Things to Do in Niagara Falls & Around

Every museum has a mission, and the African-American Civil War Museum makes the point that for some, the Civil War was about secession versus union, but for others, it was a matter of breaking human bondage.

The museum illustrates their message through a stunning permanent collection of photographs, documents, and some audiovisual programs, which follows African American history from the Civil War through the Civil Rights movement. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Project allows visitor to search for ancestors in databases of black troops, regiments, and battles.

Nearby is the African-American Civil War Memorial. At the center of a granite plaza, the bronze statue of rifle-bearing troops is surrounded on three sides by the Wall of Honor, listing the names of 209,145 black troops who fought in the Union Army, as well as the 7,000 white soldiers who served alongside them. Use the directory to locate individual names within the regiments.

The Academy of Fine Arts, or Akademie der Bildende Kunst, may not be one of Vienna's best known galleries, but the collection of paintings is nonetheless impressive and worth a visit. It concentrates on Flemish, Dutch and German painters including the disturbing Hieronymus Bosch, Rembrandt, van Dyck and Rubens. The highlight is Bosch's altarpiece Triptych of the Last Judgment from 1504 to 1508.

An archaeological wonder, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the world's most instantly recognizable landmarks, the Acropolis is the star attraction of ancient Athens. Dramatically perched on a jagged clifftop—the so-called sacred rock of Athens—the ruins overlook the modern city and date back to as early as 510 BC.

Although initially founded in 1806, the Adelphi Theatre opened under its current name in 1819, and quickly made a name for itself, hosting stage adaptations of Charles Dickens' and Walter Scott's works. Today, the historic theatre remains a leading venue in London’s West End theater scene, with a long-list of big-name musicals having graced its stage over the years, most notably My Fair Lady, Evita, Chicago, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

The theatre’s current Grade II listed building dates back to the early 20th-century, and features a grand Art Deco style 1,500-seat auditorium, the inspired design of architect Ernest Schaufelberg. Now part-owned by West End stalwart Andrew Lloyd Webber, the theatre has maintained its popularity into the 21st century, hosting modern hits like Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Bodyguard, Made in Dagenham and, most recently, Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots.

Frequently referred to as 'Akko,' Acre is situated in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel. Populated with beautiful ancient buildings, Old Akko, a subset of Acre, has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cultural vibrancy makes it a prime place for visitors. Hosting festivals and markets year-round, the port of Acre is lively and beautiful. 

Steeped in history, you can visit the ancient walls and fortresses of the city that tell the complicated story of the area.

Further afield are the Baha'i Gardens, which are meticulously designed and gorgeously preserved. The gardens surround the Bahji mansion northeast of Acre where the Bahaullah is buried (not to be confused with the Bahai gardens on the slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa).

Be sure to visit the astounding Knights' Halls, which are comprised of 6 different joined halls that have been recently excavated from the time of the Knights Hospitallers.

Better known for nightlife than tourist attractions, this diverse, funky neighborhood is proof that D.C. has a soul. Once an exclusively African-American part of town, Adams Morgan was formally named in 1958 for two then-recently-desegregated elementary schools in the area: Thomas P. Morgan and John Quincy Adams. Now home to a large cross-section of the city’s Latino populations (including Mexican, Salvadorean and Brazilian), as well as African restaurants and hopping jazz clubs, this is an area chock-full of flavor, color, and independently-owned businesses.

Centered around Columbia Road and 18th Street, it can make an excellent end to a day’s exploration of nearby Dupont Circle, the U-Street Corridor, or both. In the evenings, check out Habana Village for salsa dancing and Cuban food; Ghana Cafe for West African cuisine and, on the weekends, live African music; or local landmark Madams Organ for live jazz, blues and soul food.

If you can only get here during the day, though, try to come on a Saturday for the outdoor Latin Quarter market at Columbia and 18th, or take a wander by the elegant statues in Meridian Hill Park, once considered as a possible location for the White House.

The Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre) is the most well known cave in Cayo and the most popular tour just outside of San Ignacio: the entire experience is an Indiana Jones type of adventure, where you’ll wonder if you will make it in and back out. Reaching the best parts of the once sacrificial cave requires hiking through a rainforest for an hour and a half, crossing three rivers on foot, swimming through parts of the cave and even going up a narrow ladder to reach the deeper, darker chambers. Efforts are rewarded with the sight of the “Crystal Maiden”--the skeleton of a young female, fully preserved from thousands of years ago. Along the hike there are also ancient ceramics to see, and you’ll leave with a definite sense that the Maya came before you thousands of years ago.

Until the 17th century, the Acropolis survived largely intact but since then a gunpowder accident, a Venetian bombing and tourists have taken their toll. After the creation of the Greek State, it was decided that a museum was needed to protect the heritage of Ancient Greece. The first museum was begun up on the Acropolis in 1865 but it quickly became inadequate. Finally, in 2007, the new 25,000 square meter (6.2 acre) museum near the base of the Acropolis opened.

Today the Acropolis Museum (Museo Akropoleos) houses original pieces from the temples of the Acropolis, protecting them from further deterioration, while also giving their historical context. In the Parthenon Gallery, the famous marble frieze is recreated with both original marbles and casts of those pieces held elsewhere, such as the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum.

The Archaic Gallery has statues which pre-date even the Acropolis itself, and the Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis shows pots, children's toys and other things used by the early settlers in everyday life.