Museum

We returned in January ’03 from a trip to North India with Bestway Tours (Burnaby, B.C.; phone 800/663-0844). In Madhya Pradesh state we took the train from Agra and visited Gwalior, a place I had not heard of. It proved to be one of the best. We found the contents of the museum there in itself worth the trip, although the museum itself is in need of attention. Another highlight, for me, was visiting Gandhi’s museum. I was very moved by his worldly possessions in a showcase: eyeglasses, cane, sandals, a bit of clothing. . .

Since 2005 in Madrid, the Museo del Traje, or Costume Museum (Avenida Juan de Herrera, 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain; phone +34 91 550 47 00), has displayed items from its collection of over 160,000 costumes, drawings and accessories.

From medieval garb to contemporary fashions, the museum has sections devoted to historic attire, religious clothing, jewelry and Spanish fashion houses. Open 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and 10-3 Sun. €3 ($4).

In Torgiano, Italy, in the heart of Umbria, my wife, Rosalie, and I spent a few days at the wonderful, unique, 5-star Le Tre Vaselle (Via Garibaldi 48 06089 Torgiano, Perugia, Italy; phone 075 9880447, fax 9880214) in June ’11. This beautiful hotel, complete with a swimming pool and spa, was converted from a 17th-century mansion.

Over 5,000 years ago, a man climbed up to the Schnalstal glacier in what is now Italy’s Dolomites and died. He was found by two hikers in 1991, with his clothes and equipment, mummified and frozen. Since March 1998, the “Iceman” has been on exhibit at the Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano.

ITN asked you to name your favorite museum, but not one of the usual, obvious choices like The British Museum or the Louvre; we wanted to hear about your favorite “special interest” museum — the exhibit or collection that really hit a nerve or sparked your imagination, someplace like the Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy, or the Resistance Museum in Copenhagen. Below are some readers’ selections.

If you have one to suggest, write to My Favorite Museum, c/o ITN, 2116 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail editor@intltravelnews.com (please include your surface-mail address).

On a trip to Taiwan in 2001 I visited the Great National Treasures of China collection in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. It’s a mindblower. My eyes almost dropped out of my head! Here are many treasures of Imperial China that were saved by the KMT in 1949, spirited away from the Communists.

Only about 20% of the collection is on display. It ranges from prehistoric ceramics, ironwork and pottery to weapons and much more. There are the most beautiful paintings, porcelain and woodcarvings and especially the most spectacularly carved jade.

My husband, Joe, and I traveled to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Feb. 2-11, ’04, to complete visits to all the nations of the Western Hemisphere. We made Internet arrangements with Alyssa Johnson of SAS Travel & Tours in Santo Domingo (e-mail agencydr@yahoo.com) for a 10-day trip encompassing history, culture and ecology. Included was a 3-day trip around the country and to the Haitian border. Our excellent driver/guide for all 10 days was Severino Polanco, a 6'5" former national basketball player and policeman, now running his own travel business.

At the new Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari (Via Paolo Ferreri 85, 41121 Modena, Italy; phone +39 059 4397979), visitors can tour the home in which Italian race car driver Enzo Ferrari was born, seeing mementos, biographical displays and rare film footage.

In the huge Exhibition Gallery, half a dozen vintage Ferraris are on display, and visitors can learn the history of Ferrari design and sport racing. There’s also a bookshop, cafeteria and store.

by Julie Skurdenis