The Group Travel Leader February 2019

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FEBRUARY 2019

BRING YOUR GROUP TOUR TO LIFE.

Fall in love with the rhythm of the waves with hands-on experiences and uncommon access offered exclusively for groups. Plan your group’s Live the Life Adventure at VisitVirginiaBeach.com/GroupTour.

Columbus group tours are designed to be as fun as they are intriguing.

Choose from a variety of guided tours, hands-on tours and the grand opening

this year of the new National Veteran’s Memorial and Museum. For your group’s next memorable getaway, visit experiencecolumbus.com.

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table ofCONTENTS VOL 28 | ISSUE 2

MUSEUM GUIDE

6 EDITOR’S MARKS 10 P R O F I L E : R O G E R D U D L E Y

SCIENCE MUSEUMS

NEWS

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M U S E U M R E S TA U R A N T S

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O N THE COVE R

A visitor poses for a selfie at Bridal Veil Falls, on the American side of Niagara Falls in New York.

FEATURES

MAKING MUSIC HISTORY

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NEW YORK

to Niagara Follow this itinerary from the Big Apple through upstate highlights.

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TEXAS TRAVEL GUIDE

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STAFF SOUNDOFF

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MAC T. LACY CHARLES A. PRESLEY BRIAN JEWELL HERBERT SPARROW DONIA SIMMONS

Founder and Publisher Partner Executive Editor Senior Writer Creative Director

K E L LY T Y N E R 4

CHRISTINE CLOUGH KELLY TYNER KYLE ANDERSON DANIEL JEAN-LEWIS ASHLEY RICKS

Copy Editor Director of Sales & Marketing Account Manager Account Manager Graphic Design & Circulation

888.253.0455

KELLY@GROUPTR AVELLEADER.COM

The GROUP TRAVEL LEADER is published ten times a year by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for groups of all ages and sizes. THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER serves as the official magazine of GROUP TRAVEL FAMILY, the organization for traveling groups. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travelrelated companies may subscribe to THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER by sending a check for $59 for one year to: THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (859) 253-0455 or (859) 253-0503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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Get back on the magic bus.

WOODSTOCK 50 ANNIVERSARY IN CLE. th

3 Days to Party Like it’s 1969.

Aug. 16-18, 2019

Contact Destination Cleveland’s Group Tour Team:

Jane Tougouma | Tel: 216.875.6607 | Email: jtougouma@destinationcle.org Denise Krauss | Tel: 216.875.6648 | Email: dkrauss@destinationcle.org

Join in at This isCLEveland.com/Groups

marks

EDITOR’S T HE

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ow far are you willing to go to succeed?

One of my favorite shows to watch with my wife is “Shark Tank,” a reality show in which inventors, entrepreneurs and other business owners pitch their products to a panel of high-profile “shark” investors in hopes that one of them will invest in the company.

Entrepreneurs who successfully land deals with these sharks often see exponential growth in their businesses, sometimes overnight.

The companies and products featured on the program span almost every kind of consumer good and tech gadget imaginable, from boutique cookies to surfboards, phone chargers and toys. The entrepreneurs represent a broad slice of America and come from all sorts of backgrounds, from MIT-trained engineers to farmers and even child inventors.

To find success on “Shark Tank,” participants must start with a good idea. But good ideas alone are not enough. The business owners with the best chance of getting a deal are also the ones who demonstrate the most drive to succeed and ingenuity at overcoming obstacles.

I recently saw an episode of the show with an entrepreneur who was a striking example of this. Her name was Tammy, and she was the mother of two toddlers and just two months from giving birth to her third child. She had invented TushBaby, a harness-like device that makes it easy for parents to carry babies and young children on their hips.

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The investors liked her product, but they were even more impressed by her story. In addition to being a mom, she had a full-time job at LinkedIn. TushBaby was her side hustle. And she had established a habit of making great sacrifices in her pursuit of success.

“I wake up at 5 every morning, work on TushBaby, go to work at LinkedIn, come home, take my kids for a couple of hours, put them to bed and work until midnight,” she told the sharks.

“I’m really impressed with you,” one of them replied. “I think you work harder than me.”

I was impressed, too. Holding down a full-time job and raising young kids can be overwhelming for any parent. Add a start-up side gig to the mix, and it can seem downright impossible. Tammy sleeps only five hours a night, and I honestly have no idea how she does it.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because the travel industry is full of entrepreneurs and side-hustlers. From independent tour guides to the owners of the biggest tour companies, a huge portion of people in this business work for themselves. If you’re among that group, you know the thrill of starting something new and the nerve-wracking feeling of betting your future on a big idea.

As you plot your steps through a landscape full of uncertainty, it might be worthwhile to ask yourself if you’re doing everything necessary to reach your goals. Success rarely comes in the form of tidy 40-hour workweeks.

More often than not, extraordinary results come to those who put forth extraordinary efforts.

On “Shark Tank,” Tammy’s hard work won the day. She got a deal with the investor she had targeted from the beginning. And though it’s too early to say what will happen with her company, chances are TushBaby has a bright future.

If you’re willing to dig deep and push hard, your travel company can have a bright future, too.

FEBRUARY 2019

Plan your visit at ArkEncounter.com Williamstown, K Y (south of Cincinnati)

JOIN US FOR A TRIP TO COLUMBUS AND CLEVELAND IN JULY

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ave you always wanted to experience the iconic attractions of Columbus and Cleveland? Are you looking for ways to learn more about trip possibilities in Ohio and have a great time doing it? Do you have a few days in July to see these two cities firsthand? Would you like to spend a few days with executive staff of The Group Travel Leader magazine while you’re at it?

If so, we have just the opportunity for you.

Experience Columbus and Destination Cleveland are inviting up to 25 of our travel BRIAN JEWELL (BOTTOM LEFT) AND KELLY TYNER (BOTTOM RIGHT) WILL ACCOMPANY TRAVEL planner readers to enjoy a five-day site inspecPLANNERS TO ATTRACTIONS SUCH AS COLUMBUS’ FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY (TOP) AND CLEVELAND’S ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (BOTTOM CENTER). tion trip July 10-14. Qualified travel planners will be guests of the two cities’ tourism staffs

By Brian Jewell and will enjoy visiting favorite attractions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the new National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus.

And once you get to Ohio, all your expenses will be covered.

“Join The Group Travel Leader’s executive editor, Brian Jewell, and Kelly Tyner, our director of sales and marketing, for this fun and educational site-inspection trip Courtesy Rock and Roll HOF to experience the best of Columbus and Cleveland,” said publisher Mac Lacy. “Brian travel planners. Applicants will complete a brief travel profile that will be and Kelly will accompany our hosts on this trip and will be sharing their used by Experience Columbus and Destination Cleveland staff members travel experiences with everyone in attendance. to select attendees.

“Brian and Kelly will be highlighting the trip in real time on social To submit your travel profile and request a spot on this exciting trip, go media, and Brian will write an article on this tour for publication in The to www.grouptravelleader.com/columbus-cleveland-fam and fill out your Group Travel Leader magazine,” said Lacy. “Tour participants will have profile online. To inquire by phone or to ask a question, call us toll-free at the opportunity to share their impressions and experiences about Columbus 888-253-0455 and ask for Kelly. and Cleveland with our staff and meet some wonderful hosts from the Registration for this complimentary site-inspection trip in Ohio closes state. It’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

May 17, so don’t delay.

The trip begins and ends in Columbus. All accommodations, sightJoin our team, along with Experience Columbus and Destination seeing, transportation and meals are included once participants arrive in Cleveland, for a wonderful trip July 10-14.

Columbus. No travel expenses to and from Columbus will be reimbursed.

This readership event and site inspection tour is limited to 25 qualified

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CUSTOM CONTENT

A GREAT TRIP AND GROUP RATE GUARANTEED

ABOARD AN MSC CRUISE

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or a group travel planner, there’s no better way to be a star--with so little stress--than to book a cruise, says Wayne Peyreau.

Peyreau knows all about the upsides of sailing the seas. He’s regional vice president, sales (U.S.A.) for MSC Cruises, a cruise line that might be new to many Americans but is the number one cruise line in Europe, South America, Southern Africa and the Gulf. The world’s largest privately owned cruise company, MSC sails the Caribbean from Miami and also has cruises from New York.

AN UNCOMPLICATED WAY TO PLAN

For a group tour planner, a cruise is an uncomplicated way to offer an inclusive trip.

For the traveler, a cruise offers ease and good value as well as freedom, says Peyreau.

“Cruising is self-contained. The stateroom is your hotel. You aren’t looking for dining, there is no motorcoach, the venues and the entertainment are included. You can explore different ports. Once you are on board, you could do everything, or nothing at all. The choice is yours.”

A STRIKINGLY INEXPENSIVE WAY TO TRAVEL IN STYLE

That ease, freedom and flexibility, combined with the cost of MSC’s cruises, con-

BY VICKIE MITCHELL vinces many planners to give a cruise a try.

To illustrate the value of an MSC cruise compared to a land based or motorcoach tour, Peyreau suggests planners roughly tally the costs of their land-based tours--the motorcoach, meals, attractions, hotels, entertainment and then the per person cost of an MSC Cruise. MSC wins! One call, does it all.

A GUARANTEED GROUP RATE MOTIVATES

Still, planners can be a little hesitant to commit to a cruise, often because they are nervous about getting the number of bookings required for group rates. That is one reason MSC has instituted a group rate guarantee. “It gives our clients a comfort level,” said Peyreau. “To get our group rate, the minimum is eight state rooms, 16 guests, but if a planner markets the trip and gets only one stateroom, we are not going to adjust that rate up. Doing that helps convince a lot of planners. They can promote with confidence. There’s no going back to travelers to say, ‘I’m sorry this rate was for eight state rooms so I have to adjust your rate.’”

NEED HELP MARKETING? MSC OFFERS IT.

MSC also makes it easy for group leaders to get travelers’ attention. The cruise line offers flyers, videos and other marketing pieces that a planner can easily access

and customize to market a specific trip by adding dates, rates and other information.

“We have a lot of tools in the toolbox,” said Peyreau.

MSC OFFERS MORE AS IT ENTERS NEW MARKET

MSC Cruises offers 3,7,10-11 night cruises from Miami, with 4 ships, 2 year round and 2 seasonal. Itineraries include the Bahamas, Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean as well as Cuba.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Wayne Peyreau 954-958-3283 www.msccruisesusa.com wayne.peyreau@msccruisesusa.com

EXPERT

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ROGER DUDLEY E X PERIENCE COL UMBU S

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ike many students, Roger Dudley wasn’t sure what major to choose during his first year in college. But when he saw that his university offered an introductory class on tourism, it piqued an interest he had cultivated since childhood.

“My parents and our family went on vacations every year,” he said. “We would go camping or go to the Smoky Mountains. I worked at a campground when I was in high school, so I already had a little bit of passion and experience for that area.”

He took that course and loved it, then decided to major in recreation with a focus on tourism. That decision led to a full-time internship at the convention and visitors bureau in Bowling Green, Ohio, where his college was located.

“That’s where I first learned the CVB culture and what working with tour operators was like,” he said. “Then my first job after school was planning children’s birthday parties at a water park hotel. From there, I joined the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where I really dove into working with tour operators and event planners. And that led me to Experience Columbus.”

Experience Columbus is the convention and visitors bureau for Columbus, Ohio’s capital city. In his capacity as director of tourism sales for the organization, Dudley serves as the city’s primary ambassador to the group tourism market. And he spends a lot of time showing tour operators and other travel influencers around the thriving destination.

The job can be a lot of work, but like many careers in tourism, it comes with a fair share of fun.

“Dining at all our restaurants is one of the things I enjoy the most,” he said. “I love showing travel writers and tour operators our wonderful restaurants, coffee, ice cream and craft beer. I also love taking people to our vast array of attractions, from the small ones, like the Candle Lab, to the big ones, like the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the new National Veterans Memorial and Museum.”

In addition to bringing travel planners into his city, Dudley also travels to meet them in other places. Many of those trips involve attending major tourism events such as the American Bus Association Marketplace, NTA’s 10

GROUP T HE

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SALES TIP FROM ROGER “ B e aut hent ic a nd hone st . I f you do

not k now t he a ns wer, let t he c ustomer

k now a nd f i nd t he re a l s olut ion for t hem — don’t ma k e somet h i ng up on t he spot.”

Travel Exchange and Travel Alliance Partners’ TAP Dance, in addition to niche conferences such as Select Traveler and Boomers in Groups.

Dudley’s passion for tourism has also led him to volunteer for leadership roles in various organizations, both local and nationally.

“I’ve gotten involved with ABA on their orientation for Marketplace for the past two years, helping all the new delegates,” he said. “I’ve also volunteered on NTA’s Young Professionals Advisory Committee for the past three years as well. I’ve sat on the board for the Ohio Travel Association. And for the past two years, I’ve been the president of Ohio Has It, an industry-led marketing initiative for the state and the group tour players.”

Between working at home and traveling to tourism events around the country, promoting Columbus keeps Dudley fairly busy. But when he has spare time, you’re likely to find him out and about in Columbus, supporting local organizations and enjoying the cultural scene.

“I love attending fundraisers,” he said. “I think it’s important to support our arts community and our small nonprofits. And I go to gallery hops in the Short North Arts District several times a year. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.”

FEBRUARY 2019

Gaze upon a gallery only open at night Okefenokee Swamp | Stephen C. Foster State Park Among the 400,000 acres of the storied Okefenokee Swamp are places where time has seemingly stood still. Where the boat tours pass far more alligators than people. And where the sky gets so dark, your group will see stars they’ve never seen before.

Photo credit: Geo L. Johnson

ExploreGeorgia.org/groups

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B Y PAU L A AV E N G L A D YC H

Courtesy Tupelo CVB

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undreds of thousands of fans make the pilgrimage every year to the former homes of Elvis Presley.

But he isn’t the only musical legend who garners the love and adoration of fans from around the world. Prince, the Allman Brothers Band and the Carter Family also have dedicated followers.

Music aficionados not only clamor to see the homes, costumes and cars that once belonged to their idols. They also trek to historic music venues and recording studios where the musical magic happened.

Check out this selection of historic American music destinations that will capture the imaginations of music lovers everywhere.

ABOVE: A STATUE IN TUPELO, ELVIS PRESLEY’S HOMETOWN, PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF ROCK ’N’ ROLL. LEFT: HARLEM’S APOLLO THEATER

Courtesy Sanden Wolf Productions

Courtesy

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ELVIS PRESLEY BIRTHPLACE Tupelo, Mississippi The king of rock and roll — Elvis Presley — was born in a small, two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi. He lived there until he was 13 years old, and it was in Tupelo and at his childhood church that he was exposed to the gospel music that would influence his unique sound. Situated on 15 acres, the museum offers insight into young Elvis’ life. Visitors can tour his home, a chapel that was built in his memory and his childhood church, which was moved to the site a decade ago.

Elvis bought the property in 1957, the same year he purchased Graceland. About 80,000 visitors tour the site annually. They come to learn what it was like for their idol growing up in rural Mississippi during the height of the Depression. And Elvis fandom isn’t just for the folks who grew up hearing his music. The Elvis Presley Birthplace has seen an uptick in younger visitors as well.

— W W W. ELV ISPR ESL E Y BI RTH PL ACE .COM —

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GRACELAND Memphis, Tennessee The home where Presley found refuge from the road has become one of the biggest music tour destinations in the country, with 600,000-plus visitors a year. Fans come from around the world not only to see how Elvis lived but also to gaze at thousands of artifacts from his life. The mansion delves into who Elvis was as a person, his family and his hobbies.

Across the street from Graceland is Elvis Presley’s Memphis, a huge complex of museums and exhibits that tell the story of Elvis the entertainer. Tour visitors see his airplanes, cars, motorcycles and boats; they can gawk at his gold and platinum records, ogle his famous spangled jumpsuits and learn about his movie career and the years he spent as the first resident artist in Las Vegas.

The Graceland campus will add an exhibit building this summer that will house up to four rotating non-Elvis-related exhibits. Tour groups will not be disappointed.

— W W W.GR ACEL A N D.COM —

By David Meany Contiki, courtesy Memphis CVB ABOVE: EXAMINING ELVIS ARTIFACTS AT GRACELAND

GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM

PAISLEY PARK Chanhassen, Minnesota Prince’s 65,000-square-foot estate and recording and production studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, recently opened for public tours. Fans of the Purple One have the opportunity to visit the music studio where he created many of his masterpieces, including “Batman,” “The Black Album,” “Lovesexy” and “Sign o’ the Times.” Personal artifacts from his archives are displayed throughout, among them iconic apparel, musical instruments, the “Purple Rain” motorcycle, and music and video recordings.

Visitors can tour the NPG Music Club and the 11,000-square-foot Paisley Park soundstage where Prince filmed many of his music videos and movies and where he rehearsed for tours and held live performances.

Prince always insisted the idea for Paisley Park was not his alone.

He saw it belonging to everyone, SCARLET PEA FLOWERS BLOOM AT THE LADY BIRD according to his estate.

“Paisley Park is in everybody’s JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER heart,” he once said. “It’s not just something that I have the keys to.”

— W W W.OFFICI A L PA ISL E Y PA R K .COM —

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BIG HOUSE MUSEUM Macon, Georgia Fans of the Allman Brothers Band visit the Big House Museum to geek out over guitars and other instruments used by the popular group from the late ’60s and early ’70s, including Duane Allman’s 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop guitar. The famous instrument was used for many of the band’s early hits as well as on the Derek and the Dominos hit “Layla.” Many of the band’s members lived in the house from January 1970 until 1973, including Berry Oakley, Gregg Allman and Duane Allman. The house held special meaning for the band because the group and many of its roadies spent so much time there jamming and partying.

Last year, more than 10,000 people passed through the museum’s doors. The site offers private group tours when the museum isn’t open to the public and features free backyard jazz and country music concerts during the summer months.

— W W W.THEBIGHOUSE MUSEU M.COM —

PRINCE ARTIFACTS AT PAISLEY PARK

Courtesy The Prince Estate/Paisley Park

GREGG ALLMAN AT THE BIG HOUSE MUSEUM

By David Plakke, courtesy The Big House Museum

Horses fly IN LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Wandering Tree Estate

Chicago Botanic Garden

Ravinia Music Festival

Plan for an unforgettable group getaway!

Contact our group tour specialist, Jayne Nordstrom at Jayne@LakeCounty.org or call 800-525-3669. Find helpful planning resources at VisitLakeCounty.org.

Photo of Tempel Lipizzans © John Borys Photography

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CARTER FAMILY FOLD Hiltons, Virginia The birthplace of country music sits in a rural valley at the base of Clinch Mountain in southwest Virginia.

The former home of the Carter Family — American folk music legends A.P. and Sara Carter and A.P.’s sister-in-law, Maybelle Carter — features a music theater that holds 822 people, the restored cabin where A.P. Carter was born and a museum that commemorates the lives of these traditional folk singers. Rita Forrester — A.P. and Sara Carter’s granddaughter — runs the site now, which is going into its 45th year.

Visitors come every Saturday night at 7:30 to listen and dance to traditional bluegrass and old-time acoustic music. Many greats of country music have graced the stage at the Carter Family Fold, including Johnny Cash and Ricky Skaggs.

“We’re out in the country. We’re a rural arts organization, which is relatively rare,” said Forrester.

“You have to come off the beaten path to find us.”

Concertgoers can tour the Carter Family Museum and A.P. Carter’s childhood cabin before the Saturday night concert and during intermission. Because the site is run completely by volunteers, tour groups must make a special appointment to see the fold on days when there isn’t a concert.

— W W W.C A RT ER FA M I LYF OLD.ORG —

HOLLYWOOD BOWL MUSEUM Los Angeles The half-dome concert venue in the heart of Los Angeles is as iconic as the Hollywood sign and has hosted some of the music industry’s greatest performers in its more than 100 years of operation. Run by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl is still a prime music destination for music lovers from around the world. The accompanying museum, which opened in 1984, sits at the entrance to the Hollywood Bowl off Peppertree Lane and Highland Avenue. It is a tribute to the theater’s storied history; visitors there can take a self-guided walking tour of the grounds, learn the history of the shell and find out more about

A HISTORIC PHOTO OF A.P., SARA AND MAYBELLE CARTER

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the famous faces that have graced its stage.

The first floor of the museum hosts a permanent exhibit on the history of the Bowl. The second floor features temporary exhibitions. The current exhibition features the great jazz performers who have appeared on the Hollywood Bowl stage throughout history. The Hollywood Bowl Museum offers free guided tours for groups of 10 or more as long as they are booked in advance. Visitors are allowed to go behind the scenes, walk on stage and take in an unmatched view of the Hollywood sign.

HOLLYWOOD BOWL

— W W W. HOL LY WOODBOW L .COM —

MUSEUM OF MOTOWN Detroit Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye all got their start in Studio A at Hitsville U.S.A., the birthplace of Motown music. More than 180 No. 1 hits were recorded at Motown Records Corp., which was founded by Berry Gordy in 1959. Gordy was credited with bringing the music of some of America’s top African-American singers and musicians to the world. He lived above the Courtesy Hollywood Bowl

GIVE BETTER Join forces with 160+ member companies and 13,000+ travel professionals to amplify your giving and marketing, and inspire your employees.

Find out more at TourismCares.org

Ad space generously donated.

a f a m i ly o f br a n d s

In just one day, more than 300 volunteers from 80 companies donated nearly $50,000 in volunteer labor hours to national and state parks in New York and New Jersey.

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TOURING A STUDIO AT THE MOTOWN MUSEUM Courtesy Motown Museum

recording studio, and visitors to the Museum of Motown can not only visit his old apartment but also check out Studio A, complete with much of the original equipment and many of the instruments that were used by some of Motown’s greatest artists.

The museum is chock full of memorabilia from Motown Records and features rotating exhibits on the various artists who got their big breaks there. The museum is in the midst of a $50 million capital campaign to raise money for a 50,000-square-foot expansion.

It will soon offer interactive exhibits, a stateof-the-art performance theater, recording studios and event space to showcase all of the Motown artists who work in the Detroit area.

— W W W. MOT OW N MUSEU M.ORG —

APOLLO THEATER New York One of the most famous music halls in the world is in Harlem in New York City. The Apollo Theater got its start in 1934 playing host to the likes of James Brown, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Sammy Davis Jr. The Apollo gained notoriety through its amateur night. Dancers, singers, actors and comedians all come to the Apollo seeking a chance at fame. They rub the Tree of Hope, the stump of an elm tree that used to sit about six blocks from the theater, for luck as they step on stage and take their chances with a sometimes unforgiving audience.

Group tours of the Apollo are available.

Visitors get a chance to walk onstage and touch the Tree of Hope. They may even get a chance to perform on the Apollo stage.

The venue started its life as a burlesque theater. It was bought out in 1928 and became the 125th Street Apollo Theatre. It wasn’t until 1934 that it became the Apollo we know today, a venue dedicated to promoting and inspiring African-American entertainers.

— W W W. A POL LOTHE AT ER .ORG —

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OHIO

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TOLEDO CLE VEL AND

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hio’s music

and enter-

tainm e nt scene

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th r iving.

The Buckeye State is home to the Rock

and Roll Hall of Fame and a hub of the-

ater in the Midwest. Groups can attend a wide range of events, from Broadway shows and symphony concerts to stand-up comedy and ballet.

Though travelers may find themselves

drawn to the myriad activities in Ohio, attending a performing arts event is a

great dose of culture for any itinerary.

From major cities such as Cleveland,

Columbus and Cincinnati to midsize destinations such as Akron and Toledo,

groups traveling throughout Ohio will find numerous opportunities to see concerts and performances.

Next time your group travels through

Ohio, plan an evening at one of these spectacular historic theaters.

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Courtesy Akron Civic Theatre

AKRON CIVIC THEATRE The Akron Civic Theatre is one of the city’s most unusual landmarks. Built by Marcus Lowe of the Lowes movie theater chain, it opened in 1929 and was designed by renowned atmospheric theater architect John Eberson. In an atmospheric theater, patrons are virtually transported to an exotic landscape with twinkling lights like stars, a skyscape ceiling, trellises and other landscape effects such as trees. One of only 16 remaining Eberson theaters, The Akron Civic Theatre is designed to resemble a Moorish castle with intricate carvings, antiques, and alabaster sculptures.

In 2001, the theater underwent a $19 million restoration project to shore up its infrastructure and modernize the space to current standards. For nearly 90 years, thousands of guests have enjoyed stage and screen performances, and the theater has been a venue for quality entertainment. Seen as having a major role in downtown Akron’s revitalization, it also hosts more than 80 outdoor performances throughout the summer.

The Akron Civic Theatre is home to performances ranging from local acts to national and international performances of all kinds.

This spring brings performances from the Temptations, Celtic Woman and the Ballet Theater of Ohio, among others.

W W W. A K RO N C IV I C.C O M

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Scenic Lunch & Sunset Dinner Cruises Cruises include lavish buffets, entertainment & climate controlled decks Entertainment featuring music & sightseeing commentary Cruising April through New Year’s Eve Located next to Greater Cleveland Aquarium Discounted packages available

Purchase tickets at www.nauticaqueen.com

216.696.8888 800.837.0604

By D.R. Goff, courtesy CAPA

OHIO THEATRE, COLUMBUS One of the most spectacular surviving grand theaters in the country, the Ohio Theatre is known as the Official Theatre of the State of Ohio. It was originally built in 1928 as one of the Lowes cinema chain, designed by noted architect Thomas W. Lamb and decorated by New York designer Anne Dornin. At the time, the theater was the height of luxury, offering guests an escape from their everyday lives with themed rooms decorated with accoutrements from Dornin’s travels and lavish men’s and women’s lounges. It originally screened silent films, and later, talkies; it featured its own orchestra and Robert-Morton theater organ, which has been restored and is still in use today. Celebrities like Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland and Jack Benny also performed live onstage.

The theater closed in 1969 and was slated for destruction. Community members rallied together, raising funds to keep the theater open and founding the organization that runs the Ohio Theatre now: the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA). Concerts there featured the likes of the Grateful Dead and Alice Cooper. The former movie palace expanded in the mid-1980s, doubling in size and adding rehearsal and dressing rooms and expanded stage space.

Today, the Ohio Theatre is the home of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, BalletMet, the Broadway Series, Opera Columbus and the CAPA Summer Movie Series. This spring it will host “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander, a ballet performance of “Cinderella,” symphony performances of Gustav Mahler compositions and the Broadway classic “Hello, Dolly!”

W W W.CA PA .C O M

Nautica Entertainment Complex Cleveland Flats West Bank

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CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL One of the city’s most recognizable buildings because of its Victorian-Gothic facade, the Cincinnati Music Hall is home to the Cincinnati opera, ballet and symphony, as well as the May Festival, the longest-running choral festival in the Western hemisphere. Since 1878, the three buildings that make up the Music Hall have been host to a wide variety of programming, from sporting events to exhibitions and everything in between, including both the Republican and the Democratic national conventions and even a circus.

Among the celebrities who have performed there are Frank Sinatra, Prince, Elton John and Bob Dylan. This spring, the Music Hall will welcome popular hip-hop/strings duo Black Violin, a symphony performance of Debussy and Ravel’s “Colors of Spain” and a Cincinnati Pops rendition of the soundtrack of “The Wizard of Oz.” Groups will also enjoy exploring the surrounding Over-theRhine neighborhood, which recently experienced a renaissance.

Washington Park offers a beautiful greenspace, and the area is full of trendy shops and restaurants.

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Courtesy Cincinnati Music Hall

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Courtesy Playhouse Square Cleveland

4 PLAYHOUSE SQUARE, CLEVELAND Playhouse Square is a group of theaters that make up a theater district in the center of Cleveland; the theaters were built in the 1920s and were host to hundreds of vaudeville, movie and theatrical performances. By the late 1960s, all but one of the theaters had closed. But private funding led to restoration and renovation to create the theater district in the 1970s and 1980s. Two new theaters were added, and Playhouse Square is now the largest performing arts center in the U.S. outside of New York City.

The theaters include the Allen, the Hanna, the Ohio, the Palace, the State, Kennedy’s and the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatres. All together, they play host to over 1 million guests for more than 1,000 performances annually. Events include Broadway shows, concerts, dance, family shows, comedy and plays, among others. Visitors can participate in after-show discussions, master classes and workshops.

This spring, Playhouse Square will feature the Cleveland Blues Festival, Michelle Obama, the Cleveland International Film Festival and “The Taming of the Shrew.” Groups will also appreciate the theater district’s proximity to area hotels and restaurants.

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Courtesy Stranahan Theater

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STRANAHAN THEATER, TOLEDO Built in 1969, the Stranahan Theater is a 2,424-seat theater and home to the largest proscenium stage in northwest Ohio. The theater hosts more than 170 performing arts events a year, along with banquets, receptions and trade shows. It invites a roster of notable Broadway shows and the city’s annual performances of “The Nutcracker” by the Toledo Ballet and “A Christmas Carol” by the Toledo Repertoire Theatre. It’s also the home of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra’s pops series.

Events at the Stranahan range from performances by William Shatner and Paula Poundstone to Broadway musicals like “Les Miserables” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” to popular children’s program hosts and brothers the Wild Kratts. The Stranahan is in the heart of Toledo, and groups will want to take advantage of nearby attractions like the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Botanical Garden and the Toledo Zoo. W W W.S T R A N A H A N T H E AT E R.C O M

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FROM THE

FOOTLIGHTS TO THE

A GROUP POSES ON THE HURRICANE DECK ON THE CAVE OF THE WINDS TOUR IN NIAGARA FALLS.

Falls

Courtesy Destination Niagara USA

Courtesy NY Office of PRHP

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By Milo Stewart Jr, courtesy NBHOFM

Courtesy The Strong FEBRUARY 2019

PLAN A GROUP TRIP TO

UPS TAT E

NE W YORK

BY B R I A N J E W E L L

I

t’s a long way from New York to Niagara Falls. But for groups making the trip, getting there is a big part of the fun.

The Empire State enjoys two of America’s most storied tourist destinations.

On the southern tip of the state, New York City attracts millions of visitors every year, and Niagara Falls on the Canadian border is among the most awe-inspiring natural wonders in the United States.

Groups visiting the Northeast from other parts of the country can enjoy both of these marquee destinations on a New York-to-Niagara itinerary.

There’s a lot of ground to cover between the two places but also a lot of fascinating places to see along the way. From a gorgeous outdoor sculpture garden to an iconic sports attraction and one of the most fun-loving museums in the country, groups will enjoy the journey from New York to Niagara almost as much as the final destination.

BOTTOM. LEFT TO RIGHT: HIKING TO THE CROWS NEST AT NIAGARA FALLS; INDUCTION WEEKEND AT THE NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME; THE STRONG NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PLAY

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STORM KING ART CENTER Just over 60 miles north of Manhattan, the bustle and crowds of New York City fade into the distance as visitors take in the beautiful expanses of the Storm King Art Center. Established in 1960 by a pair of local businessmen, this 500-acre outdoor sculpture park has become a favorite destinations for city dwellers looking for an artful respite.

The center was first envisioned as a museum that would showcase paintings by Hudson River artists but soon shifted its focus to sculpture.

Today, there are more than 75 sculptures spread throughout the farm fields, formal allees, natural woodlands, wetlands, lawns and streams of the park, which sits at the base of Storm King Mountain. These include wide-ranging modern and contemporary art — large-scale sculptures, earthworks, drawings and photographs — that are on exhibit in the museum.

Groups can take advantage of a number of special events and educational programs at the

Storm King Center. Scheduled events include music, performances and poetry readings, as well as lectures and presentations from artists. The staff also organizes hands-on workshop experiences led by artists, conservators, art educators and environmental educators.

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NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME Cooperstown, a small village in eastern upstate New York, has a reputation far greater than its size. As home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the town is a something of a pilgrimage destination for sports fans from around the world.

“The museum has been open since 1939, and we’ve had more than 17 million visitors pass through our doors over the years,” said Jon Shestakofsky, vice president of education and communications at the Hall of Fame. “We have over 40,000 three-dimensional artifacts, and about 10 percent of those are on display at one time.”

Exhibits throughout the museum highlight those treasured artifacts, such as a bat that Babe Ruth used to hit more than 25 home runs in a single season. Groups can also work with the museum staff to have a private artifact spotlight session, in which they get up-close experiences with fascinating artifacts from the museum’s collection.

Groups also enjoy the museum’s new welcome film, “Generations of the Game,” and a gallery called “Whole New Ballgame” that features videos and interactive exhibits along with more recently collected artifacts. And guests shouldn’t leave without taking time to visit the Hall of Plaques, which features plaques that honor every Hall of Fame inductee.

Visiting is a fascinating experience any time of year, but enthusiastic baseball lovers may want to time their trips to coincide with Hall of Fame Weekend, which includes an induction ceremony, a parade and opportunities for Hall of Fame mem-

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MAID OF THE MIST

bers to interact with fans.

“We have many folks come up in groups for induction weekend from all over the country,” Shestakofsky said.

“You just want to make sure you get your hotel reservations in quickly.”

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A SUPERMAN TOY AT THE STRONG NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PLAY Courtesy The Strong

Courtesy Destination Niagara USA

NIAGARA FALLS STATE PARK

STRONG NATIONA L MUSEUM OF PLAY In Rochester, a thriving upstate technology hub, groups will find a museum that redefines fun for visitors.

“What makes our museum completely unique is that we were the very first in the world to be dedicated to the study of play,” said Shane Rhinewald, senior director of public relations at the Strong National Museum of Play.

“At our core, we’re an American history museum. We collect artifacts of play and explore cultural history through the lens of what people were playing with. What could they afford? Were their fears or hopes relayed through what they were playing with?”

The museum was founded in 1982 to showcase the toys, dolls and miniatures collected by a wealthy local woman.

It has grown to encompass thousands of toys and other artifacts from America’s history. Guests get to have fun throughout their visits.

“Right when you walk in our front door, there’s an 1890s carousel,” said Karen Dodson, the museum’s tourism sales associate. “We like to get groups on there to set the stage for what they’re going to do inside. Then we do a 45-minute iconic collections tour. We show them the first ever Monopoly board ever designed. And we have a comic book heroes section that many adults love. They can take pictures of themselves as one of their favorite comic book heroes, then email that picture to themselves.”

After the guided tour, groups get free time to play with interactive exhibits like a vintage pinball arcade. They can also explore the on-site butterfly garden and enjoy dinner in a 1950s-style diner.

Last summer, the museum broke ground on a 100,000-square-foot expansion that will open in 2021 to focus on the intersection of play and technology.

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Courtesy NY Office of PRHP A BASEBALL FIELD IN COOPERSTOWN

Courtesy NBHOFM

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OLD FORT NIAGARA

NIAGARA FALLS This trip through New York comes to a thundering conclusion on the Canadian border in Niagara Falls, a destination that was among America’s most popular honeymoon destinations in the 20th century and is still home to one of its most powerful natural attractions.

Groups can choose from dozens of activities in the Niagara region. But nearly everyone who visits spends time at the falls.

Courtesy Destination Niagara USA FEBRUARY 2019

R U O T E D D AN ISLAN

T

hough the destinations known as 1000 Islands isn’t exactly on the way from New York to Niagara Falls — getting there requires a three-hour detour between Cooperstown and Rochester — groups that spend time to make the trek there will be rewarded with a spectacularly scenic waterfront destination.

“We border Canada, and 1000 Islands is a shared destination that promotes both sides of the border,” said Tillie Youngs, sales manager for the 1000 Islands Tourism Council. “There are 1,864 islands between the two nations.”

The area was originally settled as a fishing and fur trapping outpost, though people from throughout the region soon discovered its natural beauty and began building extraordinary castles and distinctive lighthouses on its shores.

Today, visitors can take boat tours that showcase the beauty of the islands and their architecture.

“The latest lighthouse available for tours is the Rock Island Lighthouse,” Youngs said. “It’s accessible only by boat. A narrated cruise takes you there and talks about our maritime

BOLDT CASTLE IN THE 1000 ISLANDS Courtesy 1000 Islands VC

“The No. 1 thing to do when you come here is Niagara Falls State Park,” said Tina Mt. Pleasant, director of leisure group sales at Destination Niagara USA. “Inside are some great attractions groups can do, like Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds and the Top of the Falls Restaurant.”

Mt. Pleasant recommends that groups plan an entire day to enjoy the 400-

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THE 1000 ISLANDS AREA OF THE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY

Courtesy 1000 Islands VC

history. Then you can visit the lighthouse keepers’ home and take the stairs up to the light.”

Groups should also plan to spend some time at Boldt Castle, the most popular of the castles in the area. Built between 1900 and 1904 at the cost of several million dollars, the castle was the creation of a German immigrant who became general manager of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.

WWW.VISIT1000ISLANDS.COM

acre state park, which borders the Niagara River. Many group visits begin with a trip up the 230-foot observation tower, from which they can see landmarks on both the American and the Canadian sides of the falls. Next, they get a much closer look at both Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the iconic Maid of the Mist boat ride. Passengers hear the roar of the 187-foot-tall waterfalls and don ponchos to stay dry from the spray from the 3,160 tons of water that flow over the falls every second.

At the Cave of the Winds, guests walk behind Bridal Veil Falls. Though the cave protects visitors from the ferocity of the cascade, brave souls can step out onto the Hurricane Deck to feel the full force of the waterfall. Thankfully, ponchos are provided.

After a day at the falls, groups should stay in the area to enjoy some of the area’s other attractions.

“The Niagara Wine Trail has 22 wineries,” Mt. Pleasant said. “We also have breweries, cideries and a meadery. The Niagara escarpment is very famous for grape and fruit growing, so a lot of wineries use fruit and grapes grown here.”

Other area highlights include Old Fort Niagara — a living-history site built around an 18th-century French Castle — and Lockport Locks, where visitors can cruise through locks and dams along the Erie canal.

WWW.NIAGARAFALLSUSA.COM

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LOSE THE LAB COAT

M

TR AVELERS ARE DISCOVERING THESE SCIENCE MUSEUMS

MUSEUMS

BY E L I ZA M Y E R S

V ISITORS C A N STEP INTO A TORNA DO, RIDE A HIGH-W IRE UNICYCLE, M A RV EL AT INDOOR LIGHTING A ND MORE, ALL IN THE NA ME OF SCIENCE. DISCOV ERING THE MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD SPARKS MUCH EXCITEMENT AT THESE ACCL AIMED SCIENCE MUSEUMS.

GUIDE

C OSI COLUMBUS,

COSI IN COLUMBUS

By Rob McCormick, courtesy COSI

OHIO

Suspended two stories above the floor, daring participants pedal a high-wire unicycle across an 84-foot-long cable at Cosi Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. The exhibit demonstrates principles of physics by showing how a 250-pound counterweight keeps every rider upright.

The museum offers guests many other challenges, such as driving a space rover over Martian terrain or attempting to land a space shuttle at simulator stations. Groups can choose hands-on activities to work on together at the Gadget Cafe. The experience offers various projects, such as making “flubber” or taking apart old computers.

Visitors of all ages find themselves mesmerized by the recently added American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery. From the giant, full-size cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex to the fragile feather inside a millenniaold fossilized amber, the dinosaur displays light up guests’ imaginations.

Three hundred other hands-on exhibits cover a range of science topics. Groups can factor in stops at the Giant Screen Theater for a larger-than-life National Geographic film or the Planetarium for a guided tour of the constellations.

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BR A DBU RY SCI E NC E M USE U M LOS

A DINOSAUR ENCOUNTER AT COSI

By Rob McCormick, courtesy COSI

ALAMOS,

NEW

MEXICO

At one point during World War II, Los Alamos, New Mexico, suddenly no longer existed. Those who knew relatives there could only make contact by writing to P.O. Box 1663.

The secrecy of the Manhattan Project and its goal of building nuclear weapons led to the town’s disappearance and eventual reappearance in 1945.

The Bradbury Science Museum reveals the significance of the Manhattan Project, which was developed at the nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Groups can discover the fascinating history behind the covert project as well as view full-size models of the Little Boy and Fat Man atomic bombs.

Forty interactive exhibits highlight the laboratory’s current and historic research projects related to defense and technology.

Two 16-minute films explain the race to build the first atomic bomb.

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FEBRUARY 2019

E X PL OR AT OR I U M SAN

FRANCISCO

They may have served as Dorothy’s worst nightmare in “The Wizard of Oz,” but the wild winds of a tornado excite scientific interest in the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Participants can feel the strength of this natural phenomenon by stepping inside a re-created tornado.

With more than 650 hands-on exhibits, the Exploratorium allows guests to turn upside down in a curved mirror, walk on a fog bridge and experience historic rainstorms. The museum is divided into six main galleries covering topics such as engineering, psychology, geography and biology.

Opened in 1969, the museum celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Though popular with children, the museum also delights adults, which the museum promotes by reserving certain times as adult-admission only.

Groups can walk through the Tactile Dome, which plunges participants into total darkness, forcing them to navigate the exhibit using their nonvisual senses. At the “Colored Shadow” exhibit, colors seem to magically spring from darkness as visitors create shadows of red, blue and other colors.

One well-attended exhibit, “Soap Film Painting,” features a giant square soap bubble the size of a picture window.

THE FOG BRIDGE EXPERIENCE AT SAN FRANCISCO’S EXPLORATORIUM Courtesy Exploratorium

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M USE U M OF SCI E NC E A N D I N DUST RY

HANDS-ON WITH SOAP BUBBLES AT EXPLORATORIUM

AN EXPLORATORIUM WATER EXHIBIT

Courtesy Exploratorium

Courtesy Exploratorium

CHICAGO For groups visiting the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the hardest part is deciding where to go first. With 14 acres of handson exhibits, groups can navigate a mirror maze, manipulate a 40-foot tornado or run inside a human-size hamster wheel.

One of the largest science museums in the country, the organization offers tours that last anywhere from a few hours to an entire weekend.

The Henry Crown Space Center features the Apollo 8 spacecraft, which flew the first mission beyond low earth orbit to the moon. Nearby, groups can also control a simulated Mars Rover and try their hand at docking a shuttle to a walk-in mockup of the International Space Station.

Other favorite experiences allow participants to tinker with design software at “Dream It, Design It, Fab It,” examine their own blood running through their veins and create an avalanche.

For an additional fee, groups can tour the German U-505 submarine captured during World War II. Another optional experience re-creates a 1933 underground coal mine that guest can explore.

Courtesy High Museum of Art

CHICAGO’S MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY Courtesy Museum of Science and Industry

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M USEU M OF SCIE NCE BOSTON BOSTON AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT AT MUSEUM OF SCIENCE BOSTON

By Ashley McCabe, courtesy Museum of Science Boston

Indoor lightning bolts produced by the world’s largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator amaze onlookers at the Museum of Science Boston. The museum’s 20-minute lightning presentation explores conductors, electricity and storm safety inside a 350-seat auditorium.

This highly popular experience is one of over 700 interactive exhibits at one of the country’s largest science centers. A recently opened exhibit, “Wicked Smart: Invented in the Hub,” celebrates Boston-based innovations. Visitors can take a picture of themselves in the exhibit’s particle mirror.

The science museum also houses over 100 animals. Live animal presentations provide insight into an animal’s adaptations and environmental conditions. Groups can step into a re-created tropical oasis at the Butterfly Garden to walk among exotic plants and freely flying butterflies.

The Hands-On Laboratory invites visitors to become scientists with the tools to conduct their own experiments. Other popular exhibits include “Science in the Park,” “Dinosaurs: Modeling the Mesozoic” and the “Hall of Human Life.”

W W W. M OS .O R G

PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM

One of California’s most beautiful and unique destinations!

Ask about our docent-led group tours - Two restaurants available with tour group options For up-to-date information on Special Exhibits visit ReaganLibrary.com/Exhibits

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GROUP Tour Through Air Force One 27000 T HE

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View a Full Scale Replica of the Oval Office

FEBRUARY 2019

Touch an Authentic Piece of the Berlin Wall

40 Presidential Drive • Simi Valley, CA 93065 • 805.577.2704 • ReaganLibrary.com

BON APPETIT

F O OD I S A N A R T F OR M A T T H E SE M U SE U M S

M MUSEUMS

GUIDE

BY E L I ZA M Y E R S

MANY MUSEUMS ENCOUR AGE VISITORS TO LEARN THROUGH SIGHT, SOUND AND TOUCH. BUT SOME GO THE EXTR A MILE WITH ON-SITE RESTAUR ANTS THAT ADD TO THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE BY ENGAGING SMELL AND TASTE. WHETHER THEY’RE DINING ON INDIGENOUS CUISINES TO DISCOVER NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE OR HAVING LUNCH AT A 1940S DINER TO CONNECT WITH THE PAST, GROUPS CAN SATISFY THEIR CULINARY AND EDUCATIONAL CURIOSITIES AT THESE MUSEUM RESTAUR ANTS.

MITSITA M C A FÉ NATIONA L MUSEUM OF THE A MERIC A N INDI A N WASHINGTON,

A BEET SALAD PLATE AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

MITSITAM CHEF FREDDIE BITSOIE

PREPARING NATIVE AMERICAN DISHES AT MITSITAM NATIVE FOODS CAFE

D.C.

Diners try a bite of fry bread for a delicious history lesson at the Mitsitam Café in the National Museum of the American Indian. On the National Mall in Washington, the restaurant offers a tour of the indigenous cuisines of the Americas.

The buffet-style cafe is divided into five regions: the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains. Each station reveals that region’s cooking techniques, ingredients, and flavors of traditional and contemporary dishes, such as Meso American bean soup with green chiles.

Groups can expand the experience to include a talk with executive chef Freddie Bitsoie. Bitsoie tells the stories behind each dish in a four-course, family-style meal.

Inside the museum, groups can tour one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections on Native Americans. Exhibits and films on the culture, history and legends of the Native tribes of the Americas line the museum’s curvilinear structure.

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Photos courtesy National Museum of the American Indian GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM

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CLASSIC MEAL IN THE AMERICAN SECTOR RESTAURANT AT THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM

A M E R IC A N SEC T OR R E ST AU R A N T A N D B A R N AT ION A L WOR L D WA R I I M USE U M NEW

Courtesy National WWII Museum

ORLEANS

Live 1940s-era swing and jazz music sets the mood at the American Sector Restaurant and Bar. The National World War II Museum restaurant creates dishes that mix Old World nostalgia with modern American food, for example, wartime pound cake with fresh berries.

After an extensive renovation, the restaurant debuted a new menu in 2018. The reworked dining room features retractable windows, a revamped bar and private dining areas for larger groups.

Diners can choose from regional favorites such as a fried chicken biscuit with pepper jelly or shrimp Louie Armstrong salad with shrimp remoulade.

The National World War II Museum focuses on the United States’ involvement in the war with immersive exhibits and personal stories.

In 2021, the museum will open the Liberation Pavilion to explore the lasting impact of the war and the Holocaust.

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CAFÉ MODERN AT THE MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH Courtesy Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

C A F É MODER N MODER N A RT M USEU M OF FORT WORT H FORT

#

Official NASA Visitor Center

1

N

IO ATTRACT •

A

ALABAM

•

See the world’s largest collection of space artifacts and explore the fascinating future of space travel!

Celebrate the 2019 50th anniversary of the moon landing in Huntsville, Alabama - where it all started with Dr. Wernher von Braun and his rocket team!

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Huntsville, Alabama • (800) 637-7223 www.rocketcenter.com

WORTH,

TEXAS

To accompany a Japanese art installation by Takashi Murakami, the Café Modern at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth offered an Asian-themed menu of dishes featuring wasabi, miso and yuzu. Café Modern changes its menu for special exhibitions, although the restaurant consistently focuses on fresh, local and sustainable ingredients.

The cafe’s chef, Dena Peterson, serves a globally inspired lunch and dinner, as well as a Texas-themed brunch complete with a rockabilly soundtrack. Groups can enjoy the upscale cuisine inside the serene concrete-and-glass museum.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth collects post-World War II art. Daily docentled tours highlight a rotating sample of up to 150 works of art from its 3,000-piece permanent collection. Notable artists include Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, among others.

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FEBRUARY 2019

C A F É ST. L OU IS M ISSOU R I H IST ORY M USE U M ST.

LOUIS

Guests can savor house-made gooey butter cake, toasted ravioli and other classic St. Louis dishes at the Missouri History Museum’s Café St. Louis. The restaurant features local products, such as Dubuque Coffee and Excel Soda, as well as other St. Louis specialties.

Formerly known as Bixby’s, Café St. Louis serves local fare in a fast-casual atmosphere with sweeping views of Forest Park. Common dishes include made-from-scratch soups, salads and wraps.

Groups can order plated or buffet lunches that complement guided exhibit tours. Black-and-white photographs and display cases with local artifacts inside the museum provide insight into St. Louis’ past.

The Missouri History Museum showcases the state’s history with artifacts from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Charles Lindbergh’s trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

THE VIEW FROM ELEVEN RESTAURANT AT CRYSTAL BRIDGES

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EL E V E N CRYST A L BR IDGES M USEU M OF A M ER IC A N A RT

THE ENTRANCE TO ELEVEN AT CRYSTAL BRIDGES Photos courtesy Crystal Bridges

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS To celebrate the opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on November 11, 2011, officials named the on-site restaurant Eleven. The Bentonville, Arkansas, restaurant blends modern American comfort food with the regional history of the Ozarks.

“High South” menu options, such as local pork with Ozark root mash and mustard-cider sauce, connect the museum with the surrounding region. The restaurant opened a new counter and other additions on February 8.

Diners can overlook the museum’s springfed ponds and surrounding forests. Sculpture and walking trails link the museum’s 120-acre park to downtown Bentonville.

The museum’s collection spans five centuries of American art, with famed works that include Asher B. Durand’s “Kindred Spirits,” Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter” and Andy Warhol’s “Coca-Cola.”

All types of tours for all sorts of visitors.

From art to architecture, from serious to silly, there’s a Museum tour perfect for any group. mam.org/tours

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WORKSHOPS THAT WOW

M USE U MS A R E CR E AT I NG H A N DS-ON PROGR A M M I NG

M MUSEUMS

BY E L I ZA M Y E R S

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS FOR GROUPS CAN INTENSIFY THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE BY ENGAGING THE SENSES R ATHER THAN SIMPLY DELIVERING FACTS. GROUPS CAN IM AGINE LIFE DURING THE CIVIL WAR, DESIGN THEIR OWN GL ASS ART OR TAKE CHARGE OF A SPACE MISSION DURING WORKSHOPS AT THESE NOTABLE MUSEUMS.

GUIDE

M USE U M OF GL A SS TACOMA,

THE MUSEUM OF GLASS IN TACOMA

By Chuck Lysen, courtesy Museum of Glass

WASHINGTON

The vibrant colors and spiraling shapes of glass art leave many viewers impressed and amazed. To fully appreciate the art form, groups that visit the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, can participate in the Glass Fusing Workshop.

Instead of the more dangerous heated-glass process, this program allows groups to design and arrange cold glass into a tile or a magnet before instructors load the works into kilns. Participants can pick up the finished works in a week or have them shipped back home for an extra fee.

The contemporary glass art museum features a 20th- and 21st-century glass collection that includes the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a spectacular walkway with colorful glass installments by Tacoma’s native son, Dale Chihuly. Visiting artists demonstrate how to create art from molten glass in the Hot Shop, a cone-shaped amphitheater.

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GE T T Y SBU RG H E R I T AGE C E N T E R GETTYSBURG,

A FIRING DEMONSTRATION AT THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE CENTER Courtesy Civil War Heritage Center

A WORKSHOP AT THE NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM

Courtesy National Quilt Museum

PENNSYLVANIA

Instead of learning about the Battle of Gettysburg in a lecture full of facts and figures, groups can zoom in on the life of one person for a more intimate picture. The Gettysburg Heritage Center in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, offers programs that discuss a specific aspect of Civil War life, such as Civil War: The Life of a Union Soldier, A Day in the Life of a Child in 1860 and Christmas Traditions in the 1860s.

Costumed interpreters and artifacts make the experience more believable. For example, an 1860s Gettysburg school teacher walks guests through a child’s typical day with a visit to a one-room schoolhouse, lesson time on slates and recess with period-appropriate games.

The Gettysburg Heritage Center strives to share the human story of the infamous battle from the perspective of both soldiers and civilians. The museum is divided into two parts: one area focuses on the battle with an animated map movie presentation, and the other uses artifacts, 3D programs and interactive displays to show how the battle affected the town’s citizens.

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W I N T E RT H U R M USE U M, G A R DE N A N D L I BR A RY WINTERTHUR,

DELAWARE

The Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in Winterthur, Delaware, encourages groups to experience furniture design and similar art forms with their hands. One Friday each month, the historic home and museum offers its Crafternoon program to lead participants on a backstage tour of rarely seen objects before adjourning to a related craft workshop.

At a recent session, groups examined toy furniture before creating their own dollhouse-worthy miniatures to take home.

The 175-room Winterthur home offers an impressive collection of early American furniture and decorative items. Docents lead groups to the museum’s most prized items while telling stories about the life of former owner Henry Francis du Pont.

Groups can also see the 70-acre garden with a narrated tram tour or attend one of the museum’s rotating exhibits, lectures and special events.

A SPACE CAMP GROUP AT THE U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER Courtesy U.S. Space & Rocket Center

By Susan Capra, courtesy Grammy Museum

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U.S. SPAC E A N D ROCK E T C E N T E R HUNTSVILLE,

THE DU PONT DINING ROOM AT WINTERTHUR Courtesy Winterthur

ALABAMA

What could go wrong during a space mission? The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, answers that question with experiential programs. The weeklong Space Camp for children and adults trains participants as astronauts and simulates a space mission.

Other shorter programs allow groups to experience some of the camp’s highlights, such as the one-night Surveyor program.

Even without an added program, groups can interact with space-related exhibits and demonstrations throughout the year. The Space Shot mimics the shuttle launch experience with increased gravitational pressure and three seconds of weightlessness.

Tours also let groups marvel at the historically important Apollo 16 command module, the Saturn V moon rocket and other space vehicles and artifacts. Later this year, the center will open a planetarium, a digital theater and an exhibit on the Apollo program.

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Discover The Huntington

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N AT ION A L QU I LT M USE U M PADUCAH,

KENTUCKY

Without understanding the difficulty involved in each stitch of a quilt, travelers visiting the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky, can miss the magnitude of genius behind the quilts on display there. The Museum Experience allows groups to view the quilts on a detailed guided tour before designing and building their own quilt block.

Participants select their designs from precut fabrics in a variety of colors. Guides then walk them through blocking, quilting and framing.

The museum showcases the contemporary quilt experience through exhibits by renowned quilters who implement creative approaches to fiber art. The main gallery rotates a selection of the museum’s permanent collection of over 500 quilts. Two other galleries feature about 10 fiber art exhibits each year.

Group Tours Available Pasadena Adjacent huntington.org

W W W . Q U I LT M U S E U M . O R G

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COWBOY UP

THESE TEXAS TRADITIONS DELIVER THE GOODS

DAILY CATTLE DRIVES ARE A FAVORITE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AT THE FORT WORTH STOCK YARDS. Courtesy Visit Fort Worth

B Y RO B I N RO E N K E R A VISIT TO TEXAS WOULDN’T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT EXPERIENCING A TOUCH OF ITS COWBOY AND COWGIRL SWAGGER. FROM DUDE RANCHES THAT BOAST AUTHENTIC CHUCK-WAGON MEALS TO A NIGHT AT THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST RODEO AND LIVESTOCK SHOW, THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROUPS TO EXPLORE TEXAS’ RICH AND STORIED RANCHING HERITAGE.

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NATIONAL RANCHING HERITAGE CENTER

LUBBOCK

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n the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, the National Ranching Heritage Center offers visitors a chance to learn about Texas’ ranching industry in an immersive way.

There, guests can enjoy a 44,000-square-foot museum with seven exhibit galleries. The center also features a 19-acre historical park with 50 preserved ranching structures dating from the late 1700s to the mid-1900s. They are outfitted with authentic period furnishings and tools.

The buildings are arranged chronologically to provide a lifesize timeline of sorts of the state’s ranching industry.

FEBRUARY 2019

“What makes the National Ranching Heritage Center unique is that it really represents the authentic West,” said the center’s executive director, Jim Bret Campbell. “We read about the romanticized West in books or see it in movies, but here we tell the real stories of the men and women who ventured out to the American West to help establish the Texas ranching industry.

And the ruggedness and individualism that comes through in their stories is part of what’s so fascinating about this history.”

A 1.5-mile paved trail provides easy access to each structure, and guests can make the most of their self-guided tours by downloading the center’s smartphone app, which delivers photos, audio and text about each building.

NATIONAL COWGIRL MUSEUM

WWW.DEPTS.TTU.EDU/NRHC

FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS AND CATTLE DRIVE

FORT WORTH

E

very day at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., visitors can line the streets alongside Fort Worth’s Stockyards National Historic District to witness an authentic Old West-style cattle drive. The parade of Texas longhorns through the streets — complete with drivers outfitted in historically accurate chaps, boots and hats — harkens back to the city’s role as part of the Chisholm Trail, the storied trade route used by Texas ranchers to drive an estimated 5 million cattle north to Kansas between 1867 and 1884.

Some of the best spots to view the cattle drive, which is free to attend, are in front of the Stockyards Visitor Center, which can also offer insight on the many additional Western heritage experiences Fort Worth has to offer, including the nearby Stockyards Museum and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.

REPUBLIC OF THE RIO GRANDE MUSEUM

ARTWORK AT THE NATIONAL RANCHING HERITAGE CENTER

Courtesy Republic of the Rio Grande Museum

NATIONAL RANCHING HERITAGE CENTER Courtesy National Ranching Heritage Center

Courtesy National Ranching Heritage Center

Courtesy Visit Fort Worth

Fort Worth is also home to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, which celebrates the women like Annie Oakley and lesser-known influencers who helped shape the American West.

After the ample dose of Western history, guests may want to close out the day by shopping at one of the city’s famous Western apparel outfitters, like M.L. Leddy’s, in operation since 1922, or by kicking up their heels cowboy-style at Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk.

“Billy Bob’s Texas has over 127,000 square feet, with two dance floors and live bull riding on Friday and Saturday nights, plus free line-dancing lessons on Thursday nights,” said Sarah Covington, assistant director of public relations for Visit Fort Worth. “And, if you’re here on the weekend, you can attend the Stockyards Championship Rodeo in Fort Worth every Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. We’re the world’s only year-round rodeo.”

WWW.FORTWORTH.COM

REPUBLIC OF THE RÍO GRANDE MUSEUM

LAREDO

I

n the heart of Laredo’s downtown historic district, the Republic of the Río Grande Museum operates out of a historic home that served as both a residence and the capitol of the short-lived, independent nation known as the Republic of the Río Grande.

Formed in January 1840 and lasting until early November that same year, the Republic of the Río Grande included areas in what is now southern Texas and three northern states of Mexico.

“It lasted 283 days,” said museum assistant Andrea Ordoñez.

“It didn’t last very long, but we tried to be our own independent country for a little bit. The Republic of Texas was going on at the same time.

It was a little bit of a land dispute happening here. Texas claimed [the area].

Mexico claimed it. We claimed it.”

The museum is outfitted in period-authentic home furnishings and includes exhibits that shed light on Laredo’s leadership role in the brief independence movement. The museum, which was built in the 1830s and has an 1860s-era addition, was once home to a prominent rancher and mayor of Laredo.

“We have highlights on the history of Laredo and the Republic, and then two rooms in the back are set up as a historic home from the late 1800s to early 1900s,” Ordoñez said.

WWW.WEBBHERITAGE.ORG

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DIXIE DUDE RANCH

BANDERA

E

ven city slickers can get a taste of the Western way of life at Dixie Dude Ranch, in operation in the town of Bandera — which dubs itself the Texas Cowboy Capital of the World — since 1937.

Fourth-generation ranch owner Clay Conoly and his wife, Diane, run the working stock ranch, where guests enjoy daily horseback riding, three home-cooked meals daily and a chance to experience life on the range.

“I’m pretty much running the ranch much like my grandparents did — very simply but with great value to our guests,” Clay

Conoly said.

The ranch can accommodate up to 60 guests and has a two-night minimum stay. While there, visitors are treated to heaping servings of Texas cuisine — barbecue, fried chicken, chicken fried steak and the like, plus even a twice-weekly cowboy breakfast, “where guests actually ride horses up to the chuck wagon and we have breakfast there,” he said.

And while the ranch’s modest herd of longhorn cattle roam nearby, guests won’t be required to wrangle them. There is an opportunity to learn roping skills, albeit from the safety of the ground instead of on horseback.

“The thing we hear the most is how much our guests enjoy the relaxation they acquire while they’re here,” Conoly said. “The land here, that Texas Hill Country, is so pretty. And the scenery and the animals, plus our excellent ranch staff, work together to create a kind of magic for our guests.”

WWW.DIXIEDUDERANCH.COM

PREPARING THE COWBOY BREAKFAST AT DIXIE DUDE RANCH

Photos courtesy Dixie Dude Ranch HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO

HOUSTON

T

exas prides itself on doing things big, so it should be no surprise that the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo can be found right in the heart of Houston.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also known affectionately as Rodeo Houston, lasts for roughly 20 days each year, typically from late February to mid-March. This year’s schedule runs from February 25 through March 17 and includes nightly concerts by some of country music’s biggest stars, including Kasey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley, and the Zac Brown Band.

“Typically, we are the largest fair or festival in North America,” said Joel Cowley, the event’s president and CEO. “We average about 2.5 million visitors each year in general attendance, and about 1.3 million of those guests also will go into NRG Stadium to enjoy the rodeo and one of our star entertainers.”

The event includes daily livestock shows, plus a large outdoor carnival complete with midway rides and food stands. Each night, a championship rodeo event features some of the country’s most elite rodeo competitors.

WWW.RODEOHOUSTON.COM

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BOOTS OPTIONAL

THERE’S MORE TO TEXAS THAN TRAIL RIDES

GUESTS CAN STAND AMONG DINOSAUR SKELETONS AT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE. Courtesy Houston Museum of Natural Science

B Y RO B I N RO E N K E R THERE’S A MUSEUM IN TEXAS TO SUIT ANY FANCY. FROM FINE ART TO SPACE SCIENCE, FROM MILITARY AND PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY TO THE OLD WEST AND RANCHING HERITAGE, THE LONE STAR STATE’S MANY WORLD-CLASS MUSEUMS BOAST COLLECTIONS ABLE TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE VISITORS OF ANY AGE.

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HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE

HOUSTON

H

ome to the renowned Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is itself “a hidden gem of sorts, because we really do have a lot of items in our collections that are considered the best in the world,” said Latha Thomas, the museum’s vice president of marketing and communications. “The depth and variety of our mineral collection, and gem vault, in particular, offer a chance to see things you can’t see anywhere else.” That includes a 2,000-carat blue topaz crystal and a 600-piece collection of Fabergé creations, the largest private collection of Fabergé in the world.

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The museum also boasts an impressive dinosaur hall, which opened in 2012 and offers visitors a chance to “go on a prehistoric safari through periods of time,” Thomas said. Dinosaur bones are displayed in action: chasing, eating, or escaping in relationship to their nearby predators and prey. “You can stand right up next to our dinosaurs and get a real sense of how big they really were,” Thomas said.

Other permanent exhibits celebrate Texas wildlife, ancient Egypt, African wildlife, the art and culture of Native Americans and more. Guests to the museum will also want to make time to visit the living butterfly habitat at its Cockrell Butterfly Center, as well as the many special exhibitions that help each visit feel fresh.

WWW.HMNS.ORG

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR

FREDERICKSBURG

A

s the only museum in the continental United States dedicated solely to the history of World War II as it played out in the Pacific, the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg preserves the stories and sacrifices of the 8 million Americans who served in the war against Japan, including the 100,000 who lost their lives in the conflict.

But the museum doesn’t only describe the war from an American point of view. Its three exhibit halls — the Admiral Nimitz Gallery, the George H.W. Bush Gallery and the Pacific Combat Zone — include artifacts and details that help provide chronology and context for the events leading up to the war with Japan.

“We pride ourselves on telling the human story of the war in the Pacific and not just focusing on the American side,” said Brandon Vineyard, the museum’s director of marketing and public relations. “We actually go back about 100 years or so before the attack on Pearl Harbor and lay the groundwork [to explain] why Japan launched the attack.”

The museum has numerous rare, large-scale battle artifacts. Highlights include a Japanese Kawanishi N-1K “Rex” floatplane fighter that Vineyard called “the only one of its kind on display anywhere in the world” as well as a TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, the same type of plane that George H.W. Bush flew during WWII. There are also intimate, personal letters and mementos that shed light on the individual lives of soldiers caught up in the conflict.

WWW.PACIFICWARMUSUEM.ORG

AN INSTALLATION AT EL PASO MUSEUM OF ART

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Courtesy El Paso Museum of Art

A VETERAN VISITING THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR

By Dudley Harris, courtesy National Museum of the Pacific War A WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT

By Dudley Harris, courtesy National Museum of the Pacific War A HISTORIC PHOTO ON EXHIBIT AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR

By Donovan Murphy, courtesy National Museum of the Pacific War

GEORGE H.W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY CENTER

COLLEGE STATION

W

hen he died late last year, George H.W. Bush was laid to rest alongside his wife, Barbara, at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Center, located on the west campus of Texas A&M University in College Station. The center includes an expansive museum that highlights the 41st president’s life and decades of public service.

Exhibits span Bush’s career, from his time in World War II to his rise to political leadership and years as a congressman, diplomat, CIA chief, vice president and, finally, president. Must-see museum highlights include a World War II Avenger torpedo bomber like the one Bush piloted, a piece of the Berlin Wall and a precise replica of Bush’s Camp David Situation Room.

Other permanent exhibits include an in-depth look at symbols of the presidency, a look at Bush family traditions and a spotlight on the work of first lady Barbara Bush, who spearheaded efforts to promote literacy, AIDS awareness and prevention, and volunteerism during her time in the White House.

WWW.BUSH41.ORG

FEBRUARY 2019

EL PASO MUSEUM OF ART

BULLOCK MUSEUM OF TEXAS STATE HISTORY

EL PASO

AUSTIN

I

n the heart of El Paso’s downtown arts district and less than a mile from the bridge to Juárez, the El Paso Museum of Art greets more than 100,000 visitors each year. “We serve as a major cultural and educational resource for west Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico,” said Andrea Macias, a marketing and public relations assistant at the museum.

The museum features masterpieces spanning multiple centuries and continents. Guests can enjoy exhibitions of European art of the 13th-through-18th centuries; colonial paintings from the 1600s and 1700s in Mexico; and an impressive range of 19th-century, modern and contemporary American works.

The museum’s Contemporary Collection highlights living artists from Texas and the US/Mexico border region — as well as the broader Southwest — working in a wide variety of media, from sculpture and photography to video installations.

Roughly a dozen rotating exhibitions throughout the year showcase additional art. Special exhibitions scheduled this spring include “Julie Speed: East of the Sun and West of the Moon” through April 7 and “Power and Piety: Spanish Colonial Art” through May 5.

WWW.EPMA.ART

S

ince its opening in 2001, the Bullock Museum of Texas State History in Austin has welcomed roughly 9 million visitors, all of whom leave with a richer awareness of Texas’ dynamic past thanks to exhibits that span more than 4,000 years of history.

“One of the things that is most exciting about the Bullock Museum is that our exhibits are dynamic, meaning that we borrow every artifact that’s on the floor,” said Kate Betz, the museum’s deputy director. “Roughly 600 artifacts come and go every year in our core Texas history galleries. What that means is every time someone comes, they’re going to have a new experience here.”

The museum includes three floors of core galleries as well as two special exhibition galleries. Betz and her staff work diligently to ensure that guests of all interests can find something that resonates with them among the displays.

Upcoming exhibitions range from aerial photography around the Texas border to a showcase of the intersection between Western culture and science fiction called “Cowboys in Space.”

Though the displays are ever-changing, guests might expect to see items such as early Native American tools and textiles, Stephen F. Austin’s long-leaf pine desk, a rancher’s branding iron, an oil field tool known as a Christmas Tree and even a 1960s-era NASA mission-control console.

WWW.THESTORYOFTEXAS.COM

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sound-off

STAFF

PRESIDENTS DAY IS COMING IN FEBRUARY. WHICH PRESIDENT’S STORY DO YOU FIND MOST INSPIRING? Ronald Reagan is the first president I can remember from my childhood and the one I still find most inspiring because he brought a peaceful end to the Cold War. We lived in Germany for four years just prior to him becoming president and visited both East and West Berlin. The contrast between the two cities was striking. West Berlin was prosperous and lively. East Berlin had armed soldiers everywhere, was dark and crumbling and the people seemed depressed. Seeing Communism firsthand definitely shaped how I view the world today, and Reagan’s historic “tear down this wall” speech — and the wall finally coming down two years later — impacted me greatly as a child.

— Kelly Tyner, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING

I’d have to say George Washington for the fact that he was the first man to run this country. It takes a lot of guts to lead an entire group of people against an army. Then to win and be the first one elected president is something that will always be inspiring to me.

— Kyle Anderson, ACCOUNT MANAGER

Growing up from where I’m from, you don’t see many minority males in prominent positions. To be finishing college and to witness Barack Obama becoming the leader of the free world was such a huge deal for me and many minorities. It helped us to truly believe in our hearts that we could become anything. I saw grown adults in my community brought to tears because they never thought they’d see that day. That’s why he is the most inspiring to me.

— Daniel Jean-Louis ACCOUNT MANAGER

I’m fascinated by the men who were thrust into the presidency by forces beyond their control. Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford never expected to be presidents — Coolidge was sworn in by his father, a justice of the peace, in the middle of the night after the sudden death of Warren G. Harding. But when national events thrust the duty upon them, they all rose to calling, steering the country through incredibly difficult situations. Though they haven’t all gone down in history as great presidents, I’ll always admire their willingness to step up to the challenges of a job they never sought.

— Brian Jewell, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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I love Theodore Roosevelt’s story. He overcame poor health and grief to become a great president who listened to the people and worked to better our country trough policies that helped the U.S. population rather than the political factions and monopolies that were rampant at the time. He was also role model to another great president, his nephew by marriage and distant cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

— Ashley Ricks, CIRCULATION MANAGER

I’ll take Harry Truman. I’ve been to his boyhood home in tiny Lamar, Missouri, and I’m more impressed by those who start with very little than by those born into wealth. He became president upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and served our country during the immediate aftermath of World War II. Harry Truman understood that alliances were important to America and the countries of Western Europe following that war.

He understood the lives that America and Europe sacrificed during those years to preserve democracy. He worked to establish NATO, an alliance that has stood the test of time for 70 years.

He had his faults, I’m sure, but I’m not interested in debating them.

— Mac Lacy, PUBLISHER

FEBRUARY 2019

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f o s t h g i l h g i h e h t f o e m o r f On n a i r B . . . e f e i l e s s e y n m Ten

“... The Billy Graham Library was very inspirational and encouraging. It was on my bucket list.”

Visit Charlotte, N.C., and walk in the shoes of a farm boy who became pastor to presidents and shared God’s love with millions. Discover what God can do through any life that is fully surrendered to Him as you explore state-of-the-art exhibits and spend time reflecting in the Memorial Prayer Garden. Admission is free, and the experience is unforgettable. Come — just as you are.

“Come and see what God has done.” —Psalm 66:5, ESV

A ministry of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

©2017 BGEA

Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:00 • BillyGrahamLibrary.org • 704-401-3200 Reservations required for groups of 10 or more; email LibraryTours@bgea.org or call 704-401-3270. • 4330 Westmont Drive • Charlotte, North Carolina