Europe
London
Ever gazed at a historical portrait and wondered about the life beyond the picture frame? A five-story Georgian house near Spitalfields in East London offers visitors the chance to experience the spirit of a bygone age. An installation by the late artist Dennis Severs, 18 Folgate Street is "home" to an imaginary family of French Huguenot silk weavers, who have apparently slipped out of each room just ahead of the visitor but whose presence is made to seem tantalizingly close by Severs' intricate montage of furnishings, books and clothing, sounds and smells. Tours (conducted in silence so as not to "disturb" the family) are offered on the first Sunday afternoon ($10) and Monday evening ($15) of each month. To reserve a place, tel. +44 20 7247 4013.
Globe
Tours
Artists in search of inspiration have a world of choices, thanks to Art Trek. The California-based tour operator offers painting workshops in some of the world's most picturesque locations. Among the options: painting tropical flowers in French Polynesia, studying the play of light in Costa Rica's rainforests, and viewing 15,000-year-old cave art in France's Dordogne region. The tours, which take between 10 days and two weeks, are limited to groups of 15 and include daily classes and painting time. For details and to book, see www.arttreks.com.
North America
New York
It may be "the city that never sleeps," but New York has at least one hotel that vows to give its guests a sound repose-or an extra night's stay, on the house. The Benjamin's sleep concierge helps guests choose from 11 types of pillow-including buckwheat, neck-roll, magnetic-therapy, body cushion and "snore no more." Other slumber-inducing amenities include special mattresses, double-glazed windows, white-noise machines to screen out sound, milk and cookies, lavender aroma-therapy products, a wellness center, and yoga classes. See www.thebenjamin.com.
Australia
Canberra
The new National Museum of Australia showcases the diversity of the continent and its people. But, say some locals, one aspect of national life is missing-sex. To fill the gap, the National Museum of Erotica, located between an adult-products shop and a parliamentarian's electorate office, opened last week in the Australian capital. Highlights of the inaugural exhibition include a "bondage Barbie," a 3-m-high "erotic" mermaid and a wooden statue of an amorous couple carved by "the Chainsaw Chick." Established by the founders of sex-industry lobby group the Eros Foundation, the museum will also offer "educational activities" like classes in erotic art.