Sarasota Classic Car Museum – Historical Place That Will Get Your Engine Going

On November 3 1911 Louis Chevrolet founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company was founded in Detroit, Michigan. According to carsfresh.net, the Chevy Silverado is the 2^nd bestselling car in America in the month of August.

Without cars people wouldn’t have the freedom to go where ever or whenever they wanted. At the Sarasota Classic Car Museum in Florida which according to sarasotacarmuseum.org holds over 100 automobiles consisting of the alphabet of the world’s foremost automobile manufacturers; Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Cadillac, DeLorean, Edsel and Ferrari are just to name a few of the exquisite examples of automotive craftsmanship.

“What a fantastic collection of classic cars. The museum has a real mix of vintage and classic US models and a smattering of UK and European exhibits and some celebrity cars.” said Highlinder1606 a user of tripadvisor.com.

The celebrity cars that visitors can see are John Lennon’s 1965 Mercedes Benz, Paul McCartney’s Mini Cooper and two dragsters that belonged to Don Garlits. If you are interested in Rolls Royce brand of cars, the museum has John and Mable Ringling’s collection.

A Beatles fan talks about McCartney’s Mini Cooper. He also suggests that other fans might want to see the cars too.

“In fact, on the night Paul McCartney met Linda McCartney for the first time, this was the car he drove her home in. Anyone with an interest in The Beatles will want to see these cars and they are very nicely presented at the museum.” said BeatlesFanFCB a user of tripadvisor.com.

According to sarasotacarmuseum.org, the gift shop has rare collectables, unique exhibits and hard-to-find automotive books. The gift shop also has a camera collection for people have an interest in them.

Hours of Operation: Monday through Sunday 9:00 a.m. until 6:00p.m. The Museum is closed on Christmas Day.

Ticket admission: Adult- $9.85, Seniors (62+ years) - $8.50, Child (6-12 years) - $6.50, Child (5 and under)- free

Group Rates: Adult- $7.85, Seniors (62+ years) - $6.50, Child (6-12 years)-$5.00, Child (5 and under)- free. For annual passes prices visit sarasotacarmuseum.org.

Here is a You Tube video of the museum

Newseum – Step inside the world of Journalism

October is coming to an end and November 2 is the anniversary of when the BBC television service was launched. News television stations give a reason for people to come together to find out what’s going in this crazy world.

Have you ever wondered how long news has been around? Well the Newseum located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., Newseum.org states that this museum of news offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.   

“This Museum is for anyone who enjoys history and is looking for a different kind of museum.” said USMC1775 a user of tripadvisor.com.

The museum’s website has a video that shows the top 10 things to see there. You can also see other exhibits such as News Corporation News history gallery. The gallery has a timeline that shows a group of historic newspapers and magazines and in between these timeline are 10 touch screens where you can play games, or look at a database of journalists or see up-close a hundred publications.

Another exhibit you can see is Time Warner World News Gallery. According to newseum.org, in this gallery, a large map vividly illustrates the stark differences in press freedom around the world. There are front pages of newspapers, feeds from international television that shows the enthusiasm of news and the different ways that it’s covered. You also get to read about journalists who have risked their lives.

“The Newseum offers an amazing view of history through pictures, articles, and artifacts.” said MeantToBe521 a user of tripadvisor.com.

Trying to figure out if you should make changes to a picture or if you should use an anonymous source in a story are hard decisions to make. Do you think you know what is ethical and unethical in the journalism world? Well put yourself to the test. The Bancroft Family Ethics Center an interactive booth that lets you confront decisions that reporters have to make every day.

Hours of Operation: The Newseum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day

 Ticket Admission: Adults (19 to 64) - $21.95 plus tax, Seniors (65+), military and students with valid ID-$17.95 plus tax, Youth (7 to 18)-$12.95 plus tax,Children (6 and younger)-Free,  Family Four Pack (two adults and two youth visitors)-$49.95 plus tax Family Four Pack tickets are available only at the admissions desk.

the Berlin Wall

communcation tower that was on to of the World Trade Center

John F. Kennedy Space Center- Discover your Inner Space Geek

The New York Times reports “Next month, engineers will meet at NASA headquarters in Washington to discuss how propellant depots could be used to reach farther into space and make possible more ambitious missions using the heavy-lift rocket that NASA is planning to build.”

Without the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Orlando Fla., a human being would have never been able to go to place like the moon. Visiting this place you’ll get insight into space exploration and step back in time experiencing the history seeing historical sites and the astronauts who risk their lives going into space.

According to kennedyspacecenter.com, it offers two tours KSC Up-close tour and Cape Canaveral: Now and Then tour. KSC Up-close tour visitors go inside the Vehicle Assembly Building where visitors can walk along the Transfer Aisle that brings components of rockets between buildings four High Bay and they might get to see a space shuttle orbiter being completed for display. The admission price is $25 adult, $19 per child (ages 3-11) plus tax, in addition to admission.

 “It is worth doing it though to see the launch assembly building, the launch site and the trawlers that transport the rockets/shuttles to the actual launch pad.” said 57Lulu a user for tripadvisor.com

On the Canaveral: Now and Then tour you get to see the launch complex of the first two Mercury launches. There is also an Air Force Space & Missile Museum where you learn about early space exploration. The admission price is $21 adult/$15 per child (ages 3-11) plus tax, in addition to admission.

If you go to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, you will see artifacts and exhibits of memorabilia that honor astronaut’s accomplishments such as Wally Schirra's Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft. Kennedyspacecenter.com states you can experience the G-force Trainer which creates the pressure of four times the force of gravity, and a space shuttle landing simulation.

“We checked out the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Lots more educational displays, but a lot of kids hands on displays that you would find in a kids science museum.” said Boatingfamily a user of tripadvisor.com. 

Hour of operation: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open daily, except December 25 and certain launch days. Current operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Ticket admission: Kennedy Space Center $43 adult, $33 child (ages 3-11) plus tax. The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is $20 adult, $16 child (ages 3-11) plus tax.

Garden of Rockets

National Museum of the US Air Force – Go Back in Time of War

Today is the anniversary of the first use of an aircraft in war. During the Italo-Turkish war, Italian pilot Carlo Piazza made a exploration flight from Benghazi, Libya to observe Turkish army lines. If you have an interest in war planes, the National Museum of the U.S Air Force in Dayton Ohio is a historical place you’re going to want to see. The museum shows visitors the process of the modern day planes to space technology.

“Get there early and sign up for a tour of the presidential annex were they have several Air Force One’s. The day I was there I was able to walk through four of them including JFK’s and Truman’s and that was very cool.” said cygnusx112 a user of tripadvisor.com.

This museum is huge with many interesting exhibits. You can start your exploring with the Early Years Gallery. Here you get insight into the transformational era, seeing exhibits and artifacts from the time of the Wright brothers and their colleagues through World War I and World War II. Nationalmuseum.af.mil has a list of links about the exhibits, aircrafts, engines, and weapons. Other exhibit of planes that they have on display and from World War II, Korean War, Southeast Asia, and cold war.

“I hate to fly but . . . I LOVE AIRPLANES! They are beautiful and sleek! This is the BEST airplane museum I have ever been to. There are so many planes I have had to go back a couple of times just to see all of them.” said Keelin C a user of yelp.com.

The missile and space exhibit of the museum opened to the public in 2004. According to nationalmuseum.af.mil, the exhibit is contained in a silo-like structure that stands 140 feet high and you can see missiles such as the Titan I and II and Jupiter from ground level or can take in an aerial view from an elevated platform that hugs the inside circumference of the gallery.

The museum also has a memorial park. Here the museum honors Air Force units, people who lost their lives for the cause of freedom. In October 1972, the museum dedicated the first memorial with a commemorative tree and plaque recognizing Americans held as Prisoners of War by the North Vietnamese and those missing in action during the Southeast Asia Conflict according to nationalmuseum.af.mil.

Hour of operation: The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Some museum exhibits have special hours. The 8th Air Force Control Tower and Nissen Hut, located in the Air Park, are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The Presidential and R&D Galleries are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Ticket admission: Admission to the museum is FREE. here is a You Tube video of the museum.

Edison & Ford Winter Estate- Honor the Inventor Who Brightened the World

Tomorrow is the anniversary of Thomas Edison death. Without Edison’s inventions of electricity and the light bulb we would be living in the dark and wouldn’t have the technology we have today. Edison & Ford Winter Estate in Fort Myers, Fla., honors the lives and works of Edison and his close friend Henry Ford who invented automobiles.

The complete estates tour offer visitors to explore the inventor’s homes, gardens, research laboratory and museum. There also audio tours, so visitors can take time exploring this historical site and it is in different languages for everyone to enjoy.

“This attraction/museum is not to be missed. I can't believe it took me so long to finally visit, but I can honestly say this is one place that is worth the price of admission.” said jandc5744 a user of tripadvsior.com.

In the museum’s main gallery you will find some Edison’s inventions such as the telegraph, telephone, x-ray machine and Thomas Edison's original custom made Model T that was a gift from Henry Ford according to edisonfordwinterestates.org. There are also movie projectors, phonographs, nickelodeons. 

Edison’s main house according to edisonfordwinterestates.org  the original design included a kitchen and dining room in the north wing. In 1906 the Edison's had this part of the house remodeled to serve as family bedroom suites. It also has a library, study, and Edison’s den. You can also see the guest house, care taker house and the pool complex.

What I remember most about my visit to this historical place is seeing the automobiles that Ford built. It’s amazing to see how much cars have changed since his time.

“I didn't know much about Ford and Edison. WOW! Amazing, beautiful, educational, fun! The tour guides and volunteers are amazing and excited to be there.” said shovo59 a user of tripadvisor.com.

Because of the increase in the price of rubber, Edison wanted to find the local source of rubber from a latex (a white milky sap) producing plant according edisonfordwinterestates.org. The laboratory still has the same equipment that Edison used for his rubber research.

Hour of operation: Open daily 9 p.m.- 5:30 p.m.

 Ticket admission:  Adults- $20.00, Children- (ages 6-12) $11.00, Children- (ages 5 and under) Free.

There is a video of the estate on You Tube

Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame Museum- The History of Music

Nytimes.com reports that today actor Richard Gere will sale his collection of more than 100 guitars at Christie’s. He started buying guitars when he was a teenager. Guitar shops became a place for Gere to hide out while on movie locations. If you are into guitars like Gere, an interesting place to visit is the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio because vistors can explpore the history about their favorite band or artists as well as see instruments and costumes that belonged to them.

"Went to the "Rock" and spent the day. It has great interactive areas to really enjoy the history of Rock music.” said Happy TravlerDavie a user of tripadvisor.com.

Rockhall.com highlights the exhibits that the museum displays. One of the exhibits is about the Beatles. You and other visitors can see John Lennon’s Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar, George Harrison’s Rickenbacker 425 electric guitar, and the clothes they wore. Another exhibit is Johnny Cash’s tour bus.

“This is the one place in Cleveland you cannot miss! From the early days of rock to the modern era, the memorabilia is amazing. Clothing, instruments, songbooks, posters, everything you can imagine. There are videos everywhere that give historical notes to each era shown, and music kiosks all over where you can sit down and listen to the greatest music ever, and do it all day long.” said barrythewombat a user of tripadvisor.com.

You can find artifacts the museum puts on spotlight on rockhall.com. Some of the artifacts are:

·         Cash’s acoustic guitar(1943)

·         Joe Strummer of The Clash Electric guitar(1966)

·         “Purple Haze” handwritten song by Jimi Hendrix

·         Michael Jackson’s white glove

If you love Rock n’ Roll and want to learn the history then the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame is the place you want to see. This is as close to Rock n’ Roll history you can get. There is one downside to the museum NO PHOTOGRAPHY can be taken inside except for the lobby. Here is a YouTube video of the museum.

Hours of operation: Open every day 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.(Wednesday until 9 p.m.)

Ticket admission: Adult- $22, Greater Cleveland Residence- $18(440, 441, 442 or 443 zip codes with ID), Seniors(65+)/Military- $17 (with ID), Children(9-12)- $13, Children(8 and under)- Free

Computer History Museum-Remembers Steve Jobs

Hours of operation: Wednesdays- Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ticket Admission:  General- $15, students, seniors and active military- $12

Recently in the news the creator of Apple Steve Jobs died from pancreatic cancer. people who are saddend by his deatg went to the Computer History Muesum in Mountainview California where is work is on display. This museum honors the creativity of past computer geniuses. A vistior placed flowers on top of a Macintosh  Vistors will find older computers then Apple.

“It starts simple with an abacus, and then scales up to the giant computers of old that were business/government only, and ends in the modern age. Gamers will get a kick out of seeing the video game section (I didn't feel bad that I could identify all of the consoles based on where I first played them) and the robots/toys are interesting too.” said Craig D a user of yelp.com.

According to computerhistory.org visitors can learn about the first Babbage Engine in general to calculate the value of a polynomial that uses addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This engine only uses addition to do the calculation. When a polynomial is known then the rest is calculated by repeated addition.

 “Make sure to take one of their free tours - they last about 40 minutes and I was skeptical at first, since ours started a bit slow, but at the end I wished it could have been twice as long. You'll learn things not written on any of the story panels and it's a good way to get introduced to the museum so you can explore more efficiently on your own later.” said Elena E. a user of yelp.com.

Visitors can also learn what it takes to design computer software for the game of chess. They can also listen to chest pioneers and watch video of the 1997 chess match between BMI’s Deep Blue and World Champion Garry Kasparov according to computerhistory.org.

 “One thing that makes this museum great is that is has pretty much every major device in the history of computer, gaming, and robotics. You're bound to find a device that you remember from years gone by, whether you're 20 years old or 60.” said Kathryn B. a user of yelp.com

Without the many inventions of computers and Steve Jobs we wouldn’t have the technology we have today. I found a YouTube video showing some of the computers the museum has on display I hope you enjoy.                                                                                                                                                

Ernest Hemingway House – Step Inside His Life and Meet the Cats

Key West Florida is the home of a famous writer Ernest Hemingway.  Hemingway’s home in Key West was turned into a museum and visitors can step inside his life.

"I had high expectations for Hemingway House and they were met. It was historic, interesting, the cats were cute, and it was a memorable experience for my wife and in-laws.” said PKVA a user of tripadvisor.com.

 Hemingway was given a six-toed cat by a ship captain according to hemingwayhome.com. The museum houses other six-toed cats. These cats are the offspring of Hemingway’s cat.  

“Since I am a huge cat lover, it only made sense to check this place out. The house and grounds were in really great shape. The tour guide was extremely helpful and shared some interesting tidbits about Hemingway.” said NYCexplorer_24 a user of tripadvisor.com.

Hemingway’s interior is decorated with antiques furniture which he gathered all through Europe. There are also his trophy mounts and animal skins that he received in Africa states trustedtours.com.    

 Some of the rooms visitors will see is his studio where he wrote all his books on his typewriter, his kitchen, his bedroom. Just outside the house is his pool.

 “This beautiful home and its grounds is full of history about one of our greatest American authors. The furniture, paintings and decorations are original from the Earnest Hemingway period.” said ghartford a user of tripadvisor.com.

Every July in Key West the Hemingway Look-a-like Society honors the writer by having a contest to see who look like him. The event is held at Sloppy Joe’s. This year’s winner was Matt Gineo.

Hour of operation: the museum is open 365 days a year from 9 a.m.-5p.m.

Ticket admission: General- Adult- $ 12.50, Child- $6, Child (under 5) - Free

Group- Adult- $10, Child-$6, Child (under 5) – Free.

Here is a video of the Ernest Hemingway house.

   

Salem Witch Museum- History of the Salem Witch Trials

Hours of operation: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in July and August.

 Ticket admissions: Adult- $9, Senior Citizen- $7.50, Children- $6

The Salem Witch Museum in Massachusetts offers visitors to learn about the Salem Witch Trials. In 1692 men and women were accused of being witches. People in that time were stoned to death or hanged.

 “Once we were all seated in the darkened room, the events of 1692 were told in a recorded presentation and different parts of the exhibit were lit up as each topic or scene was covered by the audio.” said Thrunderchief a user of tripadvisor.com  

 According to salemwitchmuseum.com they have an exhibit called Witches: Evolving Perceptions. This exhibit explores the changing understanding of what a witch is. There are pictures of witches on the wall from stories or movies. Then they have figures such as a mid-wife and a hag that both talk about their roles in society.

 “I enjoyed my tour very much. I agree, the props are a bit dated, but the information learned was well worth it. Really helped us understand what took place in Salem in 1692.” said Nattie_11 a user of tripadvisor.com.

 In different parts of Salem there are various sites that people can visit that have to do with the witch trials. Visitors can be in the actual spot where the events took place in 1692.

 According to salemwitchmuseum.com Jonathan Corwin House is a site where Corwin was in charge of many of the witchcraft assessments. He later was a part of the Court of Oyer and Terminer.

 Another site people can visit is Summit of Gallows Hill. This spot is where Charles W. Upham chose to execute those accused of witchcraft my hanging them on a tree.

 People who may not believe in witches may change their minds after visiting Salem. Historical places can open minds to a different point of view never thought of before.

Summit of Gallows Hill scene in the museum.

Ford’s Theater- the Historical Place where President Lincoln was Assassinated

Hours of operation: Thefordstheater.org has a list of monthly schedules when both the theater is open.

Ticket admission:  $2.50 for individuals, $2 per person that makes reservations through Group Sales Office.

The Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C offers visitors the opportunity to learn about that tragic day on April 15, 1865 when Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth. The Ford’s Theater also has a museum.

“This is a great piece of history that everyone should visit.” said LSMorales a user of tripadvisor.com.

I went to the Ford’s Theater in 5^th grade when I went on my Washington Patrol trip. A National Park Ranger tell the visitors all about the days leading up to the president's Assassination. The president’s box is decorated with a banner of an American flag design. A picture of Lincoln hangs on the President’s box.

I also remember that outside in front of the theater there is a tree covered in pennies. I found this to be a pretty interesting way to remember the president.

According to thefordstheater.org  in the museum visitors can learn more about:

·         Lincoln’s cabinet.

·         What life was like living in the white house.

·         Civil War Milestones and generals.

·         Lincoln’s great speeches

·         The assassination conspiracy.

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“The theater is a very educational stop, especially important for the youth of today.” said AKUS a user of tripadvisor.com.

Thefordstheater.org lists the exhibits that are displayed in the museum such as:

·         Booth’s Deringer that he shot the president with.

·         Lincoln’s clothes (the night he was shot he was wearing the frock coat, waistcoat, trousers, tie and boots.)

·         War time election (Campaign badge, envelope featuring pictures of President Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Andrew Johnson, an 1864 campaign button.

·         Booth’s dairy.

The Ford’s theater is where Lincoln’s life ended. People who visit this historical site help keep his spirit alive.  

Abraham Lincoln

John Wilkes Booth