Tour Historic Adams Family Residence

The Adams’ family home.  The Adams National Historic Park in Quincy commemorates four generations of the illustrious Adams family who lived there from 1720 to 1927.  The complex of 11 buildings includes the birthplaces of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the family mansion and the Stone Library containing 14,000 of the family’s books.  The only way to access the homes is to take a guided tour that begins at the Visitor Center on Hancock Street.  A trolley will bring you from the center to the presidential birthplaces – the oldest in the United States — for a half-hour tour with a park ranger.  John Adams was born in 1735 in the “salt box” house, and John Quincy Adams was born in 1767 in a second house 75 feet away. The latter is where young Adams launched his career in politics and law — and started a family with his wife, Abigail. He maintained his law office in the house, and it was here that he, Samuel Adams and James Bowdoin wrote the Massachusetts Constitution. The document, still in use today, greatly influenced development of the U.S. Constitution.  The trolley’s next stop is to The Old House, where a park ranger leads an hour-long tour. Built in 1731, this was the Adams family residence for four generations from 1788 to 1927.  It was home to Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams; First Ladies Abigail and Louisa Catherine Adams; Civil War Minister to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams; and literary historians Henry and Brooks Adams.  Adjacent to the house is the Stone Library, a fireproof structure built in 1873 to store John Quincy Adams’ books and papers, as he requested in his will.  While you’re waiting for the trolley, stroll the grounds, which include a historic orchard and an 18th-century style formal garden, containing thousands of annual and perennial flowers.  The tour ends at the Visitor Center. If you have time, take a quick walk down Hancock Street to the Church of the Presidents, where the two Adams presidents and their wives are buried.  Adams National Historic Park, 1250 Hancock St., Quincy: (617) 770-1175, www.nps.gov/adam. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Shedding New Light on Old Glass in Sandwich By Karen White

A blown glass sculpture at the Sandwich Glass Museum.  Caitlin Liszczak dipped the long iron rod into the blasting furnace, removing a small knob of liquid glass from the colorful flame. She rolled the rod under her hand, spinning the glass forward and back, poking it with oversized tweezers and pulling out a strand, which she rapidly stretched and twisted. Another few moves and voila – a graceful glass swan.  “Ugh!” She said. “Crooked again!” She chucked the piece into a recycling bin.  In a way, this theme of “recycling” is responsible for the impressive transformation of the Sandwich Glass Museum itself. Long a stuffy display of dishes and paperweights, a $2.5 million, seven-year renovation has brought new life to the museum.  Now there are hourly glass-blowing demonstrations, a three-dimensional audio-visual presentation complete with talking holograms and a roaring thunderstorm, and animated drawers and cupboards that open and close to showcase the glass pieces within. One room showcases the history of indoor lighting – from candles to kerosene lamps to Sandwich’s first light bulb.  There’s even a gorgeous table set mid-1800s style. A hologram of Hannah Rebecca Burgess, a real-life sea captain’s wife, describes each individual place setting as miniature lights point to their location on the table.  Publicist Eliane Thomas said the museum’s do-over was based on comments collected from visitors. Staffers would approach people and ask, “What do you want to see?” Their answers fueled the new design.  “Before, it was just a beautiful museum with glass in it,” she said. “We decided to make glass more interesting and appealing to a broader spectrum of people.”  Ms. Thomas said the staff is thrilled with the results. “It’s a lovely collection, and if you know the history behind it, it makes it all the more special,” she said. “There’s really much more to glass than meets the eye.”  Sandwich Glass Museum, 129 Main St., Sandwich: (508) 888-0251, www.sand wichglassmuseum.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Hall 'Serves' Up Slice of Newport History By Bryna René

The tennis court at Newport’s Tennis Hall of Fame.  The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport is more than a warehouse of sports memorabilia: It’s a National Historic Landmark, a striking example of late 19th-century architecture, and the birthplace of the U.S. Open.  “We’re not just a destination for tennis fans,” said Anne Marie McLaughlin, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Hall of Fame. “There’s something here for everyone, particularly visitors interested in Newport history and architecture.”  The Hall was originally the Newport Casino, opened in 1880 as a social club for the elite. It’s built in a horseshoe shape around a central courtyard, and its six-acre grounds include 13 grass tennis courts, a gift shop, the La Forge Casino Restaurant, the National Tennis Club and the Hall of Fame Museum.  A tour begins in the billiards room, an airy space featuring vaulted ceilings and much of the original woodwork. Here, in the Woolard Family Enshrinement Gallery, you’ll find commemorative placards on Hall of Famers and kiosks where you can watch highlights of famous matches, read statistics and learn about the lives of tennis greats.  The museum is housed in the remaining rooms of the casino and follows a timeline format. Tennis memorabilia from Victorian times to the present day is flanked by vintage posters, advertising prints, photographs — and the oldest known painting depicting tennis, an original 1538 Lucas Gassel.  More kiosks, big-screen monitors showing video highlights and displays of tennis clothing and equipment from the past 130 years round out the exhibits. A must-see is the National Tennis Club, where the historic game of Court Tennis is played, drawing spectators from around the world.  This month, look for a new exhibit highlighting the building’s history and architectural significance. High season arrives July 5, when the Men’s ATP World Tour lands in Newport. The 2010 Hall of Fame induction takes place on July 10.  Honorees include Brad Parks, the first wheelchair tennis player to be inducted into the Hall.  International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport: (401) 849-3990, www.tennisfame.com. AAA members save on regular admission. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Yale Campus Warrants a Day Trip By Michael DiGioia

Gorgeous architecture within the Yale University campus.  Throughout its 300-plus years, Yale University has towered as an iconic symbol of higher education. The list of U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners and other dignitaries educated in its classrooms is seemingly endless.  But, standing at the vibrant heart of cultural New Haven, the narrative of Yale reaches even beyond its rich academic history.  The Yale community boasts several attractions that, on their own merit, could serve as the centerpiece for an interesting day trip. A great starting point for people hoping to capture the essence of the university is a guided tour from the Visitor Center. During the 90-minute tour, visitors take a journey through Yale’s past, from its humble establishment by a handful of Harvard dissenters to tales about its alumni and their contributions to the school and community.  Along the way, guests will see architectural hallmarks such as the Gothic Sterling Library and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The Beinecke houses one of the world’s largest collections of rare materials such as the Gutenberg Bible.  Yale’s off-campus appeal is just as enticing. Within walking distance of the university are Yale’s acclaimed Art Gallery and Center for British Art. The collection of work housed at the Art Gallery spans from the crafted works of ancient civilizations to more contemporary paintings and photography.  The Center for British Art, donated to the university by Paul Mellon, hosts the largest collection of British artwork in the world outside of the United Kingdom. These museums together earn Yale a virtually unparalleled distinction atop the area art community.  Many other avenues for visitors to experience Yale are available, such as taking in a play at the Yale Repertory Theater or enjoying the many charming cafés, restaurants and shops in the area.  Yale University Visitor Center, 149 Elm St., New Haven: (203) 432-2300, www.yale.edu/visitor. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Strolling Emily Dickinson's Poetry Walk

The New York Botanical Garden.  During her lifetime, Emily Dickinson was better known as a gardener than as a poet. Plants and flowers significantly influenced her poetry and other writings, most of which were not published until after her death.  The New York Botanical Garden’s exhibition, “Emily Dickinson’s Garden: The Poetry of Flowers,” will illuminate the connections that exist between Dickinson’s life and poems, and her study and love of flowers and gardens.  Dickinson’s poems have become an integral part of the American literary canon, yet the impact that plants and flowers had on her poetry is little known by the public. From April 30 to June 13, the exhibition will reveal this new perspective on one of the greatest Romantic poets of the Victorian era, immersing visitors in the garden, life, and poems of Dickinson in contemporary, fresh ways.  A flower show in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory will feature a recreation of Dickinson’s mid-19th century New England flower garden, displaying her favorite plants and flowers — daisies, daylilies, tulips, roses, lilies and jasmine. Visitors will stroll through a replica of the family property in Amherst, Mass., including Emily’s Homestead and her brother’s Evergreens, and the wooded pathway that joined the two.  An exhibition of 60 fascinating objects — books, manuscripts, watercolors and photographs telling the story of Dickinson’s life — will be featured in the Gallery of the Mertz Library. Several of her original manuscripts, both poems and letters, will be on display.  As an amateur botanist, Dickinson collected, pressed, classified and labeled more than 420 flower specimens. Visitors will be able to peruse scans of the digitized version of Dickinson’s Herbarium, examining specimens through an interactive, touch-screen kiosk, as if they were turning the pages of her scrapbook.  Emily Dickinson’s Poetry Walk will take visitors through some of the Botanical Garden’s collections at the peak of the spring flowering season. Along the walk, strollers will read her poems, while surrounded by plants that served as her muse — daffodils, roses, daisies, tulips, crabapples and hemlocks.  New York Botanical Garden, Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road, New York: (718) 817-8700, nybg.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Tracking Turtles at Wellfleet Sanctuary By Karen White

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary aims to protect the Cape’s endangered turtles.  Turtles may be slow-motion movers, but at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, keeping track of them is hard work. For more than 20 years, naturalists at the 1,100-acre refuge have monitored two endangered species – the Eastern Box Turtle and the Diamondback Terrapin, said Education Coordinator Melissa Lowe. The turtles are struggling throughout the Outer Cape with loss of habitat due to road construction, seawall building and erosion.  Volunteers are trained each year to assist with catching and tagging. “We weigh and measure each turtle and track info on where it’s found,” Ms. Lowe said. “Some of these turtles we have known for a very long time.” Beginning in April, the property is scoured for nests. Cages are placed over them to protect eggs from roving skunks or possums, and the eggs are checked regularly until they hatch. “We give them a chance to grow up before they’re eaten,” Ms. Lowe said.  In the spring, visitors might see a turtle venturing out of the marsh in search of a nesting place. In the summer, freshwater painted turtles can be spied basking on logs. Naturalists also host walks detailing the natural history and biology of turtles, including “Box Turtle Tracking,” scheduled for May 29 at 1:30 p.m. From June 27 through 30, “Turtles of the Outer Cape” offers a hands-on, intensive study for adults. Kids’ camp programs are also held throughout the summer.  All this turtle talk creates public awareness of the challenges facing these “mobile-home” creatures. Wellfleet Bay even asks homeowners to provide a spot on their property with loose, sandy soil for turtles, Ms. Lowe said.  “They can’t dig through roadways and driveways, and just getting from point A to B without getting hit by a car is getting harder,” Ms. Lowe said. “If there is nowhere to lay eggs, that’s the challenge.”  Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, 91 State Highway, Route 6, South Wellfleet: (508) 349-2615, massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet/index.php. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Nature and Poems at Walden Woods By Heather Holt Totty

Photo Credit: Lauren Bryant Stone sculptures line Thoreau’s Path on Brister’s Hill.  There is no more fitting place to visit on Earth Day than Concord’s Walden Woods. This is the place where Henry David Thoreau observed the flora and fauna, gathering material to write “Walden,” an American classic that emphasizes the importance of nature.  “It is widely acknowledged that Thoreau was the father of the modern conservation movement,” said Walden Woods Project Executive Director Kathi Anderson. “What he studied here and what he wrote about has had a profound impact on how we think about conservation.”  Walden Pond State Reservation is surrounded by 2,680 acres where visitors can see Thoreau’s cabin and the 102-foot deep glacial kettle-hole pond known as Walden Pond. To access Walden Woods, park at the reservation and cross Route 2 at the crosswalk, then proceed about 75 yards to the entrance on the right.  Stroll along Thoreau’s path on Brister’s Hill. Phrases written by the wordsmith are cast in bronze and carved in granite along the path, such as these from his journal in 1841: “I seem to see somewhat more of my own kith and kin in the lichens on the rocks than in any books.”  Proceed through Brister’s Orchard, where heirloom apple trees recall the orchard that the freed slave Brister Freeman originally planted. Along your walk, you will observe a regenerating forest, a phenomenon that Thoreau was among the first to describe in scientific terms.  Pause at the Reflection Circle where the words of Thoreau’s followers ponder our relationship to nature. “That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology,” wrote Aldo Leopold, “but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.”  Walden Pond State Reservation, 915 Walden St., Concord: (978) 369-3254, www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/walden. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Boston’s Miel Serves Heart-Healthy French Provençal Specialties By Jamie Coelho

The InterContinental Boston recently promoted Devanand (David) Chinta to chef de cuisine at Miel.  When we think of French food, we imagine rich dishes made with crème and beurre blanc. Julia Child comes to mind.  But there is another type of French cuisine; Provençal-style cooking showcases heart-healthy olive oil, seafood, honey and fresh herbs. Miel Brasserie Provençal () at the InterContinental Boston Hotel specializes in food from this Côte d’Azur region of France.  We interviewed the restaurant’s new chef de cuisine Devanand (David) Chinta to discuss what makes Miel an authentic experience.  What made you become interested in French cuisine? I grew up in India, but I wanted to do something different, so I studied French cuisine and then began working at a five-star hotel in India that catered to clientele from all over the world. From there I went on to Paris and worked at the boutique hotel Les Quatre Saisons. I also studied classic French techniques in Vonnas, France, under Georges Blanc and his son. Then I stayed with a family in Nice, which is where I perfected Provençal style by learning in a real-life setting.  What did you learn from Michelin-star chef Blanc? We worked in a small hotel and restaurant in a village that was practically run by chef Blanc. I learned to prepare the food precisely as he wanted it. It was to be exact with no tweaks. That is why even though I am from India, I do not promote fusion cuisine. I do not want to alter the style; my goal is to keep the food authentic. That is what he taught me, and that is the way it should be done.  What is the difference between classic French cooking and Provençal style? When you think of classic nouvelle style, it includes many rich ingredients like butter and cream. But Provençal cuisine is completely different. It is a Mediterranean based and farm-focused diet, using olive oil, olives, honey, fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs like lavender, basil, thyme and purple sage. Even the cuts of meat are different. And seafood is always emphasized as the main ingredient.  What makes Miel special for Provençal cuisine? The restaurant is right on the water, just like in Provence. We have a patio that opens in May, which overlooks the harbor and the herb garden. There’s a wall of lavender, and fresh herbs are planted there, which are used in the cuisine. The ambiance gives you a real feel for Provence, with the breeze from the water and the scents coming from the garden.  Which dishes should guests order when they visit Miel? Begin with an olive oil or honey tasting, and then Pistou soup, made with fresh basil and vegetables and potatoes in a light broth. I would also choose the scallops as an appetizer, because it combines everything Provence is known for: fresh seafood, green lentils, tomato aioli and a lemon and honey jus. For entrees I would recommend the bouillabaisse because it incorporates the freshest fish of the day: lobster, redfish, blue cod. The chicken “à la Mentonnaise” and the grilled steak frites are also very good. We are known for our frites, as we sprinkle them with truffle oil and herbs de Provence. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Learn About ‘Art of Discovery’ in Canton By Karen White

Photos courtesy of: Watercolor by Isaac Sprague Sprague’s illustrations played a key role in art and science.  Artists have long drawn inspiration from nature – but there was also a time when naturalists looked to art for understanding. Before the days of technology, biologists and ornithologists looked to illustrations.  This symbiotic relationship is on display at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center in Canton for the exhibit “Isaac Sprague and the Art of Discovery,” running through May 2. Sprague, a Hingham native and 19th-century bird and botanical artist, accompanied Audubon on his 1843 journey from New York to Fort Union in Dakota Territory. The pair documented birds, mammals and plants along the way, including 14 new aviary species.  “There were no cameras, no binoculars, no spotting scopes,” said Amy T. Montague, Visual Arts Center Director, pointing to a sketch of a gull with its wings at an odd angle. “People are curious as to why these artists put birds in such positions, but they had to imagine what the bird would look like if you stopped time.”  While it’s difficult to know exactly which drawings were Sprague’s and which were Audubon’s, the watercolors and oils passed down through the Sprague family showcase both his artistry and his intelligence. Audubon’s critiques also appear on several of Sprague’s watercolors.  The exhibit features these never-before-displayed pieces along with items from Sprague’s trip: field guides, journals, art pencils, collection tins, rough sketches and more. Also on display are some of Sprague’s extraordinary illustrations of plants created during his 20 years working at Harvard University.  The connection between art and nature lies at the core of the Visual Arts Center, and you can discover it for yourself by exploring the 138-acre wildlife sanctuary.  The Visual Arts Center is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center, 963 Washington St., Canton: (781) 821-8853, www.massaudubon.org/visualarts. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Pats Hall Exhibit Honors Players' Military Service By Megan Gorzkowski

A special exhibit pays tribute to Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan.  This April vacation, take your family to the newest Hall at Patriot Place exhibit, honoring heroes on both the football field and the battlefield.  “Pro Football and the American Spirit” celebrates the rich history of football players in the armed services. The exhibit, on loan from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, runs through May 30.  “We have a great working relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Hall at Patriot Place Executive Director Bryan Morry said, adding that he had expressed interest in the exhibit after seeing it in Canton.  The exhibit is divided into separate sections for each military conflict from World War II to the present. All four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces will be represented.  See Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier’s Purple Heart and famous Sports Ill-ustrated cover from his time in the Vietnam War.  View the helmet and flag from Dall-as Cowboy Chad Hennings, the only NFL player to serve in the Gulf War.  Stop by a special exhibit devoted to Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.  The exhibit has a local focus, as well. Learn about local football players who served the country throughout the years. Also, see how New England Patriots’ tight end Ben Watson and the Patriots cheerleaders served troops in the Middle East during recent USO visits.  “As an organization, we work with military personnel on a regular basis,” Mr. Morry said. “This exhibit is a good fit for us.”  Like the rest of the Hall at Patriot Place, “Pro Football and the American Spirit” is a mix of interactive, multimedia exhibits and traditional, artifact-driven exhibits.  “The exhibit has something for everyone,” Mr. Morry said. “It adds a great historical element to not only the Patriots organization, but to the NFL and to the U.S. military.”  Hall at Patriot Place, One Patriot Place, Foxboro, MA: 508-698-4800, www.patriot-place.com/thehall. AAA members save 10 percent off adult general admission tickets, for up to six members of your party. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Party for the Planet at R.I. Zoo Celebration Spans School Vacation Week

Even the animals join the festivities at Party for the Planet.  Roger Williams Park Zoo has planned a packed week of green-themed fun and activities April 19 to 25, school vacation week for many students in Rhode Island.  The Zoo’s annual Party for the Planet is one of its most popular events and offers families a great way to welcome spring with a fun visit to the zoo that’s complemented by a full schedule of earth-friendly activities, performances, demonstrations and more.  Each day of Party for the Planet will be centered around a different theme:  • Monday’s theme is “Go Green R.I.,” showcasing products and services available in the state to help everyone live a greener lifestyle.  • Tuesday is “Water, Water Everywhere,” a day dedicated to educating our guests on how to preserve our natural water resources and enjoy the Ocean State.  • Wednesday, it’s all about “Amazing Agriculture,” with displays by local farms, presentations from Rhode Island 4-H, and other farm-themed fun.  • Thursday’s focus, “Healthy Active Earth,” is all about the many ways to get active outdoors and enjoy nature.  • On Friday, celebrate the “Art of Nature,” where local artists will showcase pieces created with nature in mind, from artwork made from recycled goods to animal-inspired origami and more.  • Saturday’s focus, “Sing, Dance and Be Green,” is set to include environmentally themed performances and more.  The Party for the Planet caps off on Sunday, April 25, with Rhode Island’s largest Earth Day celebration.  The highlight of the day is an environmental fair featuring displays, activities and giveaways from dozens of organizations from around Rhode Island.  Plus, a host of activities, performances and demonstrations from earlier in the week will be back to add to the fun. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Visit Worcester for Diner History By Julia Quinn-Szcesuil

The famous diner, Miss Worcester, is a historical car built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company that still operates today.  If grills could talk, Worcester’s diners would have a few tales to tell. The Worcester Lunch Car Company paved the way for the trend by producing hundreds of diner cars in the early 1900s, many of which still operate as restaurants today. The city has enough of them to make up a marathon tour, but planning a day trip around one or two allows you time to soak up the scene and enjoy the cuisine.  One of the city’s most famous Worcester Lunch Car diners, Miss Worcester on Southbridge Street, is a classic car featuring a counter with stools and booths across the narrow aisle. Serving hungry patrons since 1948, the eatery is famous for the Crunchy French Toast, which is bread dipped in Honey Bunches of Oats cereal and deep fried.  Over on Shrewsbury Street, three diners sit a stone’s throw from each other: the Parkway, the Boulevard and Mac’s. The Parkway’s exterior has been remodeled, but the interior remains intact. The Boulevard Diner, open 24 hours a day, claims the wee hours of the morning as its busiest. Regulars flock there for the Italian food. A few blocks down is family-owned Mac’s Diner, where customers return again and again for the ever-changing lunch specials and the occasional dinner.  But that’s not all of them. The Kenmore Diner is located under a highway overpass, near Worcester’s memorial for the six firefighters lost in the Cold Storage blaze in 1999. Nearby, there’s the Cor­ner Lunch Diner, where the Apple Danish French Toast is top notch. In this city, it’s tempting to eat the most important meal of the day several times a day.  A must-eat destination for every food fanatic, Worcester feeds your body and your mind with some of the country’s best diner food and history. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

NYC Cars, Culture & The City Exhibit By Jamie Coelho

Photo by Samuel H. Gottscho Chrysler Building showroom, 1936. © Museum of the City of New York.  Today’s New Yorkers may travel by subway, taxi or chauffeur, but it was in New York City that the popularity of the American car first spread. From the early models driven by the Astors and Vanderbilts, to the marketing practices that developed across the nation, the Big Apple played a significant role in the rise of the auto industry.  The Museum of the City of New York is exhibiting “Cars, Culture & the City” through Aug. 1 both to acknowledge the history of the car in the city and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.  Designed to resemble 1950s-era motoramas (America’s first auto shows that premiered at New York’s Waldorf Astoria), the exhibit features drawings, models, photographs, advertisements and more. Rare General Motors promotional films are also on display. These films were some of the first video advertisements for automobiles, predating commercials.  “When we think of American car culture, we immediately think of Detroit or Los Angeles,” said Susan Henshaw Jones, the Ronay Menschel Director of the Museum. “This exhibition will change that perception by highlighting the pivotal role that New York City has played in the ongoing relationship between America and the automobile.”    Automobiles were initially brought into New York as a way to clean up the filth caused by horses. Ford’s Model T democratized the automobile for the general public, which led to the paving of streets, and then the development of parkways, which later became our highways. All of these instances in New York made the car the mainstream necessity that it is today across the nation. Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. New York, N.Y.: (212) 534-1672.a www.mcny.org.  The Museum of the City of New York is offering AAA members a 2-for-1 ticket deal. Click here to see a slide show of some of the photographs on display in the exhibit. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Travel Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential Campaign Trail by Train By Bryna René

Photo Credit: Nick Palazini A daylong train trip reenacts Abraham Lincoln’s trip to the Blackstone Valley. Board the locomotive in Providence, and make a stop in Woonsocket for historic presentations.  As part of the Lincoln Bicentennial commemoration, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council presents “Abraham Lincoln Visits the Blackstone Valley,” a day-long train trip and historical reenactment to take place on Saturday, May 15. This unique event will follow the movement of President Lincoln on his 1860 campaign visit to the Blackstone Valley.  “It will be an exciting day,” said Donna Houle, Manager of Special Projects for the Tourism Council. “We’ve conducted over 200 train trips in my tenure with the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, but this is different from anything we’ve done before.”  The adventure begins at the Providence Amtrak station. Journey along the same Providence and Worcester railroad tracks Lincoln traveled on the campaign trail. In each train car, local celebrity hosts — including former Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court Frank J. Williams, Ricardo Pitts Wiley of the Mixed Magic Theater, artist Peter Campbell and “President Lincoln” himself — will share stories of Lincoln’s election.  Upon disembarking at the Woonsocket depot, participants will be treated to a historic presentation. A horse-drawn carriage will be on hand to take President Lincoln to Harris Hall, where he’ll present his historic Cooper Union speech. Historical exhibits, including the printing press used by the Woonsocket newspaper publisher at the time of Lincoln’s visit, will be on display. The Heritage String Band will provide period music. Additional attractions include the Museum of Work and Culture, St. Ann’s Church Cultural Center and special entertainment for children.  Some well-known Woonsocket residents are also joining in the festivities. Barry Mechanic, publisher of the Woonsocket Call, will portray the newspaperman of Lincoln’s time. Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine will also portray his historical counterpart. And costumes aren’t just for the players: If you happen to own a hoop skirt or a stovepipe hat, this will be a perfect venue to show it off.  “Abraham Lincoln is one of our most beloved historical figures,” said Ms. Houle.  “This train trip offers something for everyone who wants to learn more about him.”  For tickets and additional information, please visit www.tourblackstone.com, or call (401) 724-2200. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Exploring the Shaker Way of Life at Pittsfield’s Hancock Village By Judith Lerner

Guests can schedule a day to work in the colorful, organic garden at Hancock Shaker Village.  Nothing says spring like baby animals.  This month the Round Stone Barn at Hancock Shaker Village is full of newborn heritage-breed calves and chicks, lambs and piglets. Visitors can watch baby chicks peck their ways out of their shells, help with farm chores or even reserve a private, behind-the-scenes tour.  What a way to kick off the season! The Village celebrates 50 years as a living museum with events for families and hands-on programs through November. All 20 buildings have been restored and brightly painted since the home was sold to a citizens group in 1960.  While traditional Shaker dress is subdued, Shakers do love color. Bright yellows, reds and blues are everywhere, especially in the heirloom flower, herb and vegetable gardens.  Artisans, farmers, gardeners, guides and costumed interpreters in character demonstrate Shaker crafts and activities during self-guided tours.  Don’t miss the exhibit of iconic Shaker artifacts. You can also schedule a day working in the organic garden or two weekends learning food storage basics.  Daylong workshops teach hand joinery and instruction on building side tables or oval nesting boxes. Or spend a week spinning and weaving or helping to create a small timber-frame building using 18th- and 19th-century tools and techniques.  Country Fair weekend, usually held in September, features traditional crafters and artisans, farm demonstrations, wagon rides, a farmers’ market, quilt display and the annual pie-judging contest. Candlelit tours with a Shaker-style dinner and music complete the year.  A visit to Hancock Shaker Village is both relaxing and stimulating. Visitors gain an authentic Shaker experience, which is dedicated to “hands to work and hearts to God.”  Hancock Shakers believed in equality, community, sustainability, sim­plicity, and innovation. Said Ellen Spear, Hancock president and CEO, “The Shakers were green before green had a name.”  Hancock Shaker Village, Route 20, Pittsfield: (413) 443-0188, www.hancockshakervillage.org. AAA members save $2 on adult admission. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Arlington Mill Still Buzzing With Activity By Mary Albon

Since 1864, Old Schwamb Mill has manufactured wooden picture frames.  Arlington’s Old Schwamb Mill may look austere on the outside, but inside, it’s a hive of industry. The complex of three wooden buildings, painted a muted red, is situated on the Mill Brook, just steps from the Minuteman bike trail. The mill gives off an aura of solidity and endurance – you immediately sense that it has quietly weathered many New England winters.  Inside, Old Schwamb is alive with the sound of turning gears and lathes. Elegant round and oval picture frames are created here, just as when Charles Schwamb first began operations in 1864.  Arlington has a long history of industry centered on mills dating back to Puritan days. The Mill Brook, which runs from the Great Meadow in Lexington through Arlington to the Mystic Lakes, drops more than 160 feet in 2.5 miles, producing a steady flow that has powered more than half a dozen mills over the centuries.  Built in 1861 on the foundations of a 17th-century mill, the Old Schwamb Mill is the oldest continuously operating mill site in the United States. Now a living history museum, it is open to the public Tuesdays and Saturdays. Visitors can stroll through its woodworking areas, where more than 90 windows let sunlight wash over wide-plank floors and fully operational antique machinery. Little has changed here since Civil War days. The mill still operates its original lathes. Visitors can watch wood turner David Graf craft frames, which can be purchased at the mill or special ordered.  Today, the Old Schwamb Mill hosts art exhibitions, concerts, lectures and wine tastings. From April 17 to June 5, the mill will show the prints of local artists Janet Campbell, Elizabeth Flemings and Olga Yakovleva. On May 15, historian Ed Gordon will give a talk on “Lost Mill Ponds of Arlington’s Mill Brook Valley,” followed by a wine tasting.  Old Schwamb Mill, 17 Mill Lane at 29 Lowell St., Arlington: (781) 643-0554, www.oldschwambmill.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Your Guide to Savoring Local Cuisine By Karen White

Savor Massachusetts can help you find artisan cheese like Lavender Bud from Westport’s Shy Brothers Farm.  When looking for a delicious alternative to the usual tourist spots, check in first with “Savor Massachusetts,” a culinary tourism initiative coordinated by the state Department of Agricultural Resources.  The Web site is a clearinghouse of what’s cooking across the state, whether it’s oysters in Wellfleet or wine in Westport. Want to find a back-roads farm offering fresh-baked goods, take a behind-the-scenes brewery tour, or pick your own corn? “Savor Massachusetts” details information on all sorts of good eats and regional delights.  “We really look at culinary experiences unique to Massachusetts,” said Julie Grimaldi, Mass Agriculture’s Culinary Tourism Director. “When you think, ‘culinary tourism,’ a lot of that is eating good food in restaurants. But it’s also finding that clam shack at the shore, or eating maple sugar sprinkled on snow. We try and capture those things.”  The initiative is an offshoot of the department’s agritourism efforts, she said. Several years ago, farmers – looking for sources of income aside from selling products to grocery brokers – began luring tourists to their farms by opening petting zoos, offering “U-Pick-It” programs, or opening restaurants or cafes that served their specialties.  A great relationship was born. Farms stayed viable, while food connoisseurs enjoyed the personal touch of staying at a bed-and-breakfast farm or chatting up recipes with local farmers at open-air marketplaces. It’s educational, too – kids can see firsthand “where food comes from.”  The latest trend is the “farm to table dinner,” where a top chef will visit a local farm and whip up a multi-course extravaganza. There are food festivals and roadside stands and maple sugarhouses serving stacks of steaming hot pancakes. Last summer, at least 16 farmers’ markets were listed in Bristol County alone. These and other eco-tourism activities – along with recipes, information on culinary educational offerings, and a downloadable Wine and Cheese Trail map – are all found on “Savor Massachusetts.”  “This site is for people willing to get in a car and go traveling, see something new, and have a cider donut at the end,” Ms. Grimaldi said. “After all, everyone likes to eat!”  Visit www.mass.gov/agr/markets/savor_massachusetts.htm. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Channel Your Inner Spider-Man By Julia Quinn-Szcesuil

Central Rock Gym offers three rock-climbing experiences.  When you walk into Central Rock Gym in Worcester, the first thing you’ll notice is your own size and how small you suddenly feel.  The towering walls, dotted with colorful hand and foot holds, curve and soar like a sheer-faced mountain around the 14,000-square-foot gym. But the spongy floor under your feet gives you a greater feeling of security than any mountain ever will.  Open since May, Central Rock Gym gives anyone from the merely curious to the training professional a chance to try some indoor rock climbing, with enough routes to accommodate all levels of experience.  According to climbing coach and route setter Josh Larson, the sport appeals to anyone looking for a bit of a challenge or wanting to try something new. The gym offers family nights (climbers must be 5 or older), college nights and birthday parties where little ones can unleash their inner Spider-Man.  Central Rock offers three types of climbing. Top rope climbing is done with two people, with one steadying the rope while the other climbs. Lead climbing allows professionals or those looking to train to climb all over the gym as they shift their rope from one attachment to another. In bouldering, there are no ropes, just bigger foot and hand holds to grab as you maneuver up and over sharply curved walls.  If you are a beginner, you must take a one-time, $15 class to learn technique and safety skills and pass a test ensuring you know how to tie the appropriate knots for safe climbing. The class takes about 30 minutes and is offered several times a day.  “Our motto is ‘Hang on, hang out,’” said Mr. Larson. “People will stay here for a few hours or all day. You can just stay until your arms give out.”  Central Rock Gym, 299 Barber Ave., Worcester: (508) 852-7625, www.centralrockgym.com. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Harvard’s Natural History Museum In the Midst of a Makeover By Karen White

A renovation has returned the Great Mammal Hall to its 19th-century splendor.  The romance and adventure inherent in big game hunting may be so 19th century, but the bison, pangolins, alpacas and armadillos in Harvard’s Mammal Hall are looking fit and fine after a 21st-century makeover.  Harvard’s Museum of Natural History is a wonderful little wisp of a museum, home to the world-famous glass flower collection, display cases stuffed with bright and chipper minerals, assorted dinosaur bones and fossils, and fun exhibits such as how animals communicate through skin color.  It’s also caretaker to about 500 taxidermy animal specimens, from tiny hummingbirds to a hefty hippopotamus – the sort of “frozen zoo” so popular with pre-technology generations. Today, it’s prized by researchers for its supply of 100-plus year old DNA.  Executive Director Elisabeth Werby said despite the ready supply of video and TV shows about the animal world, the museum’s collection is still a huge hit with people, particularly children.  There’s something special about standing next to a 15-foot giraffe or staring into the eyes of an actual Tasmanian Devil.  “You can look at our tiny bats – just how tiny is that? And you can see the colors, get a sense of mass, of muscle, of scale,” she said.  Many of those creatures recently emerged from a six-month restoration, part of a renovation of the museum’s showcase space, Mammal Hall.  Fur was vacuumed, eyeballs cleaned, cracking skin repaired. The entire room was painted a creamy white, old wooded shelving was replaced with elegant glass, LED lighting was installed.  New placards reflect current scientific classification of species, and because of that, some mammals found themselves moved into new family groupings.  The hall, returned to its 19th-century splendor, is a stylish display of nature’s extraordinary diversity, up close and beautifully lit.  From the balcony, it’s an eerie experience to look one of the three whale skeletons in the eye, to see how the edges of its baleen has been turned back like a used toothbrush.  Or to contemplate the sad expression on the chimpanzee, perhaps pondering the “critically endangered” status of his close-by cousin, a mountain gorilla. Future projects will tackle other specimen exhibits, some still enclosed in dark, narrow cases (one poor elephant is backed into a sleeve of a space) or sporting archaic “science.”  By 2011, the museum’s regal Alaskan moose, petite Virginia deer and Maine black bear will be showcased in a forest setting that speaks to the value of conservation, forest management and climate change.  “All our visitors are fascinated by the specimens,” Ms. Werby said. “This museum helps people to open their eyes to the natural world around them, and you don’t have to be a scientist to love it here.”  Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge: (617) 495-3045, www.hmnh.harvard.edu. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Tea Time in Boston Brings Touch of Class to Afternoon Routine By Mary Albon

Boston Park Plaza Hotel’s Swans Café hosts tea tastings in addition to its afternoon tea service.  In 1773, the Sons of Liberty dumped British tea into the Boston Harbor to protest taxation without representation, helping ignite the American Revolution.  In response, King George III allegedly declared: “Let them drink coffee.”  While Bostonians imbibe their fair share of java, today tea is back in fashion. Afternoon tea is a leisurely meal, typically including scones, finger sandwiches and an assortment of sweet treats.  Conducive to relaxed conversation, afternoon tea offers a pleasant setting for a business meeting, and a delightful way to celebrate special occasions — including Valentine’s Day.  The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel is plush and slightly masculine, with deep armchairs that would be at home in a private club.  The street-side windows offer a lovely view of the Public Garden, and when the weather is cool, taking tea near the large fireplace couldn’t be cozier. The stellar food features creative twists on traditional tea delicacies.  And keep a discreet eye out for celebrities; I once spotted Bob Dylan, dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, having tea at the Bristol.  At Swans Café at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, you can learn about tea while you drink it. With advance notice, a tea tasting can be arranged with Cynthia Gold, one of only a handful of tea sommeliers in the world.  Ms. Gold spent time in China observing how tea is grown and prepared, and she is eager to share her knowledge, guiding patrons through a series of teas ranging from ethereal white tea to earthy puerh.  Several menu items are made with tea, and Ms. Gold has also created unique tea-infused cocktails.  Tucked away inside the Boston Public Library is a hidden sanctuary for tea lovers.  The Courtyard Restaurant serves up a scrumptious afternoon tea in an atmosphere of refined elegance overlooking the serene Italianate courtyard at the heart of the library’s historic McKim building.  And no one will mind if you read while you eat.  The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St. Daily 3-4:15 p.m. Reservations: (617) 351-2037.  Swans Café at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 64 Arlington St. Fri.-Sun. 3-5 p.m. Reservations: (617) 654-1906.  The Courtyard Restaurant at the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St. Wed.-Fri. 2-4 p.m. Reservations: (617) 859-2251. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

In the ‘Kitchen’ with Cape Cod Beer By Karen White

Beth Marcus explains the finer points of brewing ales.  Don’t those “make your own beer” kits sound fun? Before messing up the kitchen, take a tour of the Cape Cod Beer brewery in Hyannis – you might decide to leave brewing beer to the experts and make cookies instead.  During the 90-minute tour run by Beth Marcus, business manager and co-owner of Cape Cod Beer, there’s talk about the art of roasting barley, how starch transforms into alcohol, and how one type of yeast provides the distinct taste of bananas and cloves.  Brewmasters must differentiate tiny differences in bitterness, flavor and aroma in countless varieties of hops. Terms like gravity (nothing to do with falling apples), wort and mash tuns fly about as Ms. Marcus explains what makes color and where the liquor actually comes from.  “There’s a whole lot of science that goes into the beer you’re drinking,” Ms. Marcus said. “I like to equate it to cooking. Most people don’t know the difference between store flour and King Arthur. With beer, most people can’t detect minute changes in color or taste – but we can. It’s a constant struggle – not just this year but this batch.”  Rather than feel overwhelmed, the small clan of beer aficionados that took the tour one January day seemed fascinated by her talk, nodding, asking questions and eagerly holding up their cups for another sample.  The microbrewery was open­ed six years ago by Beth’s husband, Todd Marcus, a professional brewer at the now-closed Highpoint Brewing Co. on Main Street. That first year he made the beer, packaged it, delivered it and sold it himself to 12 Cape customers.  Today, the firm has eight full-time and three part-time employees and a recently expanded facility on Phinney’s Lane, and provides beer to 400 restaurants and package stores from Plymouth to Provincetown.  Along with Todd’s original Cape Cod Red, a New England-style amber ale, the company’s menu includes the spicy India Pale Ale and the smooth Beach Blonde Ale, along with seasonal brew like Old Man Winter, Berry Merry Holiday Ale and Harvest Ale.  Why does Cape Cod Beer make only ales and not lagers? Ah, to learn that answer, you have to take the free tour, which runs at 11 a.m. Tuesdays and 1 p.m. Saturdays.  Cape Cod Beer, 1336 Phinney’s Lane, Hyannis: (508) 790-4200, www.capecod beer.com. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Art is Only Part of the Story at Hill-Stead By Michael DiGioia

The Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington boasts the impressive art collection of noted architect Theodate Pope Riddle.  The collection of art housed at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington is undoubtedly impressive. The paintings by Degas, Monet, and Whistler that adorn the walls here are worthy of the finest museums in the world.  But original works by these and other legendary figures represent only a portion of museum’s allure – it is also deeply rooted in the setting and story – a 33,000-square- foot estate once the home of noted Connecticut architect and art-collector Theodate Pope Riddle.  The estate, completed in 1901, illustrates the architectural skill of a woman ahead of her time. Partially inspired by George Washington’s Mount Vernon, every one of the many rooms in this charming Colonial Revival home was crafted with meticulous detail.  Most strikingly apparent, however, is the family’s devotion to art. Theodate and her parents, for whom the Hill-Stead was constructed, were avid collectors. Having spent significant time traveling abroad, many of the pieces seen on display were personally acquired by the family from some of the world’s most famous artists.  This passion underscored the basic theme for her blueprint – the art at the Hill-Stead would control the architecture of the home rather than the other way around.  Among the most well-known works inside the museum are “Dancers in Pink” by Degas, “Grainstacks, in Bright Sunlight” by Monet, and “Symphony in Violet and Blue” by Whistler. Visitors are also free to roam the estate’s pristine 152 acre grounds.  Whether your desire is a stroll through the garden or simply to enjoy the lush surrounding scenery outside, the Northern Connecticut landscape is a sight to behold.  Included with admission is a one hour guided tour of the home. During the tour, guests will be treated to stories about the art and Theodate’s remarkable life – from her survival aboard the ill-fated Lusitania sea-liner to her lifelong commitment to Avon Old Farms, a school she founded and designed.  For more information, visit www.hillstead.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Museum Tells Stories of People Who Shaped Blackstone Valley By Bryna René

A cotton-spinning machine is among the museum’s artifacts.  A visit to Woonsocket’s Museum of Work and Culture is a journey not only into Rhode Island’s industrial past, but also into the city’s rich Québécois heritage.  The museum is part of the historical sites and organizations that make up the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. Created through a partnership between the City of Woonsocket and the Rhode Island Historical Society, it attempts to preserve artifacts of the textile industry that once dominated downtown Woonsocket and the culture created by that industry.  “Whereas Slater Mill in Pawtucket preserves the actual mill setting, we’re focused on the lives of the workers,” said museum Co-Director Raymond Bacon. “Their story isn’t just about the mills: It’s about immigration, language, culture and the assimilation of a largely French Canadian population into American society.”  Spread over two floors of a historic building near the Blackstone and River Island Park, the museum is full of interesting and eclectic artifacts, which are displayed alongside life-sized models, artistic recreations and interactive game stations. The first floor exhibits explore the transition from agrarian to industrial lifestyle experienced by Canadian farm workers recruited to staff Woonsocket mills.  A replica of the façade of the Precious Blood Church leads into a small theater area, housing an early 20th-century mosaic donated by the Our Lady of Victories Church. Beyond, original textile machines, a manager’s desk and an authentic paymaster’s wallet depict daily life in the mills. Games and interactive displays are scattered throughout.  A tour of the second floor begins with baseball memorabilia. “Playing in the mill leagues gave workers a sense of spirit, and mill owners took great pride in the success of their teams,” Mr. Bacon said. “For some, baseball was a way of assimilating: no matter where you came from, as long as you played baseball, you were an American.”  Next is a recreation of a sitting room from a triple-decker, which will remind many of their mémère’s house; among the furnishings are a working Gramophone and a restored upright piano. A walk through the Slater Club and a bilingual parochial classroom leads visitors to Union Hall, a replica of the 1931 International Textile Union meeting hall.  Throughout the museum, visitors can listen to recorded monologues and conversations. These range from an account of life in a tenement to treatises on child labor and mill management issues. Mr. Bacon wrote a number of these monologues; former mill workers or their descendants recorded others.  “Many of our visitors really identify with these stories because they, or their family members, went through similar situations themselves,” Mr. Bacon said. “They were part of this history.”  The museum receives many of its materials from local donors and maintains a public depository. Other artifacts come from the Rhode Island Historical Society.  The Museum of Work and Culture, 42 South Main St., Woonsocket: (401) 769-9675, www.ci.woonsocket.ri.us/museum.htm. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Spot Bald Eagles in Natural Habitat By Megan Suslavich

A bald eagle at Shepaug Dam in Connecticut.  When you think of bald eagles, do you think of them living only in the vast wilderness of Colorado and Alaska?  You may be surprised to know Connecticut has two of the best spots in the country to watch eagles in their winter habitat, along the Housatonic River at the Shepaug Dam Bald Eagle Observation Area in Southbury and on the Connecticut River aboard the RiverQuest.  Braving a cold day last January, my family and I were among nearly 4,000 people that year to visit Shepaug Dam. Volunteers from The Nature Conservancy helped us spot a group of juvenile and adult bald eagles perched high in the treetops. As if on cue for our amusement, one swooped down to scoop up a large fish. That’s when we learned that the birds have an appealing winter habitat at the dam because the hydroelectric station’s operation prevents the water from freezing and supplies a ready food source of fish.  Adventure-worthy travelers who enjoy the combination of sailing and wildlife-watching will love the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Ecotravel “Eagle Viewing Boat Tours.” Departing out of Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, the RiverQuest is staffed by naturalists who guide and educate travelers about the eagle population as it continues to rebound from near-extinction just a few years ago. Along the way, there are other types of birds and wildlife to spot, which makes the trip a unique experience every time you go.  A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales help the bald eagle by supporting the Connecticut Audubon Society’s conservation, protection and educational programs. Don’t forget to dress warmly and bring your camera and binoculars for a close-up view. Heated cabins and outdoor decks for optimal viewing assure you will have the best seat in the house.  Shepaug Dam Bald Eagle Observation Area is open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday through mid-March. Admission is free, but reservations must be made in advance. Call (800) 368-8954 or visit www.firstlightpower.com or www.shepaugeagles.info.  The RiverQuest’s Eagle Cruises depart at 10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. They run through March 21. Tickets cost $40. Call (860) 767-0660 or (800) 996-8747 or visit www.ctriverexpeditions.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Curious George Comes to the Hub By Karen White

Curious George’s creators were Cambridge residents.  Curious George, that mischievous scalawag of book and PBS television fame, is swinging into the Boston Children’s Museum in a fun, new exhibit that’s all about learning.  From Feb. 7 to June 6, “troublemakers” of all ages can indulge their inner monkey in “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!”  “The staying power of the Curious George stories is that he’s clever,” said Gail Ringer, the museum’s Vice President of Exhibits. “We find it delightful that he gets into scrapes, but figures things out on his own.” There’s plenty here for kids to figure out – from puzzles to matching games to working with light and shadow. Familiar places from Curious George’s world – a city park, a construction site, a farm, a space rocket – provide colorful settings where kids can play with pulleys, putt a golf ball, weigh fruit in a sidewalk stand or experiment with windmills and whirligigs.  Pre-schoolers will enjoy putting on a uniform or shopkeeper outfit and engaging in some imaginary role-playing, while elementary school-aged kids can design and build structures with the help of a giant, movable crane.  “What’s great about this exhibit is the huge variety of things to do, to create and build, to climb and explore,” Ms. Ringer said. “It looks like playing, but there’s a lot of learning going on. Basically, the educational point of the exhibit is to develop science and engineering skills.”  Included is a mini-museum of Curious George memorabilia that tells how authors H.A and Margret Rey escaped from Europe during World War II and came to create one of the most beloved children’s characters of all time. In fact, Ms. Ringer said, people who knew Margret, a long-time Cambridge resident, say she shared a mischievous streak with her imaginary friend. But curiosity can be a good thing, especially if it leads to learning and growing.  “That’s the general idea of the exhibit – that Curious George learns by doing,” Ms. Ringer said. “He messes around, gets into a little trouble, but develops great problem solving skills along the way.”  Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston: (617) 426-6500, www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Get the Picture at Rockwell Museum By Judith Lerner

In “Behind the Camera,” see the photo that Rockwell used for “Girl in the Mirror.”  A young girl in a summery white dress sits in front of a mirror pondering more than her face — you can tell. Teenagers gather around a soda fountain flirting and pouting. A policeman and a little boy sit on lunch counter stools, conferring.  “Girl in the Mirror.” “Soda Fountain.” “The Runaway.” We all know these instantly as Norman Rockwell illustrations.  How come we remember them so vividly? How did he do it? How did he capture that moment?  “Behind the Camera,” which runs through May 31 at the Norman Rockwell Museum, pairs familiar and some unfamiliar paintings with the reference photographs he carefully staged, revealing the artist as director.  Rockwell was interested in showing the America he knew and observed, and he was a perfectionist.  “Behind the Camera” illuminates the way he worked and developed. By the mid-1930s he began posing friends, neighbors — and often himself — hamming and hiring photographers to shoot his compositions.  Rockwell would scout locations, find props and choose the models, then position and direct everything — but a photographer snapped the shutter. Photographs freed him to focus on and offer up the fleeting movement, nuance, detail.  In “Behind the Camera” a photo of the real girl looking into the mirror hangs below the painting. Sections cut from photos are pieced together on the wall beside “Soda Fountain” to show us Rockwell’s creative process. “I love to tell stories in pictures,” Rockwell said.  He did just that: told complete stories in a single image, and we still want to “read” those stories.  “Norman Rockwell was a natural storyteller with an unerring eye for detail,” said Stephanie Plunkett, the museum’s Deputy Director. “This exhibition shows how that narrative instinct found its first expression in the artist’s meticulously composed photographs.”  Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge: (413) 298-4100, visit www.nrm.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Stand in the Center of the Earth By Mary Albon

Step inside the world, circa 1934, at the Mapparium.  Like many avid travelers, I am fascinated by maps.  Maps set me dreaming about future journeys, conjuring up enchanting images of places I’ve never been, or prompting happy memories of cities and countries I love. If you love maps as much as I do, please take note: Boston is home to the ultimate destination for cartophiles — the Mapparium.  Enter this three-story stained-glass globe, and you find yourself standing at the center of the Earth. Constructed of 608 brilliant glass panels illuminated by more than 200 LED light fixtures that can produce up to 16 million colors, the Mapparium is as vivid and radiant as the windows in a medieval cathedral — and just as awe-inspiring. From the middle of the 30-foot acrylic bridge that spans the interior, you can see every part of our planet from the inside out.  Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010, the Mapparium was conceived and built in the midst of the Great Depression. Its design reflects the political realities of its time: Based on the 1934 Rand McNally world map, the Mapparium presents a world of empires that have since collapsed and disappeared.  The Soviet Union sprawls across Eurasia, Germany extends into Eastern Europe, and Africa is a patchwork of European colonies. Compared with contemporary maps that take into account advances in cartography, the Mapparium’s scale also can be surprising; for example, Greenland looks as big as South America, yet in reality it is only one-eighth the continent’s size.  The Mapparium is a historic artifact, but it is also a work of art, and there is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world. A visit includes a multimedia presentation, “A World of Ideas,” which uses light and color to shows how ideas have the power to connect people and change the shape of the world — including bringing down empires.  Mapparium, Mary Baker Eddy Library, 200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston: (617) 450-7000, www.marybakereddylibrary.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

High-Tech Patriots Hall Makes Math & Science Fun for Kids By Brandie M. Jefferson

“In the Numbers” teaches kids math through an interactive, football-themed game.  When you think educational field trips, what comes to mind? Museums? Aquariums?  “We want to be in that rotation for schools,” Bryan Morry said, sitting in his Foxborough office. Behind him, a window frames Gillette Stadium.  Mr. Morry is the Executive Director of The Hall at Patriot Place, Presented by Raytheon, and he wants to teach kids. About football? Well, yes. Mr. Morry does get a little excited when it comes to the game. But with “The Physics of Football” sitting atop his bookshelf, it’s obvious he’s got more in mind than tossing a pigskin.  The Hall is on its way to establishing itself as a destination education museum, not a “graveyard of artifacts,” as Mr. Morry put it. It’s a modern, shiny, interactive example of the awesome power of science.  In “In the Numbers,” kids – and adults – compete at touch-screen kiosks, answering questions about football statistics, basic math and word problems. A correct answer advances your player on a large screen in front of the kiosks. The winner is greeted with congrats and words of wisdom from an onscreen Patriots player.  “We’re really fortunate to have Raytheon involved,” Mr. Morry said. According to Raytheon, a defense contractor children start to lose interest in math and science once they reach middle school.  The collaboration’s aim is to show children that “things they love involve science,” Mr. Morry said. “Including football.”  So far, it’s been a success. The Hall opened in September 2008 and since has had more than 110,000 visitors, including nearly 10,000 kids on field trips. Teachers can visit the Hall in advance to tailor a trip that fits the class’ lesson plan and the state’s education standards.  And the education team can arrange for guests – word is, they have an “in” with a local sports team. After reading his book, one school group was surprised by an appearance by Tedy Bruschi.  “The kids were ecstatic,” Mr. Morry said.  You don’t have to be a member of a school group to get the educational benefits of the Hall.  Anyone can make their way through the exhibits, along the way kicking footballs, getting into the middle of a huddle, standing under a rain of confetti or hanging out in a replica of the swank Patriots locker room.  The Hall of Fame exhibit consists of four 30-foot pylons. In front of each is a kiosk; flip through the players’ stats, videos and other information while the player’s image is displayed on the pylon using high-tech, non-reflective digital ink. It uses 20 to 30 percent less energy than LCD would, according to Mr. Morry.  In fact, the entire Hall is a showcase to the cool things that math and science can accomplish.  Children have no choice but to leave with an idea of the awesome things technology is capable of.  AAA members save 10 percent off adult general admission to The Hall (up to six per party) when they show their AAA cards.  For information, visit www.patriot-place.com/thehall. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Hopes & Dreams at Cape JFK Museum By Karen White

The Hyannis museum honors JFK through personal photos.  Greeting visitors at the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis is an oversized photo of nine brothers and sisters in matching striped bathing suits, each a stair-step shorter than the last. Their grins hold the promise of the future, one of big dreams and ambitions woven by father Joseph.  The story of how many of those ambitions were realized — and how so many dreams dissipated in tragedy — is left to other museums. This small Main Street museum isn’t the whole history book but simply a front-page dedication – from JFK to his beloved Cape Cod.  Photographs are the main medium; captions are to the point. Instead of facts, it’s a feeling of JFK that visitors get – this was Jack, summer of ’62, wind-blown hair, squinting into the sun, smiling.  These were the days when locals kept up with the latest fashions by spying on Jacqueline as she exited St. Francis Xavier Church. There’s Carolyn, sticking out her tongue, riding a pony, and John Jr. pretending to drive a car, feet dangling mid-air. And photos of sailing, always sailing, as if the family lived on the waters of Nantucket Sound instead of in the expansive compound perched ashore.  The docent will happily talk about how celebrations for Rose’s birthday were held on the beach, how many rooms are in the main house, how cousin Maria Shriver and hubby Schwarzenegger this summer had coffee across the street when Ethel was in the hospital. The famous couple had to sneak out the back, but the curious were there for him, not her. Hyannis folk generally leave the Kennedys alone, she said. Always have.  The John F. Kennedy Museum is a snapshot of a man without cares, without pain — finding peace and relaxation, as so many do, along the shores of Cape Cod.  For info, call (508) 790-3077, or visit www.jfkhyannismuseum.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Higgins: Marvelous, Medieval Museum By Karen White

Worcester’s Higgins Armory Museum is home to one of the nation’s top three armory collections.  How did I not know this place existed? Me, a “Lord of the Rings,” Arthurian-legend, Hogwarts-lovin’ geek who can’t get enough of the Black Plague or the Black Knight – how in Merlin’s beard had I never visited the Higgins Armory Museum?  This gem not only contains a marvelous display of authentic suits of armor and weaponry of all kinds, but also presents it in a reproduction of a Medieval castle’s grand hall.  The owner of Higgins Pressed Steel opened the museum in 1931 to show his growing collection. Insides, knights are frozen mid-joust, and workers delicately feather-brush the gleaming suits lest a hint of dust mars their magnificence.  Even with one of the country’s top three armory collections – from Corinthian helmets circa 550 to gladiator-era Roman garb – the best thing the museum possesses is a sense of fun. On special days, fully clad knights somersault down the halls to demonstrate the armor’s flexibility, or sauntering Imperial Stormtroopers compare a 15th-century suit with their own.  Children play with giant chess pieces and squint through the visors of replication helms. Want to learn to talk like a pirate or brandish an ax like a Viking? The Higgins offers that, plus all-night gaming sessions, a Festival of Ale and audience-participation combat drills.  A new exhibit features the elusive (and imaginary) Professor Rufus Excalibur Bell. Amid packing crates and field journals are the oddities he’s collected on travels around the globe – dragonheads and shrunken goblins, boggarts and fairies and The Golden Fleece.  Education Director Devon Kurtz isn’t surprised I didn’t know about the Higgins. “We don’t want to be a secret anymore,” he said. “What makes this so much fun is not just the true history, but the stories and mythology of it all. We get excited about it, and want people to share in our excitement.”  Higgins Armory Museum: 100 Barber Ave., Worcester, 508-853-6015, www.higgins.org. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

Try Your Hand at Disc Golf in Easton By Karen White

In this game, the object is to get the disc into the basket.  I was hiking at Borderland State Forest when I noticed a curious metal basket stuck on a pole on a hillside. Odd, I thought. Was it a place to tie up a horse? Some kind of unusual bird nesting spot?  Turns out there’s a golf course at Borderland, but rather than Titleist and nine irons, this golf is played with hard rubber flying discs. Get the Frisbee in the basket – it’s like getting the ball in the cup. Except you don’t play with Frisbees, as my family found out one day – aiming a few practice shots, the Frisbee struck the metal basket and flopped down with a huge chunk out of its circumference.  We might have been amateurs, but that didn’t stop us from having loads of fun. Borrowing a few authentic discs from the park rangers (they collect lost ones), we set out on this 18 “hole” course. Immediately, the frustrations became clear.  Some holes weave through dense forest, where trees try their best to get in the way of every throw, others through lush meadows, where tall grasses work to camouflage wayward discs.  Every hole has two options, white or blue tees: the whites are shorter and easier, say, 430 feet vs. 910 feet. Signage at each tee shows you about where the basket is – sometimes you can spot it through the trees, sometimes not. Sometimes, the disc bounces off a rock into prickly underbrush or lands in a stream.  It wasn’t long before we understood why the other golfers, who could whip their discs in a straight line, carried professional-looking bags stuffed with a dozen brightly colored discs. Not only are there specific discs – “drivers,” for instance, and “putters” – but they don’t have to stop playing if the underbrush swallows one.  We didn’t stop either, despite losing our way to Hole 3, getting chased by a friendly dog and routinely scoring eights and nines on Par 3s. All I wanted was to return the borrowed discs and have a great family day in the outdoors – which we did. Fore!  The course is open 8 a.m. to sunset. Park admission is $2 per car. Visit www.mass.gov/drc/parks/borderland or call (508) 238-6566. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

On the Trail of Cranberries in Foxboro By Brandie M. Jefferson

An olfactory oasis awaits at the Ocean Spray cranberry bog, located behind Bass Pro Shop at Patriot Place.  All of a sudden, it’s quiet. No shoot’em up games, no golden oldies, and no sounds of feet shuffling around the floor.  And it smells different. It smells like outside; like plants and standing water – but not the putrid kind – and flowers all rolled into one olfactory treat.  There’s no whiff of gasoline in the breeze, and the shade doesn’t come from buildings. It’s that dynamic shade, shifting as branches move in the wind. Where am I? Within the sprawling Patriot Place complex in Foxboro. No, really? Yes. Really.  The Nature Trail and Cranberry Bog at Patriot Place sits behind the Bass Pro Shop. Walk through the store – stop at the Educational Aquarium, a collaboration with the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife, where you can see more than 400 native New England fish.  If you can take your eyes off the walleye, turn around. A two-story observation window looks out over the bog. Spotting scopes (for sale) let you take a closer look. But for the best view, walk through the Blue Fin Lounge, off the patio, and head to the water.  The bog, sponsored by Ocean Spray, is the last working cranberry bog in Foxboro.  Signs along the path to the bog talk a bit about the history of the tart berry (native to the United States); give practical information about farming the berries (they’re harvested late September to early November); and explain the unusual way the fruit is grown.  Along the way, keep an eye out for turtles – they’re tiny, but plentiful — dragonflies of exceptional size and flora unique to the bog landscape. And a word of advice, two, actually: bug spray.  After the bog, the trail proper begins. It’s a half-mile of wood chips with an average grade of 3 percent, reaching 12 percent in places. This is where you’ll see the bigger animals; deer, swans, Canadian geese, foxes and others. The trail is open daily dawn to dusk; access is free. BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE