What's New in the West: January 2013
Winter heats up with cool exhibits in Hawaii and Alaska, Da Vinci in Las Vegas, and an upgraded planetarium in Montana.
- Da Vinci: The Genius explores the mind of the Renaissance inventor with interactive displays and re-creations. At the Venetian in Las Vegas through Jan. 30. venetian.com.
- Spectacular quilts and other textile artifacts shine in the anniversary exhibit Collecting Treasures at San Jose’s Museum of Quilts & Textiles. sjquiltmuseum.org.
- Grand Canyon Railway’s lovingly restored Fred Harvey dome car has 66 upper-level seats, two bars, a lounge—and a AAA discount. thetrain.com.
- Chimney Rock in southwest Colorado has been declared a national monument, one of 104 around the country. chimneyrockco.org.
- The U.S. Postal Service’s Earthscapes Forever stamps depict 15 striking North American landscapes—including highway corkscrews and an Alaska glacier—from high above. usps.com/shop.
- In Newport’s Oregon Coast Aquarium, kids can touch sea stars and play on a mini fishing boat. Save 10 percent on tickets with AAA.aquarium.org.
- Hunt for treasure at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum’s GPS Adventures in McMinnville, Ore., through Jan. 27. AAA discount. evergreenmuseum.org.
- Embark on a great culinary adventure with Lonely Planet’s hardcover Food Lover’s Guide to the World, 320 pages of color photos, recipes, and details on the cultures behind cuisines from Italy to Southeast Asia. $40. lonelyplanet.com.
- Walk among four inflatable pachyderms in Billie Grace Lynn: White Elephants at the Boise Art Museum through May 19. Show your AAA card and save $1 on adult admission. boiseartmuseum.org.
- HI Fashion: The Legacy of Alfred Shaheen displays over 200 garments. In Honolulu at the Bishop Museum through Feb. 4. bishopmuseum.org.
- A Horse, Of Course at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne explores equines’ role in the West. Through Mar. 31. wyomuseum.state.wy.us.
- At the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, Mont., Ansel Adams: A Legacy presents 130 prints, among them beloved images of Yosemite Valley. Jan. 18– Apr. 14. holtermuseum.org.
- How does arctic wildlife survive subzero temps? Find out at the University of Alaska Museum of the North’s Hibernation and the Science of Cold exhibit, in Fairbanks, Alaska, through May 12. www.uaf.edu/museum.
- On March 2, the Taylor Planetarium at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., reopens with expanded seating, a new sound system, and a needed upgrade to digital equipment that brings the heavens to life. museumoftherockies.org.
This article was first published in January 2013. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
