Henry Ford Museum Of American Innovation Returns To Seven-Day Operation Starting Aug. 3, 2020

Added dates for Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes exhibition now on sale

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Due to the popularity of its limited-engagement exhibition, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is returning to a seven-day operation. Beginning August 3, 2020, guests can visit the museum every day between the hours of 9:30 am – 5 pm. The institution will continue to operate at safe, reduced daily capacities, following the state, federal and CDC guidelines. Greenfield Village will continue its Thursday- Sunday schedule for the time being. The Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience remained closed.

Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, is the world's first and most extensive exhibition that brings to life the 80-year legacy and impact of the Marvel Universe. Making its Midwest premiere, the exhibition features more than 300 original artifacts, including Marvel's earliest comic book, iconic props and costumes from film favorites, rare, hand-drawn images of iconic heroes by the artists who first designed them and more. The exhibition has drawn widespread acclaim from audiences and press alike since its debut at MoPOP in 2018 and has experienced multiple sold-out weekends since opening on July 16.

Tickets to Marvel: Universe of Superheroes are $10 for members. Non-member ticket prices include admission to the museum and are $35 for adults (12-61), $28.75 for youth (5-11), $32.50 for seniors (62+) and children 5 and under are free. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.thehenryford.org. The exhibition closes January 31, 2021. Due to sold-out dates, purchasing tickets in advance is highly encouraged. Member reservations are no longer required to enter Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

Recently, the organization launched Reactivate The Henry Ford, a support fund to address the projected $10 million to $20 million budget deficit from its nearly 16-week closure. For more information on how you can help reactivate The Henry Ford, visit thf.org/reactivate. For updates on hours, tickets and safety guidelines visit thf.org/welcomeback

Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes is an exhibition by SC Exhibitions, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and Marvel Themed Entertainment.

About The Henry Ford
Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thf.org, its national television series The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford inspires individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future.

 

SOURCE The Henry Ford

National Constitution Center Announces Plans To Reopen To The Public August 5, 2020, With Free Admission Through September 5, 2020

Center announces new 19th Amendment exhibit will open on August 26, 2020, the 100th anniversary of the certification of the amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

 

Philadelphia, PA– Today, the National Constitution Center announced it will reopen to the public on August 5, 2020, with free admission for all visitors through September 5, 2020, made possible in part thanks to support from PECO. The Center has developed a multi-phased approach that prioritizes the health and safety of staff and visitors and takes into account state and city guidelines, close coordination with city officials and partners in Historic Philadelphia, and ongoing discussions with its own staff and museum peers around the country.

 

“We are thrilled to welcome back visitors to the National Constitution Center where learners of all ages can learn about the text, history, and meaning of the Constitution just steps from where it was drafted and signed,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. “Since we closed the building temporarily on March 14, the enthusiasm for our online classes, town halls, and podcasts has been overwhelming, and the Constitution Center is now the fourth most visited museum website in America. While carefully complying with public health guidelines, it’s wonderful to be able to reopen our doors and welcome visitors back to the Center free of charge.”

 

The Center’s plans emphasize the safety of museum guests and staff in compliance with local and state health agencies as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These protocols include increased sanitation, required mask wearing by staff and visitors, contactless ticketing, limited gallery capacities, one-way visitor flow, as well as modifications to encourage social distancing and use of hand sanitizer throughout the building. Visitors will be required to reserve timed tickets in advance, available online at  constitutioncenter.org/tickets. A full list of protocols and a guide for what visitors can expect can be found at constitutioncenter.org/safely-reopening.

 

The National Constitution Center will begin operations on a modified schedule. During this phase, the Center will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum experience will include the Center’s newest exhibit, Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality; the multimedia theatrical production of Freedom Rising, streamed live on the Grand Hall Overlook; and the iconic Signers’ Hall.

 

The National Constitution Center’s exhibit commemorating the centennial anniversary of voting rights for women, The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote, will open on August 26, the 100th anniversary of the amendment’s certification. The exhibit will trace the triumphs and struggles that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, and will feature some of the many women who transformed constitutional history—including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and Ida B. Wells—and will allow visitors to better understand the long fight for women’s suffrage.

 

The exhibit is part of the Center’s  Women and the Constitution initiative. Support for the exhibit and the initiative come from the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Mauree Jane and Mark W. Perry, John P. & Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation, The Snider Foundation, The McLean Contributionship, Glenmede, SteegeThomson Communications, and Sarah and David Andrews.

 

The National Constitution Center will continue to offer a robust schedule of live online classes throughout the upcoming school year, as well as online America’s Town Hall programs on timely topics. Information about upcoming programs is available at constitutioncenter.org/calendar. 

 

 

About the National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.

Virgin Galactic Shows Off Passenger Spaceship Cabin Interior

This undated photo released by Virgin Galactic shows the interior of their SpaceshipTwo Cabin during a flight. Highly detailed amenities to enhance the customer experience were shown in an online event Tuesday, July 28, 2020, revealing the cabin of the company's rocket plane, a type called SpaceShipTwo, which is undergoing testing in preparation for commercial service. There are a dozen windows for viewing, seats capable of being customized to each of six passengers and mood lighting. (Virgin Galactic via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Passengers flying Virgin Galactic on suborbital trips into space will be able to see themselves floating weightless against the backdrop of the Earth below while 16 cameras document the adventures, the company said Tuesday.

Highly detailed amenities to enhance the customer flight experience were shown in an online event revealing the cabin of the company’s rocket plane, a type called SpaceShipTwo, which is undergoing testing in preparation for commercial service.

There are a dozen windows for viewing, seats that will be customized for each flight’s six passengers and capable of adjusting for G forces, and, naturally, mood lighting.

Yet designer Jeremy Brown said the passengers’ most lasting impression may come from a large mirror at the rear of the cabin.

“We think that there’s a real memory burn that customers are going to have when they see that analog reflection of themselves in the back of the cabin, seeing themselves floating freely in space ... that very personal interaction that they’ll have with the experience,” he said.

Virgin Galactic was founded by British billionaire Richard Branson after the prize-winning flights of the experimental SpaceShipOne in 2004. Branson plans to be the first passenger when commercial flights begin.

Like its predecessor, SpaceShipTwo is a rocket plane that is slung beneath a special jet airplane and released at high altitude.

After a moment of free fall, the two pilots ignite the rocket and the craft pitches up and accelerates vertically at supersonic speed.

The rocket shuts down but momentum carries the craft into the lower reaches of space where it flips upside down so that the windows on the roof of the cabin give a view of the Earth far below.

The passengers, clad in space suits designed by the Under Armour company, will be able to leave their seats and float about the cabin, using handholds tested by chief astronaut trainer Beth Moses during Virgin Galactic’s second flight into space last year.

The test was aimed at helping finalize the design and at learning how to train passenger astronauts for what they will experience as they become weightless and reach the top of the flight profile, known as its apogee, before the descent begins.

Moses said she tested different ways of getting in and out of the seats, moved around the cabin and waved at the mirror, concluding that it was not disorienting.

“I also purposely went to a point in the cabin to most dramatically try to enjoy apogee and a view of Earth from the stillness of space,” she said.

The passengers will need to return to their seats after a few minutes as the craft reorients and begins to interact with the increasing density of the atmosphere and then glides to an unpowered landing.

SpaceShipTwo was developed at Virgin Galactic facilities in Mojave, California, and will operate commercially from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico, where passengers will undergo several days of training before their flights.

George Whitesides, the former longtime company CEO who is now its chief space officer, said upcoming test flights will include four crew members playing the role of passengers.

Whitesides, who will now focus on future technology, recently handed the CEO role to Michael Colglazier, a former president and managing director of Disney Parks International.

The company has yet to set a date for flights with paying passengers.

The company has said more than 600 people have put down deposits. The initial seats were sold at $250,000 apiece. Whitesides said the cost may increase for a while but the long-term goal is to make the adventure more accessible, possibly at a lower cost.

Star Alliance And Its Member Airlines Helping Consumers Navigate The Ever-Changing International Travel Landscape During Covid-19

Star Alliance Travel Information Hub offers greatly expanded utility

FRANKFURT, Germany  – Building upon the successful launch of its Travel Information Hub at the end of June, Star Alliance, the world’s largest global airline alliance, has unveiled a series of useful upgrades to now help passengers plan multi-stop itineraries.

Star Alliance Travel Information Hub

This unique alliance service was created by Star Alliance and its member airlines to help customers navigate the ever-changing international travel landscape that has resulted from measures taken by governments, regulators, and other stakeholders to help contain the spread of COVID-19. The tool provides information on specific health and hygiene measures presented across all elements of the customer journey.

Key Features

In its most recent iteration, the Star Alliance Travel Information Hub provides customers travelling with Star Alliance member airlines a broader and more personalized user experience. Customers may now: 

1. Enter two-segment journey details (two airlines, three airports)

• Previously allowing only a query of a single airport, and a single airline, the Travel Information Hub now permits the user to configure a complete itinerary, including the origin airport, a transfer point, and a connecting airline.
• Country information, both at origin and destination, previously a separate search query, is now integrated into a customer-friendly visual representation of the entire journey.

2. Utilize the Travel Information Hub in four additional languages

• In addition to English, customers can use the website tool in Chinese (Simplified), French, German and Spanish, though query results will be returned to the user in the language offered by the source data.

​​​​​​​3. Avail themselves of an email function to share their findings with others

• This is a particularly helpful feature for friends, colleagues and travel professionals to assist customers by researching on their behalf.

​​​​​​​

"The Star Alliance Travel Information Hub initiative grew out of the need to reduce complexity in air travel in these times of COVID-19," says Christian Draeger, VP Customer Experience of the Alliance. "It combines the input of all 26 of our member airlines, and the many key airports in our global network, to provide our customers specific health and hygiene safety guidance for an ever-expanding array of destinations and transfer points."

More features, and more airports are being added continuously, with the Alliance pledged to continue to offer the most digitally advanced premium travel experience to customers wherever they may be.

With the aviation industry facing the greatest challenge in its history, Star Alliance and its member airlines continue their work with other travel industry stakeholders to help make travel more accessible and to help restore and maintain confidence in air travel, once again connecting people and cultures.

#WeWillReconnect

#FlyWithConfidence

About Star Alliance:

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United. The Star Alliance network offers more than 19,000 daily flights to more than 1,300 airports in 195 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partner, Juneyao Airlines and Thai Smile Airways.

Travelore News: European Tourism Faces Problems Only Weeks After Restart

People, wearing masks to protect against the spread of coronavirus, walk along Neuve commercial street at downtown Brussels, Monday, July 27, 2020. Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes unveiled Monday a new set of drastic social distancing measures aimed at avoiding a new general lockdown amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

BERLIN (AP) — Europe’s tourism revival is running into turbulence only weeks after countries reopened their borders, with rising infections in Spain and other nations causing increasing concern among health authorities over people bringing the coronavirus home from their summer vacations.

European countries started opening up to each other’s tourists in mid-June, but recent events have shown that the new freedom to travel is subject to setbacks. Over the weekend, Britain imposed a 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving from Spain, Norway ordered a 10-day quarantine for people returning from the entire Iberian peninsula, and France urged its citizens not to visit Spain’s Catalonia region.

In Austria, the lakeside resort town of St. Wolfgang shortened bar opening hours after an outbreak was detected on Friday. By Monday, 53 people had tested positive, including many people working in the tourism industry.

MORE ON THE GLOBAL OUTBREAK:

• – The Latest: New social distancing measures in Belgium
• – Virus vaccine put to final test in thousands of volunteers
• – Virus adds to deep despair felt by war-weary young Arabs

In Germany, officials decided last week to set up testing stations at airports to encourage people arriving from a long list of countries deemed high-risk — including popular destinations such as Turkey — to get tested. They will also allow people to get tested elsewhere for free within three days of arrival.

Bavaria’s governor, Markus Soeder, said he is worried about travelers returning from vacation. Referring to the Austrian ski resort that was an early European hot spot in March, he said: “My worry is not that there will be one big Ischgl, but that there will be many mini-Ischgls.”

Later Monday, Health Minister Jens Spahn said he had decided to make obligatory the testing of returning vacationers from risky areas, and that the new regulations should come into effect within the next week, the dpa news agency reported.

“We need to prevent travelers from infecting others without it being detected and starting new infection chains,” he said.

New infections in Germany have been creeping higher from a low level.

The tourism industry employs 2.6 million people in Spain and generates 12% of the country’s economic activity.

Juan Molas, the head of a national association of tourism companies, Mesa del Turismo, said Spain’s tourism sector has on average lost 5 billion euros ($5.8 billion) a week since March.

Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said the Spanish government is trying to persuade Britain to exempt the Balearic Islands, which have a low infection rate, from the quarantine rule.

Full Coverage: Virus Outbreak

“We’re living alongside the virus. That doesn’t mean we can’t travel. We can, if we are careful,” Maroto said.

The Catalonia and Aragón regions have Spain’s most worrying virus clusters, prompting authorities to tighten restrictions in Barcelona, in a rural area around Lleida and in Zaragoza that were relaxed only a month ago.

Catalonia is facing “the 10 most decisive days of this summer,” regional leader Quim Torra said, warning that it is in everyone’s hands to prevent a “critical situation” from worsening.

Elsewhere in Europe, authorities in Belgium said COVID-19 cases are growing at an alarming rate amid a surge of infections in Antwerp. Greek authorities said they are likely to extend the mandatory use of masks at churches and shopping malls.

And in North Africa, Morocco banned most travel to and from some major cities — including Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech, usually a popular tourist destination — to stem a small spike in cases.

In the Asia-Pacific region, many countries are still essentially banning foreign travelers or, if they do allow them to enter, requiring them to submit to tests and strict quarantine. That includes Australia, where the premier of Victoria state, Daniel Andrews, said the biggest driver in the region’s outbreak is people continuing to go to work after showing symptoms.

The crossing of borders was linked to other outbreaks in Asia. South Korea said 16 of the 25 new cases it confirmed Monday were tied to people arriving from abroad. Over the past few days, the country reported dozens of cases among crew members of a Russia-flagged cargo ship and hundreds of South Korean construction workers airlifted from Iraq.

A tally by Johns Hopkins University shows about 16.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide and around 650,000 deaths. The actual numbers are thought to be much higher because of limits on testing and the many minor cases that have gone unreported.

The World Health Organization said the pandemic continues to accelerate, with a doubling of cases over the past six weeks.

The U.N. health agency’s emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, stressed the need to “keep pressure on the virus.”

“Every single country where pressure has been lifted on the virus, where virus is still at community level, there’s been a jump back in cases,” he said.

___

Kurtenbach reported from Mito, Japan. Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

United, American Now Requiring Passengers to Wear Face Masks Throughout Airports

United Airlines and American Airlines expanded its face mask rule to include the airports where it operates.

For United, started July 24, the new areas that now require face coverings include customer service counters, kiosks, lounges, gates, and baggage claim areas, passengers will be required to wear face coverings. Passengers who do not wear masks could be refused travel and banned from United flights for as long as the face mask rule is in effect. This will go into effect at more than 360 airports around the world.

The new rule comes weeks after United announced that it would place customers who refused to wear face masks onboard its flights on a temporary “no-fly list.”

Signs throughout the airport will remind passengers of the rule and the consequences for violating it. There will also be reminders online when passengers check-in for their flights and when they complete the airline’s “Ready to Fly” checklist, certifying they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms, according to their website.

The only passengers who will be excluded from the mask rule are those younger than two years old or those who have already spoken with a United employee about an extenuating health circumstance.

Related: Delta Passengers Who Can't Wear a Mask for Medical Reasons Need to Be Pre-approved Ahead of Flight

American's mask rule, also announced on Wednesday, will be implemented on July 27 and requires customers to wear face coverings, "from the time they enter their departure airport and not remove it until they exit their arrival airport."

Their rule also applies to passengers over the age of 2, anyone who enters the Admirals Club, and "does not allow exemptions." Customers who do not comply will also be barred from future flying with the airline.

The extension of masks policy for each airline is in conjunction with their health and safety initiatives which include contactless baggage drop-off, spacing out cabin seats as much as possible and limited food and beverage service.

BY CAILEY RIZZO AND CHRISTINE BURRONI, https://www.travelandleisure.com/

Viking Cruises Announces 136-Day World Cruise To 56 ports, Starting At $50,000

While coroanvirus continues to spread around the globe and cruising remains at a standstill in many areas of the world including the United States, Viking Cruises is looking to the future. 

The cruise line, which provides river, ocean and expedition journeys, announced a 136-day cruise aboard the Viking Star to visit 27 different countries with stops at 56 ports on Wednesday.

“This has been an unusual year for all travelers, but we remain focused on the future and are pleased to offer our guests a new destination-focused World Cruise that allows for extensive exploration in 2021-2022,"  said Torstein Hagen, the cruise line's chairman, in a statement.

The journey is scheduled to begin from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Dec. 24, 2021, though passengers have the option to embark in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2022, for a 119-day journey to 22 countries and 49 ports.

The ship, which can carry 930 passengers, will head to Central America and transit the Panama Canal before traveling up North America's West Coast. It will then cross the Pacific Ocean and stop in Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia before sailing through Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean and ending in London, according to a release on the cruise line's website.

Some prospective passengers might experience a bit of sticker shock. The 136-day world cruise starts at $49,995 per person; those who opt to board in L.A. for the 119-day leg will see prices starting at $45,995. But both itineraries include business class international airfare to and from the ship, gratuities and service fees, visas, a beverage package and free luggage shipping. 

Those who book by Sept. 30 can get $2,000 toward shore excursions and $1,000 in onboard credit.

Source: www.ustoday.com 

Star Trek: The Cruise Moves From 2021 To 2022

STAR TREK: THE CRUISE V

ANNOUNCES NEW DATES

The Un-Conventional Voyage

Moves To February 26 – March 5, 2022

With George Takei and Walter Koenig,

Stars of Star Trek: The Original Series

And

Dozens of Actors & Treksperts

From Every Single Star Trek Television Show

Spanning Over 50 Years

Port Canaveral, Fla --- Star Trek: The Cruise announces it will move its 5^th annual cruise to February 26-March 5, 2022, with open booking beginning on July 28 via www.startrekthecruise.com or by calling 844-335-6515. The 2022 cruise will sail aboard Royal Caribbean’s luxurious Mariner of the Seas, a recently renovated ship that will be transformed into a Star Trek Universe at sea. All of the actors previously scheduled for the 2021 cruise will be onboard, including George Takei (“Sulu”) and Walter Koenig (“Chekov”) of The Original Series, along with a crew of stars who have appeared in every iteration of the Star Trek TV franchise spanning more than 50 years. The ultimate immersive experience for Star Trek fans will depart from Port Canaveral, FL (offering more recreational facilities than all other ports in Florida combined) for Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten.  Special Star Trek-themed shows, events, activities and parties will take place every day and night, along with extraordinary performances by the iconic stars and opportunities to interact with them like nowhere else in the universe.

Joining Takei and Koenig will be:

• Jonathan Frakes
• Marina Sirtis
• Gates McFadden
• Denise Crosby
• John de Lancie
• Terry Farrell
• Alexander Siddig
• Nana Visitor
• Max Grodénchik
• Robert Picardo
• Ethan Phillips
• Garrett Wang
• John Billingsley
• Connor Trinneer
• Anthony Montgomery
• Anthony Rapp

And more to be added

“We are committed to helping our entire universe remain safe and have been working closely with the cruise industry to make sure the health of our guests, actors and staff come before everything else,” says Greg Laubach, Executive Director, Business Development at Entertainment Cruise Productions.  “We’re especially grateful to all of the Star Trek actors who were originally planning on joining the 2021 sailing and will all be onboard in 2022.  We can’t wait to see all of you again.”

Under license by ViacomCBS Consumer Products, Star Trek: The Cruise’s weeklong Caribbean voyage offers more ways to engage with favorite Star Trek celebrities than any other event in the universe, including the following immersive Star Trek experiences:

• One-of-a-kind nightly shows presented by Star Trek actors
• Star-studded panel discussions
• Star Trek movies and episodes at the pool deck theater
• Costume parties and cosplay competitions
• More than a dozen bars, restaurants, clubs and lounges will get a Federation Refit to create the ultimate Star Trek amusement park at sea

Mariner of the Seas’ $120 million revitalization will also have guests soaring on the new Sky Pad virtual-reality bungee trampoline, riding the waves of the FlowRider surf simulator, reveling in the action at Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, as well as  offers new dining options and upgraded accommodations.

Cabin prices start at $1,600 per person, which includes admission to all performances, interviews, parties and meals. Visit www.StarTrekTheCruise.com, call (844-335-6515) or follow hashtag

#StarTrekCruise, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more information in the coming months.