Asheville Art Museum hosts “Art Travels” trip to London in November

PRESS RELEASE FROM ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM:

The Asheville Art Museum still has spots available for its “Art Travels” trip to London, England from November 6 to 13, 2016. Travelers will enjoy seven days and nights of art and architecture, plus time to explore on their own. Included in the trip are first-class accommodations at the charming Stafford Hotel, a boutique hotel in the heart of London in St. James Place; deluxe motorcoach touring for all group activities; entrance/guide fees at all destinations; plus a daily full English breakfast, four lunches, three dinners and one English tea.

Highlights of the trip include:
· A welcome dinner and sightseeing cruise along the River Thames on Bateaux London’s Harmony.
· A guided day trip to Brighton, the storied seaside resort town renowned for its diverse communities, quirky shopping areas and large cultural, music and arts scene. En route, the group will stop for a garden and archives tour of the Cass Sculptural Foundation, a pioneering nonprofit that inspires, enables and presents the output of some of the most important figures in contemporary sculpture.
· A walking tour of the best street art London has to offer in the heart of Shoreditch, gateway to London’s East End. Street artists from London’s East End, the United Kingdom and around the world leave an ever-changing kaleidoscope of energy and creativity on the walls of Shoreditch, home to a vibrant and colorful culture of street art, murals, cafes, bars, galleries, restaurants, fashion and markets.
· A day spent exploring the history of London, England’s capital and most populous city, founded by the Romans over two millennia ago. The group will visit the Tower of London, which during its 1000-year history has served as a royal residence, prison, armory, treasury, menagerie, mint, public records office and home of the Crown Jewels of England. Travelers will also enjoy a visit to Kensington Palace and Gardens – and hope to catch a glimpse of the glamorous royals who call it home.

As with all Art Travels experiences, travelers will visit museums to see both venerated collections and world-class special exhibitions. No trip to London would be complete without a tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum to get an inside look at the scandalous exhibition Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear. At the Tate Modern, the group will be among the first to view The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection, an exhibition opening November 10. For a quirky twist, the trip includes a stop at Sir John Soane’s Museum, a historic house and library left untouched since its eponymous owner’s death almost 200 years ago: an extraordinary collection of curiosities, antiquities, furniture, sculptures, architectural models and drawings, and paintings including work by Hogarth, Turner and Canaletto. Also on the agenda are visits to galleries, including cutting-edge contemporary art at Whitechapel Gallery, Saatchi Gallery and White Cube.

Led by Pamela Myers, executive director of the Asheville Art Museum, the trip promises to be full of art, culture, friends, excellent accommodations, and culinary experiences.

For full details, costs and registration, visit www.ashevilleart.org or call 828.253.3227, ext. 122.