I visited the former Portuguese colony of Macau, China, in November ’11, and what I enjoyed most was the Macao Museum (No. 112 Praceta do Museu de Macau, phone [853] 2835 7911, fax 2835 8503 — open 10-6 Tues.-Sat. Adult, MOP15 [$2]; senior or child, MOP8).
At the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a life-size reconstruction of a 33-meter section of the LZ 129 “Hindenburg” can be explored. The museum houses the world’s largest collection on the history of the airships.
€7.50 ($10) adult, €6.50 senior. Gift shop, restaurant. The Zeppelin Museum (Seestraße 22, D-88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany; phone +49 7541 3801 0, fax 3801 81).
The German Christmas Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber features old-time Santa Clauses, nutcrackers and Christmas decorations and describes the history and customs of the holiday. Entry €4 ($5). Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April to Dec. 23 and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 24-31. German Christmas Museum (Herrengasse 1, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany).
The town of Serpa, in southern Portugal, has a clock museum housed in a former 14th-century convent. The collection includes more than 1,700 watches and clocks dating from the 17th century, including many rare Portuguese watches.
Contact Museu do Relógio (Convento do Mosteirinho, Rua do Assento, 7830-341 Serpa, Portugal; phone 284543194).
Despite the economic downturn, France and Spain spent millions of euros last year to upgrade their public spaces and technology for visitors.
The Musée Picasso (Hôtel Salé, 5, rue de Thorigny), in Paris’ Marais quarter, has passed the halfway mark in its two-year, €30-million renovation.
Through June 2011, the Barbados Museum & Historical Society (Garrison, Bridgetown, Barbados; phone, in the US, 246/427-0201 or e-mail info@barbmuse.org.bb) is running its heritage tour, “Freedom Footprints,” on the first Saturday and third Thursday of each month.
Focusing on the country’s slave history, the four-hour tour begins with related galleries at the museum and, with a guide, continues by coach to the five sites that form Barbados’ contribution to the UNESCO/WTO Cultural Slave Route Project.
I am writing to thank Jeremy Willinger of New York City for the great tip on visiting the vintage car museum at the Automóvil Club Argentino (1850 Avenida del Libertador) in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Aug. ’11, pg. 16).
My husband and I spend a month in Buenos Aires each winter and are always happy to learn of new places to go and things to see. We visited the museum Feb. 8, 2012, and enjoyed it as much as Mr. Willinger indicated we would.
A tiny, picturesque country encircled by Italy, San Marino is the oldest surviving constitutional republic in the world, dating back to AD 301. It’s noted for its postage stamps and tax-free shopping.
For my son, Mark, and myself, I arranged a two-day trip to San Marino for October ’11 through Hotels.com (800/246-8357). For two people, round-trip air from Rome to Rimini, Italy, and two nights in San Marino, including breakfast, cost $1,100.
Salta, in the far northwest of Argentina, has several interesting small museums. For my wife, Tamara, and me, the pick of the litter was Museo de Arte Étnico Americano (Fundación Pajcha, 20 de Febrero 831, Salta, Argentina; phone +54 387 422 9417 [website in Spanish]).