Trip Planner 2017-18 Trip Planner For Group Leaders | Page 38

Experience
Museums
Compiled by Bob Rouse
VISIT SCOTLAND
SCOPE OUT SCOTLAND ’ S ‘ BRILLIANT ’ MUSEUMS
The Riverside Museum in Glasgow is dedicated to transportation .
If your group traveling to Scotland is interested in nature , geology , transportation , science , technology , arts , fashion , history or , well , people , Scottish museums should be on the itinerary . Just ask Maggie Anderson of VisitScotland .
“ Scotland is home to hundreds of brilliant museums , from tiny heritage museums set in traditional crofting homes to museums with enough room to house a Concorde airplane ,” she says .
Popular attractions include the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh , the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow and the Robert Burns Birthplace museum in Ayr . And Anderson says visitors will like the price .
“ Most of these museums are free to the public , and a private , guided tour can be organized for your groups ,” she says . “ Several museums offer unique experiences as well , including after-hours access , themed tours or private events .”
Anderson points to several museums with notable events or special exhibitions to keep in mind for 2018 and beyond :
• Because of interest in the Jacobite story spurred by the “ Outlander ” TV series , the Prestonpans Battlefield Museum has opened so that visitors can learn about Bonnie Prince Charles ’ first victory , in 1745 . And that ’ s just for starters . Visitors can follow a trail across Scotland that features 26 Jacobite sites .
• Opening in 2018 , The Victoria and Albert Museum of Design Dundee will be the first museum in Scotland dedicated to design and the only V & A museum located outside of London .
• The Glasgow School of Art , known for its Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture , is set to open again in 2018 after a devastating fire in May 2014 .
• In 2020 the Burrell Collection in Glasgow will reopen after an $ 83 million renovation . Until then , visitors can get an insight into the attraction ’ s treasures — which range from ancient porcelain to modern masterpieces — at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow .
For more information about the country ’ s museums and other attractions , go to visitscotland . com or contact Anderson at maggie . anderson @ visitscotland . com .
INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
TRENCH COATS NOT REQUIRED
Safe cracking is one of the tasks that visitors ( spies in training ) attempt at the International Spy Museum .
The International Spy Museum in Washington , D . C ., is the only public museum in the world dedicated to exploring the history , impact and tradecraft of intelligence and espionage from a global perspective . The museum features the largest collection of international espionage-related artifacts ever placed on public display , including the following :
• Items created for international intelligence services , such as cipher machines , counterfeit currency , disguised weapons and miniature cameras .
• Documentation obtained by spies , including KGB photos of the equipment found in the wreckage of a U . S . spy plane shot down over Soviet territory in 1960 .
• Espionage training films from World War II .
• Photos of captured spies , spy tools and drop sites in various countries .
• Popular culture items inspired by fictitious portrayals of espionage in movies and on TV .
“ For our students and the young-at-heart , we provide interactive experiences and displays of gadgets used in the field , including some that have never before been seen ,” says Lori Scott , who handles group sales for the museum . “ Adults enjoy learning the history of espionage and how it has affected world events .”
The Secret History of History gallery traces the earliest moments of espionage and uncovers the stories behind major events . The museum also offers experiences such as Operation Spy , an action-packed opportunity for visitors to play the spy and locate a missing trigger device before it falls into the wrong hands .
The attraction is located within easy walking distance of Ford ’ s Theater , the National Archives and the Smithsonian museums . In the fall of 2018 , the museum will move to L ’ Enfant Plaza , two blocks south of the National Mall .
To sneak up on more information , go to spymuseum . org or send Scott an ( uncoded ) email at lscott @ spymuseum . org .
36 NTA Trip Planner for Group Leaders