I Want to Go There
FLORENCE
BALTIMORE
American Visionary Art Museum
Baltimore has many museums and experiences that allow
students to explore the arts and the creative process.
One of the city’s top attractions, the American Visionary
Art Museum, highlights original works created by self-taught
artists, many of whom never received formal training, whose
art arises from an innate personal vision and experience.
As they explore the attraction, students are challenged to
consider their own visionary thoughts and ideas.
A number of hands-on programs, such as scavenger hunts
and workshops, allow students to discover the museum’s vast
collection. Those and other activities also teach them about
the creative process—through stories of the artists whose
works they are viewing—and help them discover their own
passions and interests.
Another group in Baltimore that connects students with
interactive learning is the Living Classrooms Foundation. The
organization offers a range of programs—Ascend through
Music, Shipboard Environmental Education, Urban Gardening
and many more—that allow participants to not only work
together with their classmates, but also to learn more about
their community.
For more information, contact Eric Masterton of Visit
Baltimore at [email protected] or go to baltimore.org.
TOP EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTIONS
National Aquarium, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore,
Maryland Science Center at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
TOP RECREATIONAL ATTRACTIONS
Terrapin Adventures, Six Flags Baltimore/Washington D.C.
TOP LOCAL FESTIVALS
Fleet Week (Oct. 3–9), Light City (April)
12
NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel
The Palazzo Vecchio can be seen from the Vasari Corridor
With A-list attractions such as the Uffizi, the Duomo and
Michelangelo’s statue of David, Florence remains an iconic
destination for students. The city, known as the Cradle of
the Renaissance, is the capital of Italy’s renowned
Tuscany region.
“Besides the famous sightseeing and visiting the main
museums and churches, there are a lot of cool things to do in
Florence that are still very educational but also less touristy,”
says Aldo Caronia of Michelangelo International Travel.
“Something fun and educational is the stroll through the
Vasari Corridor, a kilometer-long passageway that connects
the Uffizi Gallery with the Pitti Palace.”
This enclosed urban footpath, which can only be visited
by appointment or as part of a group tour, goes through
Florence’s historical heart. As they pass through, students
can see hundreds of paintings from the 1600s and 1700s,
including a group of self-portraits by many renowned 16th-
to 20th-century artists.
Caronia says other localized experiences can be had at
the San Lorenzo Market and during a visit to the artisan
workshops of the Oltrarno Quarter.
For more information, contact Caronia at aldo.caronia@
michelangelo.travel or go to michel angelo.travel.
TOP EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTIONS
Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery Museum,
Ponte Vecchio, Pitti Palace
TOP RECREATIONAL ATTRACTIONS
Boboli Gardens, climb the Brunelleschi Cupola
TOP LOCAL FESTIVALS
Festival of Paper Lanterns (September),
May Music Festival (May)