on location: south ❖
What’s Coming Up Down South? L
eisure Group Travel’s editorial team has compiled the following list of museum exhibitions and attraction openings in the Southern states, now through next year. From bridge tours to equestrian events, each state has something new that will enhance any itinerary. —Compiled by Justine Buonavita and Vanessa Day
ALABAMA
ARKANSAS
FLORIDA
What: Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination Exhibit, U.S. Space & Rocket Center
What: Osage Creek Performing Arts Center Grand Opening
What: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opening
Where: Benton County
Where: Universal Orlando Resort
When: Summer, 2010
When: June 18, 2010
Where: Huntsville When: June 25-Sept. 6, 2010 Description: See over 80 costumes and props from all the Star Wars films. This is the first time the exhibit will visit the Southeast. Contact: 800-637-7223, spacecamp.com/museum
What: GulfQuest Opening Where: Mobile When: Late 2011 Description: This maritime museum will spotlight the heritage of the Gulf Coast and will be only the third interactive maritime museum in the world.
Description: An area between Siloam Springs and Tontitown will be home to the newest performance venue in Northwest Arkansas. This new “green” facility will be putting on 25 to 30 concerts and festivals a year. Contact: osagecreeklive.com
Contact: 407-363-8000, universalorlando.com/harrypotter
What: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Opening
What: Modern Masters exhibit, Polk Museum of Art
Where: Bentonville
Where: Lakeland
When: 2011
When: June 26-Oct. 3, 2010
Description: The new museum will feature American art from the colonial era to modern times.
Description: The Modern Masters exhibit will showcase important works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Arshile Gorky, Robert Rauschenberg and many more.
Contact: 251-436-8901, nationalmaritime.us
Contact: 479-418-5700, crystalbridges.org
What: Annie Leibovitz WOMEN Exhibit
What: Wal-Mart Visitors’ Center Expansion, Renovation
Where: Montgomery Museum of Fine Art
Description: One of the most highly anticipated theme park openings in years, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter aims to give visitors the full experience of author J.K. Rowling’s fantastical world of wizardry.
Where: Bentonville
Contact: 863-688-7743, polkmuseumofart.org
What: NASA ART Exhibit, Museum of Florida History Where: Tallahassee
When: Oct. 28, 2010-Jan. 9, 2011
When: Spring, 2011
When: July 23-Oct. 10, 2010
Description: The exhibit will showcase over 80 photographs taken by the acclaimed photographer. Many of Leibotvitz’s photos of famous females are in her book Women.
Description: The visitors’ center, at Sam Walton’s original 5&10 variety store in downtown Bentonville, is expanding to include interactive displays, an exact re-creation of his personal office and Walton family treasures.
Description: The exhibit documents the NASA space program with paintings, photographs and mixed media works from famous artists, including Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz and Norman Rockwell.
Contact: 479-273-1329, walmartstores.com
Contact: 850-245-6400, museumoffloridahistory.com
Contact: 334-240-4333, mmfa.org
12 April 2010
LeisureGroupTravel.com