original to its 1700’s construction, and it is furnished to reflect upper-middle class living. It even contains a grandfather clock that was originally inside the house.
If the museum is not for you, the house also has a beautiful garden outside. Containing benches and flowerbeds, the caretakers have done a great job keeping the house as it was before America was the United States.
Philadelphia Museum of Art ASL Tour
The Philadelphia Museum of Art ASL Tour is a unique opportunity to view art by offering an American Sign Language interpretation of all its featured exhibits.
Skyscraper Museum
The Big Apple is known for rich culture, plays and its high-rise buildings. The Skyscraper Museum explores the ever changing skyline’s history, investment in real estate and design. The museum has many different exhibits including a commemoration of the original World Trade Center. The museum has also created the panels that are shown at Ground Zero. Showing the past, present, and future of New York is the museum’s goal, and they have succeeded.
Georgias Great Tour by Bus from Atlanta
Enjoy a four hour trip as you learn about Atlanta’s contribution to American culture. Home to influential leaders such as Jimmy Carter and Martin Luther King, Jr., Atlanta has helped shape history. One can gain a better understanding of the 39th president by visiting his Museum and Library, and visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Center and memorial site and learn more about the Civil Rights Movement. Amidst the cultural aspects of the tour are stops at the Coca-Cola Museum, the Woodruff Arts Center, and the Swan House. Admission to all of these events is included in tour price. For a great way to appreciate all aspects of Atlanta and see the city for all that it is, one should take this tour.
This four hour trip will take you through historical sites as well as the newest attractions in Atlanta. During this tour, one will step into Gone with the Wind author, Margaret Mitchell’s house, view the Governor’s house along with other historical landmarks and churches, see where the 1996 Olympics made history, the Atlanta skyline, and make a stop for Georgia’s Aquarium. All admission to these events is included in the tour price. This tour is perfect for someone new to the city, showing both Atlanta’s past and present.