Terra Sancta Museum -- Jerusalem, Israel

Destination: Objects cared for by the Franciscans in the Holy Land, including a collection of 13 church bells discovered hidden in Bethlehem and dating back to the Middle Ages, have traveled to some of the great museums of the world.  

But now they will have a permanent home in Jerusalem as the Custody of the Holy Land moves forward toward creating a new “Historical Section” of its popular Terra Sancta Museum, which opened to the public in 2017.

Photos: Top — Franciscans in the Holy Land are advancing the next phase of the Terra Sancta Museum, which will add many more religious art objects and artifacts to the museum's collections (OSV News photos/ Tom Tracy).

Bottom — The museum includes a collection of some 450 earthenware pharmaceutical pots from the 17th and 18th centuries. The first “friar-doctor” sent to the Holy Land by Pope Pius II arrived in 1460. 

Why to go: The museum is situated at the Church of the Flagellation, the first station of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. Until now, that area has been limited to archeological artifacts from the first millennium.

The new section will be at the heart of the Franciscan headquarters in St. Saviour’s Monastery. Its rare collections of paintings, sculptures, archival documents, gifts from European courts — even a 13th-century gilded copper crosier of the bishop of Bethlehem — will help pilgrims to deepen their knowledge of the sanctuaries and discover the beauty of the liturgy in the Holy Land.

A multimedia section offers a 15-minute tour in English, Spanish, Italian, Polish and other languages. 

Admission: The museum is open daily; hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. in the summer (April-Sept.) and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the winter (Oct.-March). Prices are given in Israeli New Shekels (NIS). One NIS is roughly $0.28. Regular prices are 15 NIS ($4.20) per person, and reduced prices are listed at https://www.terrasanctamuseum.org/en/visit-us/

Accessibility: Barrier-free access to the Flagellation Monastery is available from the Via Dolorosa street, and the multimedia section is handicap-accessible. However, there are no restrooms available. Animals are not allowed.

(Grand) Kid friendly: The museum calls for a quiet, respectful atmosphere, but holds educational camps for local children — so kids are welcome. If you have a history buff in the making, they may enjoy some activities you bring to fit the exhibits, like a coloring page for drawing the pattern on a piece of pottery, for example.  

Info: Address — Terra Sancta Museum, Via Dolorosa St. 1, Jerusalem, Israel  

Phone — +972 2-627-0467 

Website — https://www.terrasanctamuseum.org/en/

—By Tom Tracy. Tracy writes for OSV News from Florida. He was on location in Jerusalem visiting Christian holy sites.

Send Destination ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Silent Night Chapel -- Oberndorf, Salzburg, Austria

Destination: The Christmas song “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night”) may have put the town of Oberndorf, Austria, on the map, but it’s the chapel memorializing the beloved carol that is the town’s main attraction.

Best seen blanketed in snow, the small octagonal-shaped chapel, just 13 miles from Salzburg, is a tourist destination any time of year.

Photo: The Silent Night Chapel is best seen blanketed in snow. (CNS photo/courtesy www.stillenacht.com)

Why to go: With a storied past, the song plays a key role in a small Alpine town, a brief ceasefire during World War I and a beloved local debut.

The poem of “Silent Night” was written in 1816 by Father Joseph Mohr while living in Mariapfarr, Austria. The song, with music written by Francis Xavier Gruber, made its debut Dec. 24, 1818, at St. Nikola Church. The church’s organ was broken, so Father Mohr played guitar while he and the parish organist Gruber sang. 

The Silent Night Chapel marks the site where St. Nikola Church stood before floods in the 1890s. Construction on the memorial chapel began in 1924 and it was completed  Aug. 15, 1937, the feast of the Assumption.

On Christmas Eve in 1914, during World War I, the song prompted a cease-fire as French and British troops faced off against German troops in Flanders, Belgium. “Silent Night” was the only carol they all knew. The soldiers met briefly to sing, play games and trade goods.

The town is very walkable; check out the Salzach River, the Silent Night Post Office and more. Depending on when you visit, you can go to the Christmas Market starting in mid-November.

You can also take in the sights and sounds of the Silent Night Chapel without stepping on a plane. Hear “Silent Night” being sung in the chapel at bit.ly/3WpnvTV and view a 360-degree panorama for “Stille Nacht Kapelle Oberndorf” at https://www.salzburgerland.com/de/stille-nacht-kirchen-360-panorama/

When to go: If you’re planning a Christmas visit (and are ready to brave crowds), make sure to get to the chapel by 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Since 1953, the chapel has commemorated the song with an annual performance. 

Admission: There is no admission fee, though the Silent Night Museum nearby has a gift shop with Christmas ornaments, books and postcards. 

Accessibility: The chapel is reached by steps and sits on a slight (non-fenced) hill. With another person’s help, those using wheelchairs or strollers may be able to visit.

(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course! You may want to check with the museum beforehand if your little ones want to sing inside, though. 

Info: Address — Stille Nacht-Platz 1, 5110 Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria  

Phone — +43 6272 4422 

Website — https://www.stillenacht.com/

— By Ann Augherton, OSV News. Send Destination ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

St. Joan of Arc Chapel -- Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis.

Destination: The St. Joan of Arc Chapel, set in the heart of  Marquette University’s campus, is by far the oldest building in Milwaukee. In fact, the medieval chapel predates the United States. Built around 1420 near Lyon, France, the chapel welcomed French Catholics — including St. Joan of Arc, according to legend — for centuries before falling into disrepair. 

The chapel was rediscovered in the 1920s and purchased by a devotee of St. Joan of Arc, who had it shipped in pieces to her property on Long Island, N.Y. In the 1960s, after the chapel survived a fire, it was again disassembled and sent to a new home at Marquette University. 

Mass is celebrated in the chapel when classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. (Spanish); Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at noon; and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m.

Photos: Top — The St. Joan of Arc Chapel is set in the heart of Marquette University in Milwaukee. (CNS photo/ courtesy Marquette University)

Middle — Medieval tapestries hang on the chapel's walls. (Observer screengrab/ Marquette University)

Bottom — During the COVID-19 pandemic, the university's ministry staff livestreamed its night Mass. (Photo/ Marquette University)

Why to go: In an opening behind the altar is the “Joan Stone.” Legend has it that on this stone, St. Joan of Arc prayed for success in battle, and kissed it afterward.

For art and history lovers, the chapel also doubles as a museum, with Gothic architecture and Catholic artifacts including tapestries and a holy water font, some that even predate the chapel. 

Free half-hour tours are led daily: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10-11:45 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sundays at noon-4 p.m.

Admission: No cost, though donations are welcome. Parking is available in the 16th St. parking structure. 

Accessibility: A ramp leads up to the entrance, making the chapel accessible to most. 

(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course — and definitely a spot for older grandkids to check out on college visits! 

Info: Address — Joan of Arc Chapel, 1250 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. (South side of campus, west of the Raynor Memorial Libraries) 

Phone — 414-288-6873 

Website — https://www.marquette.edu/st-joan-of-arc-chapel/

— Megan Peterson compiled this story. 
Send Destination ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe At Marytown -- Libertyville, Ill.

Destination: The Observer featured the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe in a Destinations article Oct. 3, 2008, but since one of our editors visited recently, we thought it could be time for a refresher. 

The shrine is run by Conventual Franciscan Friars consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The area is also home to the National Center for the Militia of the Immaculata and the Kolbe Holocaust Exhibit. 

Mass is held at the shrine at 10 a.m. (English) and 6 p.m. (English and Spanish), Monday-Friday; noon, Saturday; and 9 and 11 a.m. (English), Sunday. 

Photo: Above -- A visitor prays in Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the national shrine. (Observer photos/ Amanda Hudson)
Below -- A photo in the Kolbe Holocaust exhibit depicts a carving of Jesus on the cell wall of Auschwitz, made by a fellow prisoner of St. Maximilian Kolbe. 

Why to go: Marytown frequently hosts events, including retreats, touring exhibits and more. Moreover, the bulletin we picked up announced 2022's class dates for consecration preparation. These classes offer opportunities for preparing for consecration to Mary and becoming part of the worldwide Militia of the Immaculata movement, connecting in part to St. Maximilian Kolbe’s great devotion to Mary. 

The classes will be held Aug. 6 and Nov. 12, 9-10:30 a.m., in Founders Hall. These are free, and are not a series. To register, call Deacon Tom Gaida at 847-367-7800 ext. 246 or email tom@KolbeShrine.org

Accessibility: The shrine is accessible to those with limited mobility. Parking is free.  

(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course! All ages are welcome. The shrine has plenty both inside and outside for young ones to explore. 

Info: Address — National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe, 1600 W. Park Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048
Phone — 847-367-7800
Website — https://kolbeshrine.org/

— Megan Peterson compiled this story with information provided by Amanda Hudson. 

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Smithsonian Exhibition Religion in Early America -- Washington, D.C.

Destination:  The Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s new exhibition, “Religion in Early America,” celebrates the free exercise of religion and the religious diversity that define American faith life.
Masses are not offered at the museum. Check https://masstimes.org/ for more information.
Why to go: The exhibit features artifacts from Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other major world religions. Peter Manseau, the museum’s Lilly Endowment curator of American religious history, is the author of several books and curator of the new exhibit.
“We can’t really think about the role of religion in America today without wondering about how it all began,” Manseau told Catholic News Service.
The exhibit, which will be open until June 3, 2018, displays artifacts and stories of American religious life from the 1630s to the 1840s. Reflecting the many Christian denominations that made up early America, it also features noteworthy items of Jewish, Islamic, Mormon, Native American and other faith traditions.
Some of the exhibit’s biggest draws are the Jefferson Bible, the George Washington Inaugural Bible, Archbishop John Carroll’s chalice and paten and a church bell forged by Paul Revere.

 (CNS photos/Chaz Muth)

The exhibit highlights the influence of the Carroll family on Catholicism in America. Charles Carroll, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, became a senator in the newly formed government. His cousin, Archbishop Carroll of Baltimore, became the first bishop in the United States, founded Georgetown University in Washington, and worked to create other schools and religious communities.
Photos: Visitors (above) at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington check out the exhibit "Religion in Early America."
A cross (right) believed to be made from iron taken from the Ark and the Dove, a ship that brought the first English Catholics to Maryland in 1634, is pictured July 26 in an exhibit room at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington. It is part of the "Religion in Early America" exhibit, which will be on display until June 3, 2018.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Check their suggestions for visits with kids at http://americanhistory.si.edu/museum/faqs/parents-visiting-museum-kids
Info: Address — The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Constitution Avenue, NW, between 12th and 14th Streets, Washington, D.C.
Phone — 202/633-1000
Website — americanhistory.si.edu/religion-in-early-america (Find an online tour at the website.)
— Carolyn Mackenzie, CNS; Sharon Boehlefeld contributed to this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

The Ringling Museum - Sarasota, Florida

(Photos provided)

Destination: If you are planning vacation to Florida, consider a stop at The Ringling, the State Art Museum of Florida. Its story begins in 1911 when the circus impresario John Ringling and his wife, Mabel, bought 20 acres in Sarasota and poured their love tor the Florida city, for Italy and art, into the property. In addition to the art museum, of course, there is also the Circus Museum on the grounds.
While there are no Masses on The Ringling grounds, there are several parishes to select from in Sarasota. Click on Find a Parish at http://dioceseofvenice.org
Why to go: In the vast collection of The Ringling museum, there is a significant number of religious art. Its website says the museum’s 31 galleries feature “old masters, contemporary art and exhibitions from around the world.”
But art’s not the only reason to visit The Ringling. Ca’ d’Zan, or “House of John,” in the Venetian dialect, is the  Ringling’s 56-room mansion, billed as “a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties.” There are also the Bayfront Gardens, the Historic Asolo Theater and an education center.
Hours: Most days The Ringling is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m; Thursdays until 8 p.m. Ca’ d’Zan closes at 5 p.m.and the Bayfront Gardens are open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Admission varies, but includes seniors (65 and older) is $23; children 6-17, $5.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Did we mention the Circus Museum?
Info: Address — The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243 Phone — 941/359-5700 Web — www.ringling.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org