Hagia Sophia ♦
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Iconic Byzantine-era cathedral turned mosque and now a museum; characterized by spectacular architecture and decorative elements including numerous mosaics
Basilica Cistern ♦
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Impressive Byzantine-era cistern supported by marble columns, two of which are notable for having Medusa heads carved into the bases.
Topkapi Palace
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
15th century Ottoman royal palace with extensive grounds and courtyards, a harem, treasury, arms collection, and more.
Great Palace Mosaic Museum
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Museum housing the excavated remains of spectacular mosaics from the 4th century imperial palace
Cusco
Location: Peru, Cusco Region
Former capital of the Inca Empire and general tourist Mecca; home to numerous Inca and Spanish colonial historic sites
La Brea Tar Pits
Location: California, Los Angeles
Famous ice age fossil site with ongoing excavations and a museum
Mission San Antonia de Padua
Location: California, East of Big Sur
Mission founded in 1771 with a mission church, garden, museum, and extant ruins of equipment intended to support a community around the mission which never materialized
Ringling Museum
Location: Florida, Tampa Bay Area, Sarasota
The state art museum of Florida, the Ringing contains a museum of art, a circus museum, the estate home of John and Mable Ringling, and nice gardens
Chihuly Collection
Location: Florida, Tampa Bay Area, St. Petersburg
Permanent display of artist Dale Chihuly’s amazing glass work; studio next door provides glass blowing demos
Hemingway Home
Location: Florida, Key West
The home of Ernest Hemingway and his family for ten years, and home to a large population of adorable six-toed cats descended from Hemingway’s favorite cat
Shipwreck Treasures Museum
Location: Florida, Key West
Museum highlighting the wreck salvage business that flourished in the 1800’s due to the large number of shipwrecks occurring in the area
Salem
Location: Massachusetts, Salem
Historic town famous for the 1692 Witch Trials and home to The House of the Seven Gables
Ho Chi Minh City
Location: Vietnam, Southern
Vietnam’s capital city and home to two war memorial museums (from the war with the US), historic French colonial architecture, and lots of phở