Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit partners with the United Nations for the WreckLife project

 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Heritage Malta, the national agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage for the Mediterranean archipelago Malta, and their Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit (UCHU) announced that the United Nations Ocean Decade has officially endorsed the WreckLife project – an initiative aimed at deepening our understanding of the intricate relationship between historic wrecks in Maltese coastal waters and their surrounding marine environments.

Today is August 6. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Attracts Millions of Visitors, Boosting Travel to Japan

 

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has achieved a record number of visitors in fiscal 2023, with 1,981,617 people passing through its doors. This surge in attendance has been attributed to the heightened global attention following the Group of Seven (G-7) summit held in the city and the release of the blockbuster film “Oppenheimer,” which focuses on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist who led the creation of the atomic bomb.

Mob Museum: A must visit in Las Vegas

 The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, received the Reader’s Choice honor for “Best Museum” in Las Vegas Weekly’s 2023 Best of Las Vegas awards in addition to being named among the “top 10% of attractions in the world” by a leading platform for traveller reviews and recommendations.

Museum tourism market trends and insights: Research

 

The museum tourism market, which was valued at $25.2 billion in 2023, is expected to grow at an 11.5% CAGR from 2023 to 2033, reaching a total market value of $74.8 billion by 2033.

Over 50% of Grand Egyptian Museum’s antiquities inside main exhibition halls

 

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced it has finalized placing more than half of the heavy antiquities inside the main exhibition halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Holocaust Museum on track for construction tender in Greek city of Thessaloniki

 

After the appropriate urban planning was modified a few days ago, eliminating the problems that had arisen, it is anticipated that the building of the Thessaloniki Holocaust Museum, encompassing a total area of 1.58 hectares, will be put out to bid in 2023, greekcitytimes.com reports.

Macao Grand Prix Museum Invites Residents and Visitors to Celebrate 1st Anniversary

 

The Macao Grand Prix Museum (the “Museum”) under Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO)’s management will organize special activities to celebrate its first anniversary on 1 June since its completion of expansion and inauguration. Residents and visitors are welcome to join.

Popular Kansas city attractions added to U.S. Civil Rights Trail

 

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has been added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, just in time for Black History Month.

New York City will get its first LGBTQ+ museum by 2024

 

New York City to get its very first LGBTQ+ museum that should be ready for the public in 2024. It has been reported that the New York Historical Society is going to expand more than 70000 ft in order to make way for the all-new American LGBTQ+ Museum.

Underwater Malta - The First Virtual Museum in the Mediterranean

Malta has just launched The Virtual Museum - Underwater Malta, the first of its kind in the Mediterranean. Three years in the making, this Virtual Museum is a new and innovative way for viewers to access underwater archaeological sites in Malta.

The aim of the project was for people to see panoramic underwater views that are typically only viewable by diving down deep into the Mediterranean. Malta is already rated as one of the World’s top diving sites, and it is hoped that this Virtual Underwater Museum will attract even more divers to Malta. 

The Underwater Malta project, featuring 10 sites to start with, is in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), the University of Malta, and Heritage Malta. The Virtual Museum - Underwater Malta uses  3-D models, VR video, and photography, the result of five years collecting images and data that allow audiences to get the full underwater exploration experience. 

The depths of the sites range from 2 meters (approx. 7 feet) to 110m. (approx. 361 feet) Although the initial launch features 10 sites, it is hoped another 10 will be added by the end of 2020  and even more in 2021.  The 10 current sites explore shipwrecks, plane crashes, submarines, and more sites that are right off Malta’s coast. Sites featured include B24 Liberator, JU88, Phoenician Shipwreck, HMS Stubborn, Victorian Guns, Xlighter 127, Beaufighter, Schnellboot S-31, Fairey Swordfish, and HMS Maori.

Professor Tim Gambin, from the University of Malta, noted “the concept of the Museum highlights the importance of Malta’s heritage that can only be found underwater. What we see today is just the tip of the iceberg. There was intense research done behind this project using different media and technology to unveil the 10 sites online now.”  

Malta Tourism Authority CEO Gavin Gulia noted that "this is a first, not just for Malta, but for the entire Mediterranean region. This Virtual Museum will also  enrich our diving tourism." Gulia noted that in 2019 there were over 100,000 tourists visiting Malta who took part in diving activities. “This Malta Underwater project will also  make more of Malta's cultural heritage accessible to all tourists, not just the divers,” added Gulia.

Tags:   Malta Tourism Authority, Underwater Malta - Virtual Museum

British Motor Museum To Reopen on 4 July

The British Motor Museum will reopen on Saturday 4 July. The Museum has received its 'Good to Go' industry-standard mark from VisitEngland and is looking forward to welcoming visitors back through its doors.

As part of a phased reopening plan the Museum will be open from Saturday 4 July to Monday 6 July, and then from Friday to Monday in subsequent weeks.

Visitor numbers will be limited so anyone planning to visit, including annual pass holders, will need to book in advance via the website and chose a timed arrival slot. Annual passes and gift tickets have automatically been extended by four months from their expiry date.

Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum stated “We are delighted to be reopening the Museum. The team has been working incredibly hard over the past few weeks to ensure we are able to reopen safely and we look forward to welcoming our visitors back so they can enjoy our fabulous collections again.”

The Museum has put in place all the necessary measures and risk assessments including safety screens and contactless payment at all pay points, hand sanitiser stations, social distancing reminders and markers, one-way entrance/exit and enhanced cleaning regimes. A guidance video for visitors will be made available on the website from Friday 3 July.

For more information and to book tickets please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/

Tags: The British Motor Museum 

The safe reopening of Brussels’ museums

From Monday 18 May, International Museum Day, several Brussels museums will reopen their doors. This reopening will take place in accordance with new rules to allow visitors to discover their rich collections and exhibitions with the least possible risk. Indeed, from now on, several measures including, for some, the purchase of tickets in advance, will be put in place to enable
the museums to regulate their timetables and the public to enjoy their visit in the best possible conditions. The Brussels Tourist Office will also be open from Monday 18 May at 10:00.

On 14 March, museums closed their doors. This marked the beginning of a period of confinement that was necessary for the health of the population and healthcare personnel. During this period, several of the museums offered the public virtual tours of their collections and exhibitions. This was an original way of maintaining contact with their visitors and taking their mind of the situation. Since 4 May, the country has been gradually moving out of confinement while respecting the safety instructions necessary to control the pandemic.

It's now the turn of museums to reopen their doors and once again let in a general public that's eager to discover their collections and exhibitions in the flesh. From Monday 18 May, visitors will be able to visit several Brussels museums. To access them, some museums are recommending, among other things, that visitors buy tickets online in order to avoid crowds and to ensure the best possible experience for their future visitors. The museums also advise visitors to be aware of the safety measures in place to ensure a serene visit with as little risk as possible.

A safe visit
The progressive reopening of museums involves the putting in place of certain safety measures that are essential to allow visitors to treat themselves to a welcome and , above all, safe cultural break. These are the principle safety measures:

• Booking your visit in advance is strongly advised.
• Each museum will have a maximum number of visitors (1 per 10m2) and will ensure that social distancing (1.5m apart) is respected, among other things, through markings on the floor and the vigilance of reception and surveillance staff.
• The necessary measures are taken to avoid visitors from crossing inside rooms.
• Visitors are asked to travel light and only bring as little luggage and bags as possible with them to limit the use of cloakrooms.
• Hydroalcoholic gel will be available to the public in strategic places.
• Museums provide for additional cleaning and disinfection of the premises and equipment handled by visitors.
• Initially, only individual guided tours of people living under the same roof are allowed.

For any visit, and in view of the specific configuration of each venue, it is strongly recommended that visitors visit the museum's website to find out about the particular measures of each institution and to ensure a smooth and stress-free visit.

“We’ve missed you. Museums are open”: a digital campaign and competition
To mark the reopening of some of the capital's museums, visit.brussels, in collaboration with Brussels Museums, is launching a new digital campaign with the slogan "We have missed you. Museums are open", to encourage the public to return to these great cultural institutions. And that's not all, from 1 June to 14 June, every day, prospective visitors can go online and try to win two 48-hour Brussels Cards.

"These are the first signs of a progressive return of tourist and cultural activity in Brussels. There is still a long way to go, but visit.brussels stands alongside all its partners and visitors to help them discover Brussels' treasure in complete serenity" announced Patrick Bontinck, CEO of visit.brussels. “In these unique times, museums are once again becoming places of hope, beauty and encounters" said Pieter Van Der Gheynst, Director of Brussels Museums.

Tags: Brussels Tourist Office , Brussels Museums

France closes world-famous Louvre Museum due to virus outbreak fear

Coronavirus cases surged in Italy, and France closed the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday as the deadly outbreak that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe, threatening its tourism industry. The number of countries hit by the virus climbed past 60, and the death toll worldwide reached at least 3,000.

The new fronts in the battle opened rapidly over the weekend, deepening the sense of crisis that has already sent financial markets plummeting, emptied the streets in many cities and rewritten the routines of millions of people. More than 88,000 around the globe have been infected, with the virus popping up on every continent but Antarctica.

Australia and Thailand reported their first deaths Sunday, while the Dominican Republic and the Czech Republic recorded their first infections. The Italian authorities announced that the number of people infected in the country soared 50% to 1,694 in just 24 hours, and five more had died, bringing the death toll there to 34. France raised its number of reported cases to 130, an increase of 30 from the day before, and said it has seen two deaths.

The U.S. government advised Americans against traveling to the two northern Italian regions hit hardest, among them Lombardy, which includes Milan. Major American airlines began suspending flights to Milan. American Airlines AAL, -7.52%   announced Sunday it will waive fees for changing all flights over the next two weeks.

The travel restrictions against Italy and the rising alarm in France could deal a heavy blow to the countries’ tourism industries. Spring, especially Easter, is a hugely popular time for schoolchildren to visit France and Italy.

Bernabo Bocca said that they have already registered a slowdown of Americans coming to Italy in recent years. Now, the final blow has arrived.

The tourism accounts for 13% of the economy in Italy, with its world-class art museums, archaeological sites and architectural treasures. More than 5.6 million Americans visit Italy every year, representing 9% of foreign tourists.

Iran, Iraq and South Korea, among other places, also saw the number of infections rise. Cases in the U.S. climbed to at least 74 with the first death in the United States reported on Saturday — a man in his 50s in Washington state who had underlying health problems but hadn’t traveled to any affected areas.

The panic-buying of daily necessities emerged in Japan, where professional baseball teams have played spring-training games in deserted stadiums. Tourist attractions across Asia, Europe and the Mideast were deserted. Islam’s holiest sites have been closed to foreign pilgrims. And governments have closed schools and banned big gatherings.

The United Nations said Sunday it is releasing $15 million from an emergency fund to help countries with fragile health systems contain the virus.

Tags: Europe, France, Louvre Museum

New Bangkok Museum Dedicated for King Taksin at ICONSIAM

ICONSIAM has teamed up with Right Man Co Ltd to present a new travel experience – the first of its kind in ASEAN with the Zheng Zhao Floating Museum. 

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of Thonburi, the former capital of the Kingdom, and the legacy of its ruler King Taksin the Great, the life-size statue of King Taksinholding a sword is enshrined on the deck of the museum. 

King Taskin has been a revered King among Thai-Chinese descendants and his life and works across all fields from warring combat operations, rebuilding the nation to trading skills to make Thonburi the major port city along the Chao Phraya River are exhibited in the museum that is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm at ICONSIAM pier (pier 5) from now onwards.

The junk returns in grandeur style this year and the Si MahaSamut Junk is transformed into the Zheng Zhao Junk named after the Chinese name of King Taksin which means the King of Siam (the royal name the Chinese Qing Dynasty called him). The dock is enshrined with the life-size, standing statue of King Taksin the Great holding a sword. The statue is crafted by sculptors who spend 40 days to make the perfect statue in honor of the great warrior King in Thai history. Facial features and posture are based on the Grand Statue of King Taksin and his statue at his shrine in the Old Palace (which is under the supervision of the Royal Thai Navy). Every process from casting, carving with fine clay to molding, construction, and coloring is painstakingly crafted to make sure that the result will reflect King Taksin as the great, strong and decisive commander. The museum also celebrates the King's vision to choose Thonburi as a new capital of Siam after the fall of Ayutthaya Kingdom as well as his all-round abilities to urgently rehabilitate the nation until it has been civilized today.

After onboard, the route will start from the top to the lower floors. The first room is Caption's Room retelling the history during King Taksin's seven-month efforts to liberate the nation from the Burmese invaders after the second fall of Ayutthaya. King Taskin possessed exceptional skills in both battlegrounds and waterway battles and visitors will bring back to the battle route in winning back the nation. The route began in the eastern province of Chanthaburi where the King took over after the fall of Ayutthaya. There, he ordered to construct and repair the battle boats and gathering the junks of Chinese merchants to be modified for military operation too. Then, he led his fleet to the mouth of the Chao Phraya River. The next room is the Troop Room designed to portray the atmosphere and life of the crews. On display are mattresses, pillows, hammocks and various utensils to pinpoint the existence without much comfort. Sailors had to sleep in a tight communal space, often for several months for the end. Much of the space must be reserved for foods, freshwater, weapons, and other necessary tools. The lowest floor houses the Hall of Civilization displaying products and weapons together with an exhibition featuring major incidents in the reign of King Taksin the Great. The chronology of the wars he fought to unify the kingdom, his initiatives and royal works in administration, society, religions, arts, and cultures as well as Thonburi-China trade relations and diplomacy are also presented to honor his great abilities and contributions to the country.

The state-of-the-art interactive and multimedia maps are used to give visitors memorable experiences as if they are traveling back to the sailing route of the fleet of junks to liberate the kingdom in the Thonburi era. The boats of traders constructed in Siam during that time had been largely adapted from Chinese junks thanks to the long trading tie with Chinese merchants since the Ayutthaya era. King Taksin was ordered to gather and construct many Chinese junks used for waterway battle and his naval troop was the great and significant force to beat the invaders that laid siege to Ayutthaya. The Chinese junk was thus considered as a symbol of the prosperity of Siam. Visitors will also be thrilled with the battle led by the great warrior King in the Projection Mapping technique to illustrate his mastering in warring combat operations as he effectively managed to battle against enemies during his reign to free the kingdom. His royal works and initiatives to rebuild the nation across all fields from administration, society, to religions, arts and cultures as well as his vehement efforts to restore the morale of people are also celebrated in the presentation via a reproduction of the royal play composition of Ramayana, Tripitaka, exhibition boards, and Interactive Mirror allowing visitors to enjoy a role play of citizens living in Thonburi era with a fusion of nationalities. During the 15-year reign, King Taksin the Great had developed the word trade routes by ordering the junks to sail to different places for tying the trading relationship between Thonburi and foreign countries particularly China with his aim to bring the commerce back to life and make Thonburi prosperous. His trading skills are featured through a giant screen with Interactive Scrim technique as well as a display of exported goods of Thonburi and imported products.

All you need to learn about Thonburi and the greatest contributions of the warrior King Taksin can be found at the Zheng Zhao Junk – the one and the only floating museum on the Chao Phraya River. It is open from now onwards, from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm at ICONSIAM pier (pier 5), ICONSIAM on Charoen Nakhon Road. For further information, call 1338 or visit www.iconsiam.com

Tags: ICONSIAM

Egypt sets new world record, houses largest museum showcasing artifacts from single civilisation

A ceremony will be organised on December 28 by the Guinness World Records to celebrate Egypt for breaking the world record with a picture of King Tutankhamun’s mask which is created by using cups of coffee.

At the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in the external hall, the celebration will be held in front of the museum’s glass pyramid.

The mega museum is located near the Giza Pyramids and constructed approximately 500,000 square meters located near the Giza Pyramids is expected to be one of the largest museums in the entire world dedicated to showcasing artifacts from a single civilization.

The GEM is expected to house around 100,000 relics from various periods of Egypt’s long, rich history after several years of monument examinations, restorations and transportation of artifacts.

The tomb was unearthed in 1922 and the museum aims to impress with King Tutankhamun exhibits featuring artifacts that were never displayed.

A t the museum approximately 30,000 artifacts will be displayed for the first time at the Museum.

The GEM’s General Manager Tarek Tawfik said that the museum includes two 7,000 square meter galleries with exhibits that reveal the most intimate details of the famed ancient King’s life — how he lived, dressed and ate — in addition to the complete collection of his personal belongings.

As a part of the Egyptian’s efforts to return stolen and smuggled artifacts, many of the artifacts has been showcased at GEM.

In 2006 the construction of the museum first begun but the progress slowed due to the January 25^th revolution and the museum will open its doors in 2020.

Former Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat has said that the GEM should play a significant role in reviving the tourism sector as Egypt’s main source of income.

Tags: Egypt, Rania Al-Mashat, Tutankhamun

Louvre Museum Fund investment for restoring tourist sites around France

The Louvre Endowment Fund to invest in impact funds for restoration of France’s castles, churches and the environmental parks.

Impact funding is finding popularity with large institutions as they want to  weave profits with social, values-based or environmental goals.

According to Chief Executive Officer Philippe Gaboriau, the Louvre Endowment Fund has investment in impact funds, hedge funds, emerging-market debt and energy-related stocks to boost returns. The Louvre Endowment Fund manages one of the world’s oldest art collections.

As per Philippe Gaboriau, about three per cent of the Louvre’s overall portfolio is invested in private-equity funds that have impact strategy, a level that won’t change for now. He said that the mission of Louvre includes education, art and heritage, artistic professions, and tourism. It is for this reason that they have invested in the impact fund giving an average return of 6 per cent.

Louvre museum has invested $289 million in impact fund for preservation of historical buildings and environmental parks. The fund is backed by Paris-based private-equity firm called Alter Equity.

The Louvre fund has steadily increased its hedge-fund exposure to 20 percent over the past two years. It will maintain this level.  The fund has 30 per cent share in equities.

Tags: Louvre Endowment Fund

World's first interactive marijuana museum opens in Las Vegas

The world’s first interactive cannabis museum, Cannabition Cannabis Museum, is opening as Las Vegas’ newest attraction and Instagram backdrop.

But don’t get excited about lighting up at the museum because of a Nevada ban on public consumption of marijuana, but visitors can learn about the drug as they take photos. The recreational marijuana has been legal in Nevada for fifteen months, but public consumption is still banned.

Cannabition is making history in Sin City by launching the world’s first immersive cannabis museum and art installation in Las Vegas. Located in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience, the museum is designed for entertainment as much as education.

Cannabition is the future of cannabis tourism, welcoming visitors 21 and up. The museum has twelve interactive installations, where every exhibit has lights meant to ensure people take selfies worthy of the no-filter hashtag.

Visitors will get the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world and culture currently propelling cannabis legalization in the US and beyond.

Cannabition is coming to Las Vegas with a 24-ft bong and a one-of-a-kind immersive cannabis experience that you will never forget.

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

Tags:Cannabition Cannabis Museum

Renovated museum of American Airlines awaits aviation addicts

Visitors to the newly renovated American Airlines’ C.R. Smith Museum can sit at the controls of an MD-80 cockpit.

In a simulated operations center, they would be capable of making judgment calls about whether to send a virtual aircraft through bad weather.

 

The recently completed multimillion-dollar renovation of the museum along Texas 360 in far northeast Fort Worth (just south of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) is aimed at making the whole experience more hands-on.

 

Uli Das, museum executive director said that via this renovation, they wanted to refocus the experience to give visitors a greater insight into the operations of an airline and the people that run it every day.

 

She also added that they wanted to make it significantly more interactive and that before this renovation, the museum was really nice, but more static.

 

The museum is governed by its own nonprofit board of directors, and is named after Cyrus Rowlett Smith, who served as the airline’s chief executive from 1934-68 and 1973-74.

Airline and museum officials declined to disclose precisely how much the renovation cost. It was funded by gifts from American Airlines, aircraft manufacturer Boeing and model aircraft maker PacMin.

 

The renovation also will give visitors a chance to get an up-close look at the new $300 million American Airlines headquarters, which is being built adjacent to the museum and is scheduled to open next year.

 

The new campus, also known as the Robert L. Crandall Global Support Campus, will house roughly 12,000 of American’s roughly 25,000 North Texas employees, and will feature a town square, bike paths and other amenities.

 

Also among the new features is a baggage loading exhibit, where guests can try their hand at loading up an aircraft against the clock.

 

And, for old-school aviation fans, the C.R. Smith Museum which originally opened in 1993  will still have several features that have been there for years. Among them is a restored 1940s DC-3 that is still on display  with curtains and other amenities giving visitors a taste of what it was like to travel in the post-World War II era.

 

The museum typically draws 25,000 to 38,000 visitors per year, and also performs aviation education outreach at Fort Worth-area schools.

 

Regular museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

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Tags: American Airlines, Cyrus Rowlett Smith, MD-80 cockpit, Uli Das