Atlanta’s High Museum of Art is a division of the Woodruff Art Center, which also includes the Alliance Theater and the 14th Street Playhouse. The High was founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association. In 1926 Mrs. Joseph High donated her family home on Peachtree Street to be the museum’s permanent home. The museum moved into a new brick structure adjacent to the home in 1955. As the museum’s collection grew over the next two decades, money was raised to build a larger facility. After raising $20 million dollars, the High moved into a new building in 1983, designed by award-winning architect Richard Meier. This tripled to museum’s exhibition space. In another expansion in 2005, three new buildings designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano were opened. The facades of these buildings were designed to unite with the Meier building.

The High Museum of Art has more than 12,000 pieces in its permanent collection. These include 19th and 20th century American art, decorative arts and design, European art, African art, folk art, modern and contemporary art, and photography. In addition to the permanent collections, the High showcases a number of special exhibitions each year. Three specials exhibitions are now in their final weeks at the High Museum. Atlanta is the only venue for this exhibition, which runs through January 9, 2011. “Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting” runs through January 2, 2011. This special exhibition contains 25 works of the Italian Renaissance painter from the National Galleries of Scotland. Some have never been shown in the US. “Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer” contains 88 prints by the Danish-born photographer. This is the first major exhibition dedicated to his work. This exhibition concludes on January 9, 2011.

The High Museum of Art recently received a gift of 47 works of art, the majority of which are posters and prints, by major Parisian artists including Toulouse-Lautrec. This is the one of the High’s largest and most significant gifts of art. A special exhibition of these works entitled “Toulouse-Lautrec and Friends” will open in January 2011. The High Museum is well worth a visit at any time, but especially with so many special exhibits scheduled.

Think of the Netherlands and there are several things that come to mind that one just HAS to see when visiting the country. These aspects include tulips, windmills, clogs and canals visions of all these are all automatically inspired when thinking of this region. The aspect of the windmill, or ‘molen’ as it is known in Dutch, is a common and popular feature in the Netherlands. They even have a National Windmill Day on 11th May. On this day and also on some other festive days or events, it is often customary to see the windmills dressed up for the special occasion.

Windmills of Amsterdam

Although travelers usually expect to view sites of windmills all over the Netherlands, it may come as a surprise to many tourists that there are actually 8 windmills within the city of Amsterdam. This may also be a surprising fact to some locals as well.

The De Otter windmill is unfortunately now closed to the public, even though until recently it was open. This particular windmill has suffered difficulties in operating as a regular mill due to the passage of air being blocked by surrounding neighborhoods.

Molen Van Sloten

The van Sloten windmill can be found on the outskirts of Amsterdam. This windmill was built in the 19th century and is still in use today. This mill is used to drain the surrounding polder land. This attraction is open to visitors daily between the hours of 10am and 4pm. It is worthwhile checking that your visit to Amsterdam will not fall on a public holiday or on the day of a special event, in which case the mill may be closed to the public. A special lift has been built inside the mill so that the site can be accessible to all visitors, including the disabled and the elderly.

This mill has been declared as a house of municipality which means that weddings may take place at this location. Most people would have to admit that this sounds like a special and unique spot for a marriage ceremony. A visit to the Molen van Sloten will certainly provide the visitor with an insight to Dutch tradition and heritage.

Now that you have an idea of one particular site that is worth visiting while in Amsterdam, the time has come to find out details regarding accommodation for your vacation or short break. The great thing is that all this may be arranged over the Internet. Thanks to technological advances, one may study the available tourist sites in Amsterdam and check out the various hotels, hostels and vacation rooms that are available in the requested area. You may choose and finalize a form of lodging to suit your budget online and all this information is available at your fingertips.

Tulips, windmills the touch of a button and you could be on your way to Amsterdam.