Berlin’s Exhibition Culture is Evolving

Author: Dagmar von Schönfeld, Content Editor & Senior Key Account Manager Culture by visitBerlin

In Berlin, art has risen from the walls, transformed itself and conquered new spaces. At the same time our whole world is changing rapidly: digitization, global networking, social upheaval, new perspectives on the past. In order to be part of the change, art must be communicated in a new way, exhibition spaces must evolve into spaces of experience. The creative hub Berlin shows new approaches.

*© Getty Images, photo: Marcello Zerletti / EyeEm*

A fresh breeze in Berlin’s museums and exhibition halls

The Neue Nationalgalerie is a world-renowned museum. The famous steel and glass architecture with its wide, light-flooded exhibition hall has been displaying paintings and sculptures of classical modernism for over 50 years. Recently, it has been brought to life in a new way: performances transform the exhibition hall into a dynamic sensual experience. Architecture, sculpture, music, and dance merge in unique artistic actions. Further dance performances this year also involve the outdoor areas of the Neue Nationalgalerie.

The new Humboldt Forum in the heart of Berlin is another spectacular venue for art and culture with huge exhibition spaces. One with a special offer: visitors and professional dancers open up the spaces together – with dance and theater, performances, accompanied by sound installations. The science exhibition After Nature does not need long text panels to convey the sensitivity of ecological systems: As soon as you enter, large schools of fish on huge projection screens react sensitively and collectively to every human movement.

*Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ©* *schnellebuntebilder / Phillipp Plum*

Berlin’s Museum für Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History) is not only an exhibition venue for thousands of animal specimens, but also a renowned research institution. Now the boundaries between visitors and science, between research and art, are falling. For the new Science Variety Show, researchers and artists have developed evening show programs in which research results are conveyed through music, artistry and storytelling, and in which people from different backgrounds talk about science at eye level.

Old industrial buildings, breweries, party grounds: Experiencing art in unusual places

Located in the heart of the capital, they are gigantic spaces with impressive room heights: For years, thousands of people danced to club sounds in the former combined heat and power station, Kraftwerk. And until today, they dance in the legendary Berghain, a former hall of a freight station and the center of Berlin’s techno culture since the 1990s. Both venues are now also dedicated to art. The Berlin art platform Light Art Space experiments with excitingly innovative exhibition formats in the eternally dim halls. It fuses art, science and technology into deep sensory experiences – whether it’s about artificial intelligence, Berlin’s origins as a former swampland or the motive of collective imagination. All performances come together under the leitmotif of light.

*Jakob Kudsk Steensen, ‘Berl-Berl’, Halle am Berghain, 2021 © Timo Ohler*

In the 20-meter-high boiler house of the former brewery the KINDL, international artists show installations and performances, films and videos, sculptures and paintings. Recently, it was stuffed with human body shells made of black latex: they hung motionless from the ceiling, tried to climb rope ladders, dangled from steel girders and brick walls, or lay powerlessly stretched out on the concrete floor. The installation was accompanied by a soundtrack modelled on the human pulse, the “ultrasound”.

*Alexandra Bircken, Fair Game 2021, Installation view Kesselhaus © Jens Ziehe*

Whether in the former minting plant Alte Münze, right on Alexanderplatz, the Lighthouse of Digital Art, on the site of an old railroad workshop, or the light installation Dark Matter on a former factory premises: sensory journeys of discovery through soundscapes, virtual reality and light imaginaries deeply touch and offer a new experience of art and space for the visitor.

Berlin exhibitions: New themes and critical views

Paul Gauguin is one of the most important French painters, famous for his South Sea paintings created in the 19th century. This year, the master and his artworks were viewed from an unusual angle in an exhibition at the Alte Nationalgalerie on Museum Island Berlin: It follows the question of how much were his exotic and erotic depictions influenced by the western-colonial thinking of the time? And how do artists from Samoa or Tahiti actually perceive Gauguin’s paintings today?

Critical perspectives are currently shaping several exhibitions in Berlin: The Brücke Museum, with its focus on Expressionist art, devoted an entire exhibition to the question of how much the work of the artists was intertwined with the colonial era, its power relations, and racist ideas. In the Neue Nationalgalerie, similar questions are raised and the problem of the relationship of male artists to young female models is touched. Since last year, the Humboldt Forum has been displaying Berlin’s extensive collections of art and cultural historical objects from all over the world while focusing on the origins of the artefacts, often looted from other countries in colonial times.

However, it’s not just about the past. Today, the global metropolis of Berlin stands for a lived and practiced tolerance and openness. Accordingly, Berlin’s museums and exhibition venues are taking up current social discourses, confronting contradictions and challenges. The renowned exhibition house for photography C|O Berlin in 2022 dedicates itself to the topic of queerness, the Gropius Bau recently focused on the life of the black LGBTQIA community in South Africa. At Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin’s museum for contemporary art, an exhibition explored the brutal processes of nation-building. The themes of diversity and roots, of belonging and being different have arrived in the Berlin art and exhibition scene and do reflect the current social awakening.

Header Image © Ralph Larmann

Find your dream vacation to Berlin with a USTOA tour operator here https://ustoa.travelstride.com/trip-list/berlin

About Visit Berlin

visitBerlin is your one-stop service partner for all B2B inquiries concerning Berlin as a tourism and MICE destination. In this capacity, it offers a wide range of professional services to the travel industry, the MICE Industry, and the media. The Market Management’s core activities include establishing a worldwide network of industry contacts to promote Berlin and offer workshops, FAM trips, and promotional material about the destination. Additionally, it supports press inquiries and organizes press trips to the city. The visitBerlin Convention Office is the first point of contact for the MICE industry and makes official bids for meetings & conventions on behalf of the capital city. Many products, including the Berlin Welcome Card – Berlin’s official tourist pass – can be booked directly through visitBerlin. visitBerlin also operates the Berlin Tourist Info Centers in prominent locations throughout the city. Berlin’s official online tourism platform. https://www.visitberlin.de/en is a useful source of information to prepare a Berlin trip and holds exclusive offers

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula: Ancient culture waiting to be explored

By: Jason Z. Cohen of Pleasant Holidays

From the pyramids that rise above the remnants of ancient Mesoamerican cities such as Chichen Itza, Coba, Ek Balam and Tulum, to the cenotes that lie underfoot, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to this day reflects the continuing influence of the Maya civilization that once dominated its lands.

Although the Maya civilization was at its greatest size and power in the 9^th Century A.D., some of the wonders of this ancient civilization have survived the centuries, and many of them are easy to visit and explore while vacationing in Cancun and Riviera Maya. Within a short drive of the resort areas of the Yucatan coast are dozens of archaeological sites, historic points of interest, and examples of natural beauty and wonder, all influenced in some way by the region’s Maya past.

*The view from atop Ixmoja Pyramid. Photo by Jason Z. Cohen, Pleasant Holidays.*

Pay a visit to one of the ancient Maya cities, such as Chichen Itza, Coba, Ek Balam or Tulum to catch a glimpse of what life might have been like centuries ago. While the surviving structures have been partially or fully restored, it’s still possible to see trees growing from the walls, a witness to just how far nature went to claim it as its own. In fact, the growth had to be cut back substantially at these sites in order for people to appreciate their significance, and work continues even now to reverse the encroachment of the forest. At Ek Balam, you may even be able to ascend to the top of the Acropolis pyramid to gain a view previously reserved for Maya elite – a vista of the sprawling Yucatan rainforest from above the treetops.

*La Iglesia (The Church), one of the structures at Coba, with a Stela in front, carved with historical information.*

Another place where the history of the region is celebrated is at Xcaret Eco-Archaeological Park, which blends immersive history with aquatic adventure. Visitors can float the length of the park though a series of natural cenotes—subterranean caverns unique to this area that were formed by underground streams and rivers. The Maya people revered cenotes, believing they were passageways between our world and the Underworld, a spiritual realm occupied by mystical beings more powerful than humans.

The park is also home to numerous archaeological sites featuring the ruins of buildings dating back to the height of Maya civilization. Each evening, the park puts on a dinner show that highlights the history of Mexico while celebrating its regional differences, from ancient to modern times. Part of the show recreates the ball game contested by players centuries ago, whose playing courts still can be found among the buildings in Coba and Chichen Itza.

Before the Spanish colonized the land and brought their own flavors and ingredients, the people native to Mexico were already cultivating corn, chili peppers, avocadoes and cacao. The Europeans introduced beef, pork, rice, cheese and spices. The result of the combination is a cuisine that is popular throughout the world, consisting not only of well-known favorites such as tacos and tamales, but regional dishes as well, which are reflections of the history of the area.

In the Yucatan, you can find chiles rellenos and chilaquiles, but also dishes steeped in tradition including Poc Chuc – sliced marinated pork in a sour orange and achiote sauce – and the slow-cooked pork specialty known as cochinita pibil. Yucatan cuisine often features some combination of sour citrus, achiote and habanero chile, slowly cooked with smoke in an underground pit.

Like the cenotes below, the Maya culture runs deep in the Yucatan Peninsula, offering ancient knowledge, customs, recipes and architecture for you to discover.

Find your dream vacation to Mexico with a USTOA tour operator here https://ustoa.travelstride.com/trip-list/mexico

About Pleasant Holidays: Founded in 1959, Pleasant Holidays is one of the largest tour operators in the United States offering vacation packages, flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, cancel-for-any-reason travel protection and related travel services to the world’s most popular destinations, including Canada, Caribbean, Central & South America, Europe, Hawaii, Japan & Asia, Mexico, South Pacific (Cook Islands, Fiji and Tahiti), United States and cruise vacations worldwide. The Company’s portfolio of travel brands includes Pleasant Holidays^®, Journese^®, Pleasant Activities℠ and Air By Pleasant. Pleasant Holidays is headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif. near Los Angeles with regional offices in San Diego and Honolulu and a dedicated team of more than 400 employees. For additional information and reservations, visit www.PleasantAgent.com, www.Journese.com, www.PleasantActivities.com, and www.AirByPleasant.com.

Ten Countries for Crafts with a Cause

By Overseas Adventure Travel

In survey after survey, up to 76% of consumers say that they’d rather spend their money on experiences than things. They further cite “meaning,” “inspiration,” “fun,” and “learning” as outcomes they seek. Travelers can count on all of the above on one of Overseas Adventure Travel’s small group adventures. These include hands-on activities that connect them to the local culture, such as visits to workshops where local artisans demonstrate traditional crafts. Visitors can roll up their sleeves and join in, and if they like, purchase the local wares.

“It’s a win-win,” says O.A.T. Vice Chairman Harriet Lewis. “Our travelers get to engage with local people and learn something new, and our hosts gain support for the industries their families rely on.” Oftentimes, the activities occur during O.A.T.’s signature A Day in the Life experiences which are woven into the trips; or though visits to sites supported by Grand Circle Foundation, O.A.T’s non-profit charitable organization. Here are just ten of the local crafts supported:

1. Australia: Aboriginal Dot Paintings

Ultimate Australia

The distinctive Aboriginal dot designs are not random, but are filled with symbols that tell a visual story. Dot painting has been around for millennia, but exploded in the 1970s in Papunya near Alice Springs, where indigenous artists used it as a secret language. Other Aboriginal communities embraced the form, and today they adhere to strict rules about which techniques, symbols, and stories belong to which tribes. O.A.T. travelers are urged to only buy authentic, ethically sourced works that bear the official Indigenous Art Code seal, the “gold standard” among reputable merchants.

2. Laos: Traditional Weaving

Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, & Vietnam

While the men of the poor Laotian village of Tin Keo farm or seek jobs in the city, the women create fabulous, colorful textiles. It started as a way to be sociable with their neighbors. Today, these industrious ladies can earn a windfall of $70-80 a month selling their fabrics, all the while improving their skills and preserving an important cultural legacy.

3. Portugal: Azulejo tiles

Northern Spain & Portugal: Pilgrimage into the Past

Porto’s Banco de Materiais is an unusual bank: you can deposit antique tiles and withdraw some for free. Portugal’s signature blue and white azulejo tiles date to Moorish times. The Banco safeguards these treasures, and sometimes the fire department will even collect tiles off at-risk buildings and deliver them to the bank. Employees then study and catalog the tiles and preserve them in wooden boxes where visitors can admire or buy them.

4. Kenya and Tanzania: Maasai beadwork

Safari Serengeti: Tanzania Lodge & Tented Safari

A Maasai collar can be the shape and size of a dinnerplate, decorated with bold-colored beads in intricate patterns. But to the Maasai people, these aren’t just pretty baubles: they tell individual life stories, map out villages, indicate marital and social status, and represent the culture. O.A.T. travelers can purchase them directly from artists when they experience A Day in the Life of a local village such as Mto Wa Mbu.

5. India: Embroidery and Textiles

Heart of India

India’s Ranthambore National Park is famed as a sanctuary for Bengal tigers, and while some locals have resorted to poaching them, others have found a more ethical and sustainable enterprise. Through their Dhonk and Dastkar handicraft cooperatives, local Indian women teach artisanal skills so members may earn a living outside of poaching by creating embroidery, clothing, and gifts. Supported by Grand Circle Foundation, the cooperatives now celebrate the tigers whose allure attracts a steady stream of travelers—and crafts customers.

6. Morocco: Henna tattoos

Morocco Sahara Odyssey

Known as mendhi, the use of henna to paint the body with intricate patterns is a centuries-old Berber art believed to promote harmony and ward off evil. The (non-permanent) tattoos are also a symbol of female solidarity, as O.A.T. travelers discover when they visit the Imik Smik Women’s Association for Rural Development, which provides skills training for women in the Aït Benhaddou area. As a token of friendship, members invite women visitors to participate in a traditional henna ceremony.

7. Peru: Chinchero weaving

Machu Picchu & the Galápagos

High in the Sacred Valley, Chinchero was a 16th-century Inca emperor’s estate, as well as a resting place on the Inca Royal Road. Today, this small village is known for its weaving industry. It is entirely managed by the local women, who use plants (and in some cases, bugs) to produce their dyes. O.A.T. travelers converse with the weavers about village life and observe the process of designing and creating these vibrant garments.

8. Japan: Hakone woodcraft

Japan’s Cultural Treasures

Hakone yosegi zaiku is a form of marquetry that creates intricate patterns by joining together pieces of wood. The colors—red, white, yellow, black, and green—are not created through inks, but are the natural wood shades. Today, yosegi zaiku is popular all over Japan, but there are only about 50 artisans making it, all in the Hakone/Odawara area. O.A.T. brings travelers to the Hamamatsuya workshop to meet its fourth-generation owner, and see a demonstration.

9. Vietnam: Bat Trang Pottery and Ceramics

Inside Vietnam

The village of Bat Trang may lie on the Red River, but it’s the area’s rich white clay that has made its pottery renowned for seven centuries. O.A.T. travelers have plenty of time to browse the shops, but also visit the home and studio of an artisan family and get to make their own ceramic pieces.

10. Turkey: carpet weaving

Turkish Coastal Voyage: Greek Islands, Istanbul & Athens

Rug weaving in Anatolia began with the arrival of Turkic tribes from Central Asia, and was a prominent art form by the 12^th century. Then as now, most carpetmakers were women who worked anonymously. The process is intensively laborious, and prices are based on the intricacy of the design, quality of the materials, and the number of knots per square centimeter.

Overseas Adventure Travel is the leader in personalized small group adventures on the road less traveled. Serving all travelers over 50, the company is known for its expertise in solo travel, and has recently published 101⁺ Tips for Solo Women Travelers which can be ordered for free here.

Exploring Irish Heritage

By Noreen Bowden of CIE Tours

A trip to Ireland can be an emotional homecoming for Irish-Americans, as they return to the land of their ancestors. Check out three museums and an online resource that can help unlock visitors’ family history and heritage.

Ireland’s tragic history and long legacy of emigration hold special meaning for tens of millions of Americans who can trace their ancestry back to the Emerald Isle. And for many Irish-Americans, a trip to Ireland is a kind of homecoming. Visiting the places that tell the stories of those who left their ancestral homeland can help unlock family history – and there are many museums in Ireland dedicated to revealing the experience of those who left. Here are a few of our favorites – these are all great places for exploring heritage, but there’s plenty to intrigue even those without an Irish branch in their family tree:

EPIC the Irish Emigration Museum

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin is a shiny, high-tech wonderland – the first all-digital museum in the world. But don’t be fooled by the slick technology: this museum has a lot of heart. EPIC is all about stories – of the 10 million Irish people who left, where they went, and what happened to them. Twenty galleries detail the history, heritage, and culture of the Irish diaspora. It’s a wonderful introduction to the vast global scale of Ireland’s descendants.

See emigrant letters, experience Irish music and dance, meet the outlaws in the Rogue’s Gallery, hear the words of some of the world’s most famous authors in the Whispering Library. Visitors can even begin exploring their own history with a consultation with a professional genealogist.

The museum is located near Dublin’s docklands–steps away from the Jeannie Johnston, a replica ship similar to those that carried millions of starving Irish refugees fleeing famine in the 19^th century (and also worth a visit).

For more information visit EPICchq.com.

Dunbrody Famine Ship

The Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, County Wexford is a faithful reproduction of an 1840s emigrant vessel that carried weary and hungry refugees fleeing Ireland’s Famine. The Famine was caused by a potato blight that killed the staple crop of the impoverished tenant farmers. From 1845 to 1852, 1 million people died and 1.5 million emigrated. As people fled throughout the world, the Irish Diaspora took on new dimensions.

The Dunbrody was launched as a cargo ship in 1845 but was quickly refitted, going on to carry thousands of desperate tenant farmers to Canada, most in overcrowded steerage. While many of the millions who crossed the ocean in that era died, the captains of the Dunbrody kept the mortality rate with good care of their passengers. Visitors to the Dunbrody learn the story of famine emigration from the perspective of those who left, as they cross from the quayside of New Ross on the long journey to the Arrivals Hall in North America.

The Dunbrody’s port location was the departure point for an ancestor of John F Kennedy, who visited there in 1963 in an emotional homecoming. The ship sits beside the Irish-America Hall of Fame.

Learn more at Dunbrody.com.

Cobh Heritage Center

The pretty little port town of Cobh – named in 2019 as one of the 25 most beautiful towns in Europe by Condé Nast Traveler – was the departure point for millions of emigrants over the centuries. The Cobh Heritage Center tells their stories – for many, their last glimpse of Ireland was of this harbor.

Cobh’s role in emigrant history starts in the 1600s, when Irish people left for British overseas colonies like Virginia, New England, Barbados, Jamaica, and Montserrat. Then between 1848 to 1950, nearly half of the 6 million people who left Ireland departed from Cobh.

Cobh Heritage Center showcases many facets of emigrant history. Explore life on board a so-called “coffin ship” and a ship bringing convicts to Australia. Exhibits detail the lives of seventeenth-century local man Francis Barret, famed pirate Anne Bonney, smuggler Robert Davies, and more. Learn about Annie Moore, who departed the port in 1891 and became the first emigrant to be processed at the newly opened Ellis Island in New York – she’s memorialized with a statue at the entrance to the museum. The center also tells the story of the Titanic – Cobh was its last port of call for the ill-fated ship.

Learn more at CobhHeritage.com.

IrelandXO.com: an online heritage resource

Those with Irish heritage who are planning a trip might be interested in an additional resource before they go: Ireland Reaching Out, a nonprofit group comprised of volunteers who seek to connect Ireland’s millions of descendants with the communities their ancestors departed from. Their many resources, including genealogy message boards, connection stories, and ancestor chronicles are available at IrelandXO.com.

Travel with CIE Tours, the premier tour operator into Ireland – offering dozens of expertly crafted vacations to Ireland to suit every travel style and taste, from the camaraderie of coach tours and custom group travel to a variety of independent adventures, small group tours and personalized private driver experiences. See CIETours.com for more information.

Noreen Bowden, the Content Manager at CIE Tours, writes extensively about the Irish diaspora; she has worked in Ireland and the US in positions aimed at strengthening links between Ireland and the Irish abroad.

3 Trips That Highlight the Diverse Nature, Culture, and History in North America

By Chelsea Todaro, Public Relations Specialist with The Travel Corporation

At more than nine million square miles, North America is a vast and diverse continent that likely has close to nine million different ways for travelers to explore. For those thinking of a vacation within the US or Canada, a guided trips through Insight Vacations offers immersive experiences in a variety of destinations, from America’s wondrous National Parks to the rugged coasts of Atlantic Canada. Unique Insight experiences will also connect guests with local characters who really bring the destinations to life.

See the diverse nature and history of the U.S.

Insight’s 15-day America’s Magnificent National Parks trip offers an unforgettable adventure while visiting America’s magnificent National Parks across Arizona, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park is home to the Upper Geyser Basin which boasts the highest concentration of spouting geysers, hot springs and steaming fumaroles in the world. An authentic dude ranch experience at the Ranch at Ucross provides an opportunity for guests to go horseback riding, taste homemade meals and share stories around a bonfire.

Once in Arizona, the majestic red rock landscapes of Sedona mesmerize, and while there, guests will learn about the Navajo Tribe at Monument Valley where they will also have an exclusive experience riding on an all-terrain vehicle with a Navajo guide.

Travelers will be immersed in the fascinating history of America’s western adventure. In South Dakota, local guides on Kevin Costner’s Original Deadwood Tour bring to life the days of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. For a unique Insight Experience, travelers will get to speak to members of the Lakota tribe who will share a live narrative of the Great Sioux Nation.

Photo Courtesy of Insight Vacations

Further east lies a different tale of the U.S. along the New England coast. On Insight’s eight-day Boston, Cape Cod, and the Islands trip, travelers will be captivated by New England’s chic waterfronts, history, and summer playgrounds. This trip highlights the area’s history of the Revolutionary War and its well-known, mouth-watering seafood. A visit in Boston wouldn’t be complete without a guided walk along the red-brick Freedom Trail that brings the story of the American Revolution to life.

In Newport, guests will board the Adirondack II—an 80-foot schooner – for a sailing experience on the waters of Narragansett Bay passing some of the islands, historical homes, and the summer “cottages” of many famous and affluent families. While enjoying a taste of what the America’s Cup race might feel like, there’s also time to learn about the region’s history – such as pirate activity, the trade industry, and the Gilded Age.

Photo Courtesy of Insight Vacations

On Martha’s Vineyard travelers can tour the island that has hosted the Clintons, the Obamas and where former U.S. First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, owned a home. They can also spend time at their leisure at the scenic Oak Bluffs, a famous neighborhood and picturesque community known for its rainbow-colored, gingerbread-like cottages. As a special treat, guests have the exclusive opportunity to spend the night on the island, which many tourists cannot do during the busy summer time. A celebratory dinner on the last night of the journey features local fresh seafood, set on a glassed-in porch with a peaceful, scenic view of the ocean.

Courtesy of Insight Vacations

Discover coastal landscapes and fishing heritage of Canada

The colorful harbors and sweeping coastlines of Atlantic Canada provide the backdrop to Insight’s 12-day Landscapes of the Canadian Maritimes. Travelers will learn about the village traditions and iconic maritime history while enjoying delicious native seafood while visiting Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

A popular highlight of the trip is a whale watching cruise in the Bay of Fundy to potentially spot rare species of whales and learn about these majestic sea mammals. On Prince Edward Island, guests can explore colorful Cavendish, along with a visit to the Green Gables farm house that inspired the beloved children’s classic, ‘Anne of Green Gables’.

Photo Courtesy of Insight Vacations

Guests will be immersed into the heritage of the region in Truro, Nova Scotia, while visiting the Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Center to hear about the Mi’kmaq heritage and Glooscap legends.

Once in Shediac Bay, there’s an opportunity to taste the exceptional and authentic food of a former lobster fisherman while cruising along the bay to learn about lobster and the industry, followed by a fresh lobster lunch. In Digby, guests will meet a former scallop fisherman, one of the region’s key delicacies, and end the trip on a tasteful note, with a sea-to-table dinner with freshly-caught scallops.

Interested to learn more about Insight Vacations? Visit www.insightvacations.com/us.

As a global leader in premium escorted travel, Insight Vacations® has been crafting magical journeys for almost 40 years that embody The Art of Traveling in Style™. Through meticulous planning, detailed preparation and boundless passion, Insight’s collection of award-winning itineraries showcases the most outstanding destinations in Europe and North America. Guided by a highly-skilled Travel Director, guests can look forward to traveling in smaller groups, savoring authentic dining and enjoying a range of immersive Insight Experiences.

5 Local Immersion Activities That Will Give You a Sense of Community Abroad

By Sarah Bichsel, Social Media Manager at ACIS Educational Tours

When traveling to a new country, you of course want to make the famous highlights a part of your visit – What would a first trip to Paris be without gazing upward at the Eiffel tower after all? – but there is also a wonderful feeling in connecting with culture at the local level. Here are 5 activities to try that will bring you a richer experience and a feeling of community in your travels.

Photo Courtesy of ACIS

1. Take a Cooking Class

Yes, travel is supposed to be an excuse to get away from your kitchen at home, but taking a cooking class abroad is a worthwhile exception! You will have the opportunity to learn what goes into regional specialties, from Parisian profiteroles to Genovese pesto. Participating in the traditions (often centuries old) that make up your meal will provide you with an in-depth appreciation that you won’t find by simply ordering off a menu. And what can beat a meal from scratch?

Photo Courtesy of ACIS

2. Play Ball!

If you’re a sports fan more than a foodie, you can still connect with local culture by playing the games enjoyed by native residents. Walk along the beaches of Nice, France, for example, and you just might stumble upon Pétanque, a Provençal game akin to bocce. The city has several clubs that offer lessons for beginners, so before you know it, you could be by the Mediterranean throwing boules with seasoned players. And Nice is far from the exception: There are lessons for curling in Quebec, cricket in London, and in Mexico, you can even learn Pok-ta-tok, the ancient Mayan ball game.

3. Join a Neighborhood Walking Tour

As we said, a city is so much more than its most famous monuments. Narrow your scope and broaden your horizons all at once by participating in a neighborhood walking tour. You can find tours organized by subject such as food specialties, architecture or famous residents. There are even options that combine historical information with artistic endeavors, like sketching or painting. No matter which you choose, you’ll go beyond the tourist-populated areas into residential districts and get a sense of what everyday life is like.

Photo Courtesy of ACIS

4. Follow the Music

Whether it be Flamenco in Spain or Gaelic rock in Ireland, music brings cultural history to life. Before you travel, take some time to research the musical traditions of your destination and look up any smaller music venues showcasing talent from the nearby area. Who knows? You may even see a band before they’ve made it big.

Bonus tip: As you sit down at a coffee shop to rest between sightseeing adventures, take notice of the community boards. You’ll find music and art events tailored to residents rather than tourists!

Photo Courtesy of ACIS

5. Shop at a Market

You may not need groceries on your travels, but don’t let that stop you from visiting a food or craft market. From the delightful Viktualienmarkt of Munich the artfully enclosed Mercado Central in Santiago, a market is the perfect place to get to know a community. Stroll amongst the stalls and booths flowing with artisan products, and you’ll be immersed in the daily rhythms of life abroad, the language and the produce, the bargaining customs and the neighborhood relations.

Interested in learning more about ACIS Tours? Visit www.acis.com

Founded in 1978, ACIS Educational Tours provides exceptional educational travel experiences for middle and high school students and their teachers. At ACIS, our mission is to empower educators to introduce their students to the world beyond the classroom and inspire the next generation of global citizens.

7 Art & Cultural Events Worth Traveling for in 2019

By Kelly Anne Gould, Travel Impressions

An avid traveler with a background in writing and literature, sharing her love for cultures foreign and familiar alike is what fuels Kelly Anne Gould’s passion for writing. As copywriter for Travel Impressions, she does just that across numerous channels for travel agents, from social media to marketing and editorial. When not traveling, she pretends she is anyway with frequent museum visits and an ever-expanding reading list.

Set your imagination to go.

Art may imitate life, but with this year’s roundup of exhibitions and cultural events already off to a fierce start, you’ll want to follow their lead. From special commemorations to envelope-pushing installations, these seven showcases will have you planning a trip faster than you can say “travel.”

1. “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” / “Tim Walker,” The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England
With two standout exhibitions planned at London’s V&A, you can’t go wrong no matter which season you want to explore the Town in.

On display through July 14, the Dior exhibition lets us get as close as most of us can dream of to real couture. Numbers like the imperial red silk dress with floral brocade and the coy blush tulle gown are not to be missed.

Just in time for fall fashion, the Tim Walker collection will be unveiled September 21. Photographs, films, and more from the innovative photographer promise to be a fascinating ride, if the teaser image of models in insectile full white coats is any indication.

Tickets for Christian Dior: €20 – €24 (timed entry). Tickets for Tim Walker available spring 2019.

2. “Wild Things: The Power of Nature in Our Lives,” Museum of Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada

A hands-on exhibition offering some fantastic Instagram pics, “Wild Things” encourages visitors to examine how our relationship with nature defines us. Open until September, its immersive look at Vancouver’s “wilds” makes for an eccentric, but powerful, reminder of the importance of cohabitation.

Museum admission from $9.75 CAD for children and $20.50 CAD for adults.

Beautiful land-and-seascapes give Vancouver half its charm.

3. “Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving,” Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY

Few female artists can claim the same level of fame Frida Kahlo has earned around the world. Paintings, drawings, and personal artifacts from the iconic Mexican artist are making their way to the Brooklyn Museum February 8 to May 12.

The biggest collection of her works to hit the U.S. in a decade, fans and newcomers alike won’t want to miss their chance to see so many of her once-lost works.

Timed tickets from $10 for children and $16 for adults; untimed tickets from $35. Member discounts available.

4. “Kaldor Public Art Projects,” Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Fifty years in the making, this world premiere spotlights Australia’s groundbreaking public arts project. Contemporary works like Jeff Koon’s Puppy and Marina Abramovic’s In Residence get a second life September 7, 2019 to February 16, 2020 at one of Sydney’s most popular museums.

Free admission.

Sydney, Australia, where first-of-its-kind Kaldor Public Art Projects got its start in 1969.

5. 30^th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany

November 9^th marks the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the Wall that divided East and West Berlin—the starkest symbol of the Cold War.
Commemorative events have already begun, but the exhibition of previously unpublished photographs by Daniel Biskup of life after the Wall, on display at the Museum in the Kulturbrauerei February 14 to August 25; German Unification Day street party on October 3; and “Insight into Secrets” at House 7, one-time headquarters of the Stasi, are sure to be highlights.

Free admission.

6. Daks Over Normandy, Normandy, France
Another turning point in history reaches a landmark anniversary this summer: the D-Day Landings and Battle of Normandy. And a big anniversary means a BIG celebration.

In the greatest gathering since World War II, over 30 DC-3s and C-47s will take to the skies June 5 to June 9 for Daks Over Normandy. Caen Carpiquet Airport will offer an up-close look at the aircraft, making this unique experience one for the books.

7. Year of Festivals, Caribbean

Yes, an entire region made the list. The Caribbean Tourist Organization has named 2019 the “Year of Festivals,” and for good reason. From food and spirits (rum, anyone?) to dance and crafts, it doesn’t get more jubilant than the islands. A small sampling of upcoming events:

Bon Bini Festival, Aruba: Held every Tuesday year-round, it’s a mini Carnaval, complete with music, dance, and art. Entrance fee: $5 for children, $10 for adults.
Crop Over, Barbados: A 200-year-old tradition returns June 1 to August 5. Craft markets, street food, and, of course, costumes make sugar cane season that much sweeter. Admission varies by event.
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, Saint Lucia: This May 5 to May 12 brings one of the Caribbean’s most “noteworthy” festivals to one of its most romantic islands for another round. Admission varies by event.

A dancer entertains the crowd at Aruba’s weekly Bon Bini Festival.

Interested in learning how to build a custom itinerary around one of these events? Visit www.travelimpressions.com or call 800.284.0044.

Serving travel agents only since 1974, Travel Impressions is one of the nation’s largest leisure tour operators, offering packaged and FIT vacations to over 1,300 destinations in the Caribbean; Asia and the Persian Gulf; Mexico; Central and South America; Europe, including the Eastern Mediterranean; Africa; the South Pacific; Canada; the Continental U.S.; Alaska; and Hawaii. An extensive portfolio featuring more than 250,000 resorts, hotels, and over 2,500 luxury villas, plus more than 30,000 tours, attractions, and transfers, provides global options for every traveler.