MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Cultural Travel

Active England Introduces ‘Readaway’ Literary Tour Celebrating 100th Anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh

May 29, 2026 MoralCompass

To mark the 100^th anniversary of the publication of “Winnie the Pooh,” Active England has introduced *A Rather Important Journey: Winnie-the-Pooh’s Centenary* — a six-day guided “readaway” retreat. (photo: Active England)

What if the most meaningful trip you take this year asks you to slow down, read and walk through the woods that inspired one of the most beloved stories ever written?

Travel in 2026 has a new defining word: “readaway.” With 91% of travelers expressing a desire for slower, more intentional trips this year, a new category of literary travel has become one of the year’s most compelling emerging trends — journeys built around books, reflection and the landscapes that gave great stories their soul. This year, the trend has its perfect emblem: the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh, first published in 1926.

Ashdown Forest, the East Sussex heathland just 30 miles from London that became the real-life Hundred Acre Wood, is marking the centenary this summer with a full program of free cultural events, including interactive performances, new themed walking trails and community celebrations across the county, all under the banner of The Big One Hundred (thebigonehundred.co.uk).

To mark the anniversary, Active England, a U.K.-based soft adventure luxury tour operator, has launched A Rather Important Journey: Winnie-the-Pooh’s Centenary — a six-day guided read retreatthat blends quiet, literary exploration with a walking-led tour through the real-life setting of the story’s Hundred Acre Wood, Ashdown Forest.

Beginning in London and continuing into the Sussex countryside, the experience is designed as a true “readaway,” complete with a gifted collection of the original stories to accompany you throughout the journey. From playing Poohsticks at Poohsticks Bridge, to visiting Pooh Corner and Nymans, to themed picnics and independent readings along the route — taking in Piglet’s door, the Gloomy Place, the Heffalump Trap and the Milne and Shepard Memorial — the journey brings the magic of Winnie-the-Pooh into the real world.

Highlights of the six-day journey include:

Walking through Ashdown Forest, the setting behind Milne’s stories
Playing Poohsticks at the original Poohsticks Bridge
Guided outdoor readings with a gifted collection of the original Winnie-the-Pooh books
Visits to Pooh Corner and special centenary exhibitions across Sussex
Exploring the lives of A.A. Milne and Christopher Robin through literary and historical landmarks

Active England Tours, UK +44 (0) 333 090 3116, hello@activeenglandtours.com, activeenglandtours.com

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Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, heritage travel, Historic Places, Senior Travel

Road Scholar Launches New Civil Rights Programs in New Orleans and Mississippi & Tennessee

May 27, 2026 MoralCompass

*A slave cabin on President Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage plantation in Nashville © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Road Scholar, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel for adults 50+, is unveiling two new civil rights programs in New Orleans and Mississippi & Tennessee.

Road Scholar’s inaugural Civil Rights Movement program in Alabama and Georgia has consistently been one of their most popular and impactful programs since its release in 2017. Nearly 550 travelers attended the program last year, and it frequently elicits reviews that include the word “life-changing.”

“I cannot overstate the richness of this experience,” said 2024 participant Analee from South Deerfield, Mass. “The people we met, the experts who taught us, the museums and sites we visited— they all were life-changing (no hyperbole!). History became real, and I am dedicated to learning more and living my life anew with the lessons learned.”

The nonprofit organization hopes these new programs in New Orleans, Jackson, Memphis, and Nashville will help broaden their educational programming on the civil rights history in the U.S., leaving as much of a meaningful mark on participants as the program in Georgia and Alabama.

“This program was created to connect people with the living history of the Civil Rights Movement across Jackson, Memphis, and Nashville— places where ordinary individuals made extraordinary choices that helped shape our nation,” said Bobbie Duncan from the Center for Educational Adventure, which partners with Road Scholar to organize and operate the program. “By exploring these communities and hearing the stories rooted there, we hope participants leave with a deeper appreciation of the movement’s complexity, the courage it required, and a renewed sense of how its lessons about justice, dignity, and collective action still matter today.”

New Orleans is already one of Road Scholar’s most popular destinations, with participants visiting the Crescent City on any of 10 different programs. The new civil rights program takes an even deeper look at the city’s story beyond what most travelers see.

“A civil rights and jazz program in New Orleans offers a powerful new way to experience the city by connecting two of its most influential legacies,” said Lindsey Temple, Program Operations Director at Road Scolar. “From the fight for equality to the birth of America’s most iconic musical tradition, these stories bring New Orleans to life in a meaningful and immersive way. This focused program allows travelers to engage with the people, places, and history that shaped the city’s cultural identity, offering an experience that is both educational and unforgettable.”

Road Scholar’s first departures are scheduled in May 2027 in honor of the 10th anniversary of their inaugural Civil Rights Movement program “The Civil Rights Movement: Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham.” Both programs are currently open for enrollment, as well as future dates of the original program in Alabama and Georgia.

See the itineraries:

And get a taste of Road Scholar’s Black History educational content on the upcoming Online Lecture for Juneteenth.

Road Scholar is the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults. Founded as Elderhostel in 1975, Road Scholar has served more than 6.5 million lifelong learners over the past 50 years. With educational adventures hosted by expert faculty in nearly 100 countries and throughout the United States, Road Scholar truly is a university of the world. Learn more at www.roadscholar.org.

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Cultural Travel, Museums & Exhibits, New York City travel

The New York Historical to Present ‘Old Masters, New Amsterdam’ Featuring Works by Rembrandt and His Contemporaries

March 23, 2026 MoralCompass

*Jan Steen (1626-1679), Peasants Merrymaking Outside an Inn (previously Fair at Warmond), ca. 1676. Oil on canvas. The Leiden Collection, JS-108. Courtesy of The Leiden Collection, New York*

New York, NY –This spring, The New York Historical provides visitors with an extraordinary glimpse into life in New Amsterdam through portraits, genre scenes, and still life paintings created by renowned 17th-century Dutch masters, among them, Rembrandt van Rijn. The exhibition, Old Masters, New Amsterdam , is on view May 1 to August 30, 2026.

In this first-of-its-kind exhibition, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the founding of New Amsterdam, paintings by Rembrandt and his contemporaries help imagine the world of the Dutch settlement that would eventually become New York, depicting people at home, at the marketplace, at prayer, at play, and in taverns.

Featuring objects from The New York Historical’s collection and more than 60 Dutch 17th-century paintings, including works from the Leiden Collection—among the largest and finest collections of 17th-century Dutch art in private hands—the exhibition also includes works from a variety of institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, National Gallery of Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the New York State Archives, and Trinity Church, as well as private collectors.

“As we continue our commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase works of art by Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, and Jan Steen, many of which have never before shown in New York,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of The New York Historical. “Old Masters, New Amsterdam is a fascinating view into daily life in New Amsterdam—a diverse settlement and a place of commerce, creativity, and conflict, which laid the foundations of the city and nation we know today.”

“Four centuries ago, the Dutch founded an outpost at the tip of Manhattan Island—a humble but vibrant settlement that would give rise to New York,” said Russell Shorto, the exhibition’s co-curator, director of the New Amsterdam Project at The New York Historical. “Across the ocean, meanwhile, Rembrandt and his peers were transforming art, revealing the beauty and drama of everyday life. These Dutch artists never set foot in New Amsterdam, but their portraits, character studies, and depictions of daily life in the Netherlands provide real insight into the world of Manhattan’s 17th-century settlers.”

“The Dutch greatly enjoyed family festivities that included music, dancing, food, and drink,” said Arthur Wheelock, co-curator of the exhibition, and senior advisor to the Leiden Collection. “Jan Steen’s joyous Peasants Merrymaking Outside an Inn, for example, wonderfully captures the vibrancy and wide range of human interactions that could be found at a country fair, whether in the Netherlands or in New Amsterdam.”

In the 1600s, the tiny Dutch Republic became a global power, outpacing larger nations through bold innovations in trade and finance. By entrusting overseas ventures to private companies, the Dutch extended their reach across the oceans, bringing home spices, textiles, and extraordinary wealth.

From 1626 to 1664, New Amsterdam was the capital of New Netherland, a colony established by the Dutch West India Company that stretched across parts of five future states. The Dutch policy of religious toleration spawned an unusually pluralistic society, in which at least 18 languages were spoken. The city’s position and its diverse inhabitants made it a hub of global trade in the Atlantic network.

Some of the finest Dutch artists of the 17th century, among them Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Lievens, Gabriel Metsu, Frans Hals, and Jan Steen, painted portraits and character studies. Though portraying scenes in the Netherlands, these works of art offer hints of what life was like in New Amsterdam for government officials, fur traders, preachers, doctors, and women at home and in the markets. One of the most memorable portraits on view is Rembrandt’s engaging Self-Portrait from 1634, which the young master painted just as he was becoming Amsterdam’s most celebrated artist. Rembrandt’s large portrayal of a dignified Amsterdam merchant, painted much later in his career, projects the gravity of a wealthy gentleman who has assumed social and political responsibilities in his life.

Homes in New Amsterdam echoed those of the old country, though they were generally more modest. Paintings of Dutch interiors on view offer glimpses into the rhythms of domestic life on Manhattan Island. As evident in Gerrit Dou’s Herring Seller and Boy, shopkeeping was a common way for a woman to make a living at home during the era. Paintings of Dutch women reading also echo the habits in New Amsterdam, where people devoured books and pamphlets. Each arriving ship brought letters with news from the home country. Gabriel Metsu’s Smoker Seated at a Table, and Caspar Netscher’s Two Women in an Interior with a Basket of Lemons, also provide tangible examples of how integral the transatlantic trade had become during this period, and how it brought luxury products within reach of ordinary citizens.

The exhibition includes market scenes as well as still-life paintings by Pieter Claesz and Frans Snyders that depict the types of foods that could be savored in New Amsterdam. Tavern life, where the Dutch enjoyed gathering for drink and song, is also seen in several works. Music was a constant feature in Dutch life, whether in the quietude of one’s home, on street corners, or at county fairs, as in Jan Steen’s large Peasants Merrymaking outside an Inn.

The story of New Amsterdam is also one of exploitation. Indigenous people were displaced, and the first enslaved Africans arrived only a year after the city’s founding. On display from The New York Historical’s collections are maps, portraits, and a deed from 1651 granting property north of New Amsterdam to Manuel de Spangie, a formerly enslaved African who had won his freedom a few years earlier. Works by the Bohemian artist Wenceslaus Hollar showcase rare likenesses of people whose societies were reshaped by colonialism, including Native Americans. The figures shown in Head of a Young Black Boy (1635) and Head of a Black Woman with a Lace Kerchief Hat (1645) may have been household servants in Amsterdam or Antwerp. While slavery was technically illegal in Amsterdam, the line between “servant” and “slave” was a blurry one.

Also on view are two foundational documents in the early struggle for religious freedom in America: the Flushing Remonstrance and the journal of Quaker leader John Bowne.

The exhibition ends with several paintings providing a glimpse into 1776 and beyond. The individuality fostered in the Dutch era evolved into a New York hallmark: a brash, confident, entrepreneurial energy. On the eve of the American Revolution, the city’s diversity made it a cauldron of debate and unrest. Built on Dutch foundations and shaped by waves of newcomers, New York reflected the American experiment and propelled it forward. From The New York Historical’s collection, Francis Guy’s 1797 painting Tontine Coffee House, New York City, where commercial activity seemingly bursts across the canvas, shows the expansive growth of the city in the century after the Dutch founded New Amsterdam.

Accompanying the exhibition is a digital 3D reimagining of the 1660 Castello Plan. Created in partnership with the New Amsterdam History Center, this interactive map lets visitors step directly into 17th-century New Amsterdam—exploring the interior of a home and visiting the original City Hall, the Indian Trading House, and a house where enslaved Africans lived. The map also traces the Lenape trail that would later become Broadway, revealing the living city beneath today’s street.

The exhibition is co-curated by Russell Shorto, director of the New Amsterdam Project at The New York Historical, and Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., senior advisor to the Leiden Collection.

Programming
On May 4, the exhibition’s co-curator Russell Shorto and the Leiden Collection’s Elizabeth Nogrady lead a special tour of Old Masters, New Amsterdam, offering an Old Master’s view of New Amsterdam. On May 20, author Alan Mikhail joins Russell Shorto to explore the exceptional story of one of New York’s most unorthodox founding families, a poor immigrant couple named Anthony and Grietje, who arrived in Dutch New Amsterdam in the 1630s in search of a better life and ended up changing the course of New York’s history.

For families, there will be story time themed to the exhibition. Visit the family calendar for details. Private group tours can also be arranged throughout the exhibition.

New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution covering over 400 years of American history. A museum of museums and a collection of collections, The New York Historical is home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ+ Museum.

The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. Connect at nyhistory.org and @nyhistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Tumblr.

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America's 250th, cruises, Cultural Travel, festivals & events, Historic Places, small ship cruising

Historic Voyages of Maine Windjammers Set for America’s 250th

March 18, 2026 MoralCompass

A raft-up of the historic Maine Windjammers. Two of the ships, the Angelique and the American Eagle, will being making a historic voyage to participate in America 250^th events in New York City and Boston © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

This year’s schedules of the member historic sailing vessels of the Maine Windjammer Association include two historic voyages on two of the windjammers to New York City and Boston to participate in celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.

Among the international fleet of tall ships gathering for NYC’s Sail4th 250 and Boston’s SailBoston 2026 festivities will be two members of the Maine Windjammer Association fleet: Windjammer ANGELIQUE and the Schooner AMERICAN EAGLE. Both plan to participate in the Parades of Sail with tall ships from around the globe.

*The American Eagle at sunrise, anchored in Rockland harbor, Maine events © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

ANGELIQUE and AMERICAN EAGLE are each offering two trips in conjunction with the event, one 10 or 11-day trip down culminating in NYC’s festivities and one 9 or 10-day trip back that includes SailBoston 2026 and ends in Maine. Guests aboard these special voyages will sail the East Coast the traditional way, anchoring in snug harbors along the way as the vessels make their way between Maine, New York, and Boston.

*The Angelique will be offering a voyage in conjunction with America 250^th events © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

It’s rare for the Windjammers to leave New England waters. Neither has been to NYC since the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Nearly 40 years later, they’ll once again join a fleet of tall ships from around the world to celebrate this important milestone in the nation’s history. We’re delighted to have them there representing Maine’s sailing heritage on a national stage.

The Class B Parade of Sail in NYC is scheduled for July 3rd.

The Meet Boston Parade of Sail is scheduled for July 11th.

All member vessels are individually-owned and -operated. Cruises can be booked directly with the Windjammer via their website or by giving them a call.

Windjammer ANGELIQUE

Schooner AMERICAN EAGLE

Schooner GRACE BAILEY

Schooner HERITAGE

Schooner J. & E. RIGGIN

Schooner LADONA

Schooner LEWIS R. FRENCH

Schooner MARY DAY

Schooner STEPHEN TABER

Request a packet of brochures (https://www.mainewindjammerfleet.com/brochure-request/) that includes the sailing schedules of all nine vessels of the Maine Windjammer Association; meet the fleet, https://www.mainewindjammerfleet.com/fleet/.

Maine Windjammer Association, P.O. Box 1083, Rockland, Maine 04841, 1-800-807-9463, info@mainewindjammerfleet.com. Mainewindjammerfleet.com.

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Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, heritage travel, Historic Places, Museums & Exhibits

Anne Frank The Exhibition Makes Midwest Debut at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, May 1

March 5, 2026 MoralCompass

Standing in Anne Frank’s tiny room in The Annex where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years, personalizes the Holocaust. This immersion into a full-scale re-creation of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is part of a landmark “Anne Frank The Exhibition,” opening at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, on May 1, 2026 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

Chicago — Griffin Museum of Science and Industry will be the Midwest host of Anne Frank The Exhibition. A presentation of the Anne Frank House, the exhibition features a pioneering experience outside of Amsterdam to immerse visitors in a full-scale, fully furnished recreation of the Annex rooms where Anne Frank, her parents and sister and four other Jewish refugees spent two years hiding to evade Nazi capture. Anne Frank The Exhibition opens May 1, 2026.

“Anne Frank’s story is a powerful reminder of what happens when fear and hatred are allowed to take root,” said Dr. Chevy Humphrey, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry President and CEO. “At the same time, it reveals the quiet but enduring strength of curiosity, creativity and resilience, values that sit at the heart of our mission. We hope this exhibition offers meaningful moments of reflection for our guests, particularly young people, and encourages them to think critically about their role in the world they are inheriting.”

“Anne Frank The Exhibition is a call to conscience, said Ronald Leopold, Executive Director of the Anne Frank House. “By stepping into the world that confined Anne and her family, visitors are invited to confront the enduring realities of antisemitism, racism and hatred — and to recognize that remembrance is not passive, but a moral act that demands empathy, vigilance and courage. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, founded through Julius Rosenwald’s conviction that knowledge must belong to everyone, embodies this same spirit of moral responsibility. Just as Rosenwald believed education is humanity’s greatest equalizer, this exhibition transforms history into living dialogue, ensuring that learning, understanding and compassion are never the privilege of a few, but the right of all.”

The exhibition follows an inaugural run in New York City at the Center for Jewish History, attended by 300,000, with several extensions due to popularity and dates that sold out.

Anne Frank The Exhibition immerses visitors in the context that shaped Anne’s life, from her early years in Frankfurt through the rise of the Nazi regime. It traces her family’s phased move to Amsterdam in the early 1930s, where Anne lived for ten years until her arrest in 1944. Visitors also follow her deportation to Westerbork, a large transit camp in the Netherlands, then to Auschwitz-Birkenau, a concentration camp and killing center in Nazi-occupied Poland, and eventually to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany, where she died at the age of 15.

In addition to the recreated Annex, Anne Frank The Exhibition provides an opportunity to learn about Anne Frank not as a victim but through the multifaceted lens of her life — as a girl, a writer and a symbol of resilience and strength. This is a story inspired by one of the most translated books in the world.

The Chicago exhibition includes more than 130 original artifacts from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam — many have never been seen before in public. Some of those artifacts include letters from Anne Frank, Margot Frank, Otto Frank and Fritz Pfeffer; a “List of Returned Jews Arriving at Amsterdam Central Station” in 1945; Anne Frank’s first photo album (1929-1942); handwritten verses by Anne Frank and Margot Frank in their friends’ poetry albums; and a German fairytale book that belonged to Margot Frank and Anne Frank (1925).

Celebrated for its unprecedented intimacy and depth, Anne Frank The Exhibition originally premiered in New York City on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Griffin MSI will offer this exhibition for free to all field trip groups, alongside the Museum’s ongoing policy of free General Admission to Illinois field trip groups, to make this important educational experience available to more people. All children in these groups also will receive a journal to write in to reflect on Anne’s words and consider the power of their own.

The exhibition is supported by age-appropriate educational resources and an antisemitism curriculum developed by the Anne Frank House and the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina. These materials help students understand the history and ongoing reality of antisemitism and hatred while fostering critical thinking, empathy and civic responsibility through meaningful classroom conversations. Educators can access the curriculum — aligned with standards adopted by 39 states — through the exhibition website.

The exhibition is designed for children (ages 10 and older) and adults. All tickets include the exhibition audio guide in English and Spanish.

Leading the creative vision for the expanded exhibition in Chicago is Tom Brink, Head of Collections & Presentations at the Anne Frank House and curator of Anne Frank The Exhibition. Michael S. Glickman, CEO of jMUSE, advised the Anne Frank House, with exhibition design by Eric Goossens Ontwerpt. Dr. Doyle Stevick, Executive Director of The Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina — the Anne Frank House’s official U.S. partner — is the educational advisor.

The exhibition is presented at Griffin MSI with support from Lead Benefactor Tony and Laura Davis, Presenting Benefactor Crown Family Philanthropies, Premier Sponsors Zell Family, Patron Sponsors Cari and Michael J. Sacks and GCM Grosvenor, the Estate of Judith Marx Golub, Jewish United Fund, Michael and Tanya Polsky and John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation, with supporting gifts from Neil Book, Chicago Bulls Charities and Rich and Vanessa Copans.

The exhibition was originally developed — and will travel nationally — through the leadership and support of Leon Levy Foundation, David Berg Foundation, Bank of America, Rebecca and Jared Cohen, Gray Foundation, Stacey and Eric Mindich, The Fuhrman Family Foundation, The Koum Family Foundation, Merryl and James Tisch and UJA-Federation of New York. Major support for the exhibition was also provided by Debbie and Mark Attanasio, Tanya and Ryan Baker, Einstein Astrof Foundation, Jesselson Foundation, Pershing Square Philanthropies, Sara Naison-Tarajano, The Barbra Streisand Foundation, The Krupp Foundation and Anonymous. Pro bono legal services provided by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

The Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House was established in 1957 in cooperation with Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, as an independent nonprofit organization entrusted with the preservation of the Annex where Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in 1942 during the Second World War. For nearly seven decades, the Anne Frank House has served as a place of memory and a place of learning. Committed to bringing Anne’s life story to world audiences, the Anne Frank House has emerged as a primary resource for teaching and learning about the Holocaust. Through Anne’s legacy the Anne Frank House empowers people of all ages — and especially young people — to reflect on the dangers of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination and the importance of freedom, equal rights, and democracy.

The Annex

In July 1942, Anne Frank (13), her parents, Otto and Edith Frank, and her sister, Margo Frank (16), went into hiding in the Annex at the back of her father’s company. The Van Pels family (Hermann, Auguste, and their 15-year-old son, Peter) followed the next week. Four months later, they were joined by Fritz Pfeffer. All of them were Jews daring to escape certain death at the hands of the Nazis amid the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Unable to go to school, largely cut off from the rest of the world, and trapped in close quarters with others while a war raged outside, Anne poured herself into her diary. The people in hiding in the Annex were discovered and arrested in 1944, and subsequently sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. Anne and her sister Margot were then sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where they both died of typhus in February 1945. Anne was 15. Margot was 18 or 19. Otto Frank was the only person from the Annex to survive the Holocaust.

The Diary

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, more commonly known as The Diary of Anne Frank, is one of the most translated books in the world. Transformed multiple times for stage and screen, the published book’s source is the personal diary that Anne Frank kept in multiple notebooks during the two-year period of hiding with her family in rooms located in the back house of her father’s company in Amsterdam. Soon after Anne and the others were arrested in 1944, Miep Gies, one of the people who risked their lives to help them in hiding, returned to the Annex and found their belongings ransacked. Miep was relieved to find Anne’s diary pages, knowing how important her writings were to her, and saved them for her return. Otto was the only person from the Annex to survive the Holocaust. When Miep first gave him his daughter’s diary, he could not bring himself to read it. Soon, he did and he could not stop, sharing it with relatives and friends who encouraged him to publish what they considered “an important human document.” Upon its publication, Otto Frank wrote: “How proud Anne would have been if she had lived to see this. After all, on 29 March 1944, she wrote: ‘Imagine how interesting it would be if I published a novel about the Secret Annex.'”

Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Griffin MSI) offers world-class and uniquely interactive experiences that support the Museum’s mission: to inspire the inventive genius in everyone. For more information, visit griffinmsi.org or call 773-684-1414.

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Asia/Pacific travel, Benefits of Travel & Tourism, Cultural Travel, ecotourism, experiential travel, Homestays, Importance of Tourism, Indigenous Tourism, Nature & Wildlife

Community Homestay Network’s New Wildlife Experiences in Western Nepal Empower Indigenous People

October 23, 2025 MoralCompass

Western Nepal is an emerging destination when it comes to wildlife spotting, and Community Homestay Network, the pioneer of community-led tourism in Nepal, is announcing a new tour taking travelers to this lesser-visited part of the country, simultaneously helping to distribute wealth via tourism, to empower women and youth, and safeguard Indigenous traditions and cultures.

The communities of Bhada and Bardiya in western Nepal are home to the Indigenous Tharu people. This new, multi-day itinerary – Live the Tharu Way: Journey through Culture, Wildlife and Rural Life – is available to book now, and as well as wildlife spotting in remote areas, travelers will be hosted by local families at homestays as they are introduced to their way of rural life.

Shiva Dhakal, the founder of Community Homestay Network, which was this year named one of TIME’s ‘World’s Greatest Places of 2025’ – says community tourism is a powerful force that goes well beyond travel.

“This new itinerary epitomizes what Community Homestay Network stands for. At a time where overtourism is a real concern, there are places that can benefit greatly from having a well-managed number of travelers visit. Our homestays and other experiences offer visitors a two-way exchange, building meaningful connections between travelers and local people.

“Both Bhada and Bardiya in western Nepal see very few tourists, making them an exciting alternative for wildlife-spotting to more well-known Chitwan, with Bardiya very much still opening up to tourism.

“As well as having a special wildlife and cultural experience, this itinerary will help to preserve the traditions that are so unique to the Tharu people. Community tourism empowers women and youth in terms of employment, brings money into the local community’s economy, and helps mitigate urban migration as more jobs are created,” says Dhakal.

Highlights of the new Live the Tharu Way: Journey through Culture, Wildlife and Rural Life trip include:

Spending time with the Indigenous Tharu people. The Tharu originated in India centuries ago, and now have traditions, language and cuisine that resemble both hill Nepali and North Indian cultures.
Experiencing local community life, cooking classes and culture at the Bhada Community Homestay and Bardiya Community Homestay in western Nepal.
Going wildlife spotting on a Jeep safari in Bardiya National Park, searching for elephants, rhinoceros and the elusive Bengal tiger.

Locally owned and operated, Community Homestay Network was developed to bring tourism to Nepal responsibly and sustainably, and to encourage entrepreneurship in local communities significantly benefitting women, youths, and marginalized communities while safeguarding local culture and tradition. With a strong focus on co-creation, Community Homestay Network (CHN) collaborates with 50 communities across Nepal, actively engaging local residents to assist in developing and managing their tourism services. Locally owned and operated, the award-winning Community Homestay Network currently has 50 different experiences available for travelers to book, made up of 40 community homestays and 10 experiences focussed on spending time with local artisans. This year, Community Homestay Network was named as one of TIME’s ‘World’s Greatest Places of 2025’.

For more information, visit: https://communityhomestay.com.

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Cultural Travel, heritage travel, Historic Places, Museums & Exhibits, New York City travel, Uncategorized

The Gay Harlem Renaissance: The New York Historical Explores Black LGBTQ+ Life in the Early 20th Century

October 20, 2025 MoralCompass

The New York Historical’s new exhibit, The Gay Harlem Renaissance, examines the Black LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and performers central to the Harlem Renaissance and everyday Black gay life in the early 20th century. It is on view through March 8, 2026 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

New York, NY—The New York Historical’s new exhibit, The Gay Harlem Renaissance, examines the Black LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and performers central to the Harlem Renaissance and everyday Black gay life in the early 20th century. Marking the centennial of The New Negro—the landmark 1925 anthology edited by Alain Locke—the exhibition traces the queer creativity, friendship circles, and mentorships that flourished in Harlem’s salons, social clubs, and thriving nightlife and that helped power the Harlem Renaissance.

This may well be the first exhibition to explore the Harlem Renaissance through a LGBTQ+ lens. “The Gay Harlem Renaissance” is on view through March 8, 2026.

As Harlem grew into the nation’s largest Black metropolis after the First World War, Black Southern and Caribbean migrants, activists, and creatives transformed the neighborhood into a nexus of political activism, creative expression, and community life. Many of Harlem’s most celebrated poets, novelists, and artists were gay or bisexual (some discreetly and others openly); and many of the preeminent blues singers performing in nightclubs and basement speakeasies were lesbian, bisexual, or transmasculine.

Gladys Bentley is featured in New York Historical’s “Gay Harlem Renaissance” (unidentified photographer, 1946-1949. Gelatin silver print. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture)

Whether on Harlem’s biggest stages or in its nightclubs or hidden speakeasies, LGBTQ+ performers took center stage. Together they helped shape the cultural innovation that defined the era. Amid this cultural convergence, queer and straight artists formed close-knit circles—living together, mentoring one another, and exchanging ideas that shaped the future of Black art and culture. Their creative tensions—whether over how openly to depict same-sex desire or the so-called “unrespectable” venues of Harlem’s nightlife—helped shape the bold, expansive spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.

“The Gay Harlem Renaissance provides a sweeping portrait of Harlem after the First World War, when a remarkable generation of Black artists, thinkers, and performers—many of them members of the LGBTQ+ community—shaped a new cultural vanguard,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of The New York Historical. “We hope that this show will invite visitors to consider how intimate friendships, chosen families, and radical ideas about identity helped define the Harlem Renaissance and continue to resonate today.”

As Harlem grew into the nation’s largest Black metropolis after the First World War, Black Southern and Caribbean migrants, activists, and creatives transformed the neighborhood into a nexus of political activism, creative expression, and community life © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

“The Gay Harlem Renaissance shows that Black LGBTQ+ life was far more visible, accepted, and integrated into the daily life of 1920s Harlem than most people imagine,” said George Chauncey, the exhibition’s chief historian, a Columbia history professor who is the author of Gay New York, 1890-1940. “The exhibition takes visitors to the basement speakeasies, rent parties, and drag balls where ordinary queer and straight people built lives together, as well as to the salons of the cultural elite.”

Featuring more than 200 objects, The Gay Harlem Renaissance unites painting, sculpture, artifacts, documents, photographs, books, and music from collections across the country and celebrates the creativity, innovation, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ Harlemites.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

Employment of the Negro in Agriculture, a 1934 painting by Earle Richardson, on loan from Howard University, honors the resilience of African American agricultural laborers within the oppression of the Jim Crow system.
Color, the 1925 first edition of Countee Cullen’s first book of poetry, published when he was 22. Countee Cullen found a champion and mentor in Alain Locke, who included his poetry in The New Negro and helped Cullen accept his sexuality.
Gelatin silver print of Gladys Bentley, circa 1927-45. Taunted as a child for her unfeminine demeanor, the transmasculine performer Gladys Bentley became a star in Harlem, singing and playing piano all night at rent parties and popular nightclubs. Her signature white tuxedo and top hat have become icons of queer self-expression on and off the stage.
Rent party tickets. Throwing apartment parties with a small cover charge in exchange for entertainment and lively company helped working-class residents pay the rent. The fact that LGBTQ+ Harlemites could dance and flirt with people of the same sex at such parties was a powerful sign of their acceptance among Harlem’s working-class residents.
Meditation and Music, a 1925 watercolor by Aaron Douglas. Influenced by the work of Alain Locke, Douglas moved to Harlem, where he illustrated some of the most famous books and magazines of the Harlem Renaissance. While Douglas was not gay, he was close to many Black queer artists and moved in their social circles.
Sculptures by Richmond Barthé, whose artworks chart his movement through interracial and transatlantic gay social circles. His subjects included the popular singer and nightclub owner Jimmie Daniels and the queer Senegalese dancer François “Féral” Benga, whom he met in Paris.
1939 issue of The Crisis magazine. Black publications experienced tremendous growth in readership, circulation, and influence during the interwar years. The Black press provided coverage of the vibrant political, cultural, and social life in Harlem and beyond.
Photographs by Morgan Smith and Marvin Smith created an extraordinary documentary record of the Harlem community from the 1930s to 1950s. Their work captured Black joy and struggle alike. They came to know most of the pioneering figures of the Harlem Renaissance as well as rising talent.
Recordings of blues songs with queer themes by singers such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Ethel Waters, as well as specially created audio recordings of poetry by Langston Hughes and other poets, as well as a passage from Nella Larsen’s novel, Passing.
Recreation of the prize-winning gown worn by Bonnie Clark at the 1932 Hamilton Lodge Ball, the largest drag ball on the East Coast, which was held every February in Harlem’s Rockland Palace.
Harlem Diner, a 1938 painting by Jacob Lawrence, depicting five Black figures with downturned expressions gathered in a Harlem diner, facing the struggles of daily life. During the Great Depression, Harlemites faced mass unemployment, overcrowding, and persistent racial discrimination.

Ethel Waters is featured in *The New York Historical’s new exhibit, The Gay Harlem Renaissance © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The exhibition is curated by lead curator Allison Robinson, associate curator of history exhibitions; with Anne Lessy, assistant curator of history exhibitions and academic engagement; with Rebecca Klassen, curator of material culture and decorative arts, contributing; and with George Chauncey, author of Gay New York and DeWitt Clinton Professor of American History at Columbia University, as chief historian.

Programming: A family guide for young visitors to the exhibition will be available. Living History programs focused on Gladys Bentley will also take place at a future date. Visit the family calendar for details. Private group tours can also be arranged throughout the exhibition.

Lead support for The Gay Harlem Renaissance is provided by the Mellon Foundation. Important support is provided by Pamela and David Hornik. Exhibitions at The New York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.

New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution covering over 400 years of American history. Offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; peerless collections of art, documents, and artifacts; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections and home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ+ Museum. “We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.”

The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West (77^th Street), New York, NY 10024, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org.

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Culinary Travel, Cultural Travel, international travel, Latin America

Culinary Backstreets Launches New Immersive Food Tours in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro

October 7, 2025 MoralCompass

Afro-Brazilian chef serves up inventive versions of classic dishes from his home state, Bahia, in Brazil (photo: Culinary Backstreets)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Culinary Backstreets, a global leader in narrative-driven food tours, has expanded its footprint in South America with two new full-day experiences. Backstreet Bites of Buenos Aires: Cafés, Parrillas and Beyond launched on September 10, 2025, while Discovering the Culinary Soul of Old Rio debuted in May. These immersive walks offer travelers a deeper understanding of each city’s culinary identity—one shaped by migration, improvisation, and the unsung heroes of the kitchen.

In Buenos Aires, the Backstreet Bites of Buenos Aires: Cafes, Parrillas and Beyond traces the city’s layered food story across historic cafés, bodegones, bakeries, and parrillas. Guests sample flaky medialunas, empanadas, and towering platters of grilled meat, while exploring how immigrant flavors—from Italy, Spain, Syria, and beyond—have converged into a distinctly Argentine table. Stops include a century-old spice shop, a classic pizzeria serving fugazzetta, and a hidden cellar beneath a flower shop where the menu nods to the city’s port-city past. The day ends with helado swirled in dulce de leche—Argentina’s most beloved flavor.

The Buenos Aires tour is offered Monday through Saturday for small groups of 2 to 7 guests. It spans approximately four miles of mostly flat terrain with well-maintained sidewalks. The cuisine leans heavily toward meat, with limited substitutions available for vegetarians and pescatarians. Vegan and gluten-free diets cannot be accommodated. Alcohol is served at select stops. The experience lasts a full day and is priced at $135 USD per person.

In Rio de Janeiro, Culinary Backstreets introduces Discovering the Culinary Soul of Old Rio, a walking tour that traces the city’s food story through its oldest neighborhoods. The experience begins in the port zone, where Portuguese colonists first arrived and enslaved Africans were brought to Brazil. Guests explore the historic downtown and surrounding areas, tasting feijoada, moqueca, and tropical fruit juices while learning how Afro-Brazilian communities preserved culinary traditions under oppression and how immigrant groups—from Lebanese traders to Japanese farmers—added new layers to the city’s foodscape.

Stops include Rio’s oldest café, a bustling open-air market, and the restaurant of an Afro-Brazilian chef reimagining Bahian classics with contemporary flair. The tour also explores the role of food in cultural resistance, from samba’s origins in backyard gatherings to the rise of community kitchens in favelas. Offered Tuesday through Saturday, the experience lasts approximately 5.5 hours and is priced at $135 USD per person. The route winds through roughly four miles of flat, walkable terrain, with occasional uneven surfaces in historic districts.

Both tours embody Culinary Backstreets’ founding ethos: that food is not just sustenance, but a living archive of migration, memory, and resilience. Rather than spotlighting trendy restaurants or celebrity chefs, the company seeks out the unsung heroes of the kitchen—those who have preserved culinary traditions through generations, often in the face of economic hardship or cultural erasure. These are the bakers, grill masters, spice sellers, and street cooks whose stories rarely make it into guidebooks yet define the flavor of a city.

“We don’t just eat—we listen, we learn, and we honor the people who make a place taste like itself,” says Ansel Mullins, co-founder of Culinary Backstreets. “These new tours in Buenos Aires and Rio aren’t just about food—they’re about the soul of a place, told through the hands that feed it.”

For travelers seeking more than a checklist of dishes—for those who want to understand how food reflects history, identity, and resilience, Culinary Backstreets offers a deeper taste of South America. These new tours invite guests to walk, listen, and eat with intention, guided by voices that rarely make it into guidebooks but define the flavor of a place.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., Culinary Backstreets operates in more than 20 cities worldwide, including Istanbul, Lisbon, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Athens. The company offers immersive food tours led by deeply rooted local guides, combining historical context with personal storytelling. In addition to its tours, Culinary Backstreets publishes long-form articles and photo essays that spotlight culinary artisans, neighborhood histories, and the social dynamics behind what’s on the plate. The brand champions respectful travel, cultural preservation, and unforgettable access to the soul of a place—one bite at a time.

For more information, visit www.culinarybackstreets.com.

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attractions, Cultural Travel, heritage travel, Indigenous Tourism

South Dakota, New Mexico & Wyoming Go All Out to Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Native American Heritage Month

October 3, 2025 MoralCompass

The Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota, the world’s largest mountain carving, is a private installation so not subject to the federal government shutdown. Another surprise: the monument is still under construction.There is also a superb museum. The memorial hosted the first Native Americans’ Day Celebration 35 years ago © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Ahead of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Native American Heritage Month, here are destinations in South Dakota, New Mexico and Wyoming celebrating annual traditions:

HONOR & CELEBRATE in South Dakota

South Dakota was the first state to officially replace Columbus Day with Native Americans’ Day as a holiday, in 1990

Lakota Music Project Performances (October 13-18): A collaboration between the state’s Symphony Orchestra and Lakota and Dakota musicians, the group goes on tour in mid-October.

Blending symphonic tradition with Lakota songs, the week-long tour begins on Indigenous Peoples’ Day at what’s to become the world’s largest mountain carving, Crazy Horse Memorial, which also hosted the first Native Americans’ Day celebration 35 years ago

For a full schedule, see here

Itinerary Inspiration — Travel South Dakota’s Great 8 for Native American Culture: Serves to highlight culturally significant landmarks, like Dignity of Earth & Sky, a 50-foot-tall sculpture, a nod to the courage, perseverance and wisdom of the Lakota and Dakota cultures in the state, according to sculptor Dale Lamphere.

37th Annual Black Hills Powwow (October 10–12): Outside of Rapid City, catch one of the premier cultural events in the country, attracting thousands of dancers, singers, and artisans. Beyond the arena, highlights include:

The Crowning of Miss He Sapa Win: Awarded annually to a young Lakota, Dakota, or Nakota woman for her cultural knowledge, dancing, and public speaking skill

Fine Arts Show: Showcasing the work of indigenous creatives, from beadwork and star quilts to contemporary painting and photography

BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY in Santa Fe

Santa Fe, the oldest capital city in the United States, is deeply rooted in Native history and culture, with 23 Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos across New Mexico contributing to its vibrant identity

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration on the Plaza (October 11–13): Santa Fe honors Indigenous Peoples’ Day with three full days of programming in the historic downtown Plaza.

The Santa Fe Indigenous Center’s 3rd Annual Honoring Native Nations Powwow brings together dancers, singers, and drum groups from across the Southwest, adding a vibrant, community-centered gathering to the celebration.

20th Annual Winter Indian Market (November 29–30): Santa Fe’s signature holiday art event, presented by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), marks its 20th year as the premier opportunity to #buyNative during the holiday season. The market features 170 Native artists across jewelry, pottery, textiles, painting, and sculpture. It’s a chance to connect directly with artists, discover new voices, and find meaningful gifts that carry both beauty and story.

Itinerary Inspiration — Museums, Feast Days & Historic Sites: Discover the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA). Time your trip with a traditional Pueblo Feast Day (Upcoming: October 4, November 12), when pueblos open their communities for dances, music, and shared meals. Explore the historic sites and ruins filled with petroglyphs at places like Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument and Bandelier National Monument.

You can read a guide to visiting Santa Fe’s tribal communities HERE

Highlight on Native Artists: Santa Fe’s galleries and boutiques showcase works from celebrated Pueblo, Navajo, Apache, and other Native creatives year-round. Collectors and casual visitors alike can meet artisans, watch demonstrations, and take home one-of-a-kind pieces.

NEW FOR 2026: Cheyenne Frontier Days’ Indian Village Expansion

Wyoming’s capital city will unveil a new Indian Village during Cheyenne Frontier Days (July 17–26, 2026)

Background: For more than 60 years, The Morning Star American Indian Village has been a fixture at the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, offering dancing and drum circles, native storytelling, hoop dance workshops, and more. Cheyenne sits within the historic ranges of the Lakota and Arapaho tribes, and the Village has long provided rodeo-goers with opportunities to engage with Plains Tribal cultures.

What’s changing:

Tripling in Size: The Village will expand from 1.2 to 3.8 acres

More Spectator Space: Capacity will jump from 600 spectators to 1,000

Year-Round Engagement: The new village will be open beyond Frontier Days, opening doors for engagement year-round

Performer Amenities: Performers will now have a community building to utilize, with a kitchen, storage space and bathrooms, as well as improved air conditioning and sound systems

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