Some people want more than a beach-towel-sized plot of sand when they take a vacation. They want to study something, dig beneath a surface others have only scratched. And they’re not alone — if the growth of The Educated Traveler newsletter is any indication. The newsletter, which publishes six times a year and covers education-based trips, says it has tripled in size since its first issue in 1991. A year’s subscription is $48 and includes the Directory of Museum-Sponsored Tours, available only to subscribers, and the Directory of Special Interest Travel, available separately for $12.95. It’s a good introduction to intelligent trips.
The Educated Traveler: 703-471-1063
Here are some national institutions that sponsor tours:
American Jewish Congress: 800-221-4694
American Museum of Natural History, Discovery Tours: 800-462-8687
Archaeological Institute of America: 617-353-9361
Harvard’s Museum of Cultural and Natural History: 617-495-2463
National Audubon Society: 212-979-3066
The National Geographic Society: 888-9-ONTOUR
National Parks and Conservation Association: 202-223-6722, ext. 136; or 800-NAT-PARK, ext. 136
National Trust for Historic Preservation: 202-588-6300
The Nature Conservancy: 703-841-5399
Smithsonian Study Tours: 202-357-4700
Here are some Chicagoland institutions that sponsor tours:
The Art Institute of Chicago: 312-904-2917
Brookfield Zoo: 708-485-0263, ext. 307
Chicago Botanic Garden: 847-835-6834
The Field Museum: 800-811-7244
Lincoln Park Zoological Society: 312-742-2076
