Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Restorations As Attractions

Locations in this article:  Florence, Italy

Usually when a place is under construction it’s closed off to the public until it’s complete.

But in some cases, the restoration project IS the attraction.

In Connecticut’s Mystic Seaport, the famous Charles W. Morgan whaling ship is undergoing a $5 million restoration, and workers are available to talk directly with visitors about the process.

The Planes of Fame Air Museum in California, and the National Museum of the US Air Force in Ohio are just two aviation facilities with aircraft restoration projects that are open to the public.

Be sure to visit the annex of The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, which will feature a restoration wing with a glassed-in mezzanine.

Located at Dulles Airport, this annex will allow visitors to watch restoration of everything from shuttle-era spacesuits to the Helldiver flown by the museum director in World War II. If you’re really looking for an immersive experience, try a tour led by field professionals.

Context Travel’s Restoring Florence tour takes you inside a leading restoration laboratory for three hours to watch and learn about cleaning, repairing, and preserving historical treasures. Talk about a real behind-the-scenes experience!

Find out more about great experiences in our Museums section.

And check out the rest of our Daily Travel Tips here.