A Rome exhibit in Maine, a dreamy eclipse escape, and a clever duffel backpack

Travel news you can use.

Discover the importance of Rome as a global hub for photography at Bowdoin College Museum of Art's new exhibit, "In Light of Rome: Early Photography in the Capital of the Art World, 1842-1871," which runs Dec. 8 through June 4.Eric Michael Tollefson

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Rome’s role in the art of photography

Italy wasn’t just a center for painters, sculptors, and architects. Discover the importance of Rome as a global hub for photography at Bowdoin College Museum of Art’s new exhibit. “In Light of Rome: Early Photography in the Capital of the Art World, 1842-1871″ runs Dec. 8 through June 4 and explores Rome’s pivotal role in the technical development of photography during the 19th century. It features 112 objects from dozens of photographers, including daguerreotypes, calotypes, salt prints, and negatives — many of which have never been on public display. The works, on loan from Mary K. and John F. McGuigan Jr. of Harpswell, Maine, represent the largest collection of its kind outside of Rome. See works by some of the earliest pioneers of the medium, such as French daguerreotypist Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey, Welsh calotypist Calvert Richard Jones, and British photographers James Anderson and Robert Macpherson. You’ll get a peek at some of the earliest photographic images of Rome’s most iconic architectural wonders, including the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, and the Arch of Titus. www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/index.html.

The Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Park Zoo offer free admission on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Jan. 16.Zoo New England

Zoos host special holiday programs

Enjoy free admission to the Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Jan. 16. Write messages of peace and hope on murals in the Tropical Forest Pavilion (Franklin Park Zoo) and the Animal Discovery Center (Stone Zoo). On Jan. 16, the Franklin Park Zoo hosts keeper chats on red pandas, birds, gorillas, and camels, while the Stone Zoo hosts keeper chats on bears, snow leopards, otters, and barn owls. If you haven’t been to the Franklin Park Zoo in a while, check out the newly renovated and renamed Raptor Ridge (formerly Flight Cage), a 110-year-old aviary that’s home to Andean condors, the biggest raptor in the world — with a 10-foot wingspan — and the largest flying bird in South America. Raptor Ridge is one of the zoo’s two original buildings (the other, Bird’s World, welcomed its first inhabitants in 1912). The recent renovation preserved the integrity of the original structure while replacing 42,000 feet of mesh, incorporating plants from the birds’ native habitat, adding more flight paths and perches, and raising the ceiling two feet to give guests a better experience. Both zoos will host special events, from winter-themed activities and crafts to keeper chats, during school vacation week, Feb. 20-24. www.zoonewengland.org.

On April 20, the Ningaloo Eclipse will take place, the longest hybrid solar eclipse until the year 2172. The path of totality will pass over North West Cape, a remote peninsula in Western Australia. Witness the event with nine other people aboard a superyacht for a one-in-a-lifetime adventure. Superyachts Perth

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Catch an eclipse from a superyacht

Let’s take a moment to dream. On April 20, the Ningaloo Eclipse will take place, the longest hybrid solar eclipse until the year 2172 (the rare hybrid solar eclipse happens when the moon covers the sun’s center — causing the sun’s visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” — and then morphs into a total eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun’s face). The path of totality will sweep across the Indian Ocean and the Timor Sea and pass over North West Cape, a remote peninsula in Western Australia. You could travel to Australia to witness this profound event (a financially more viable option for some) or you could pull together $137,964 and join nine other people aboard EYOS’s M/Y Paradise superyacht for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The yacht, designed specifically for cruising in the Australian waters (it gets pretty “wavy”), has a spacious alfresco dining area, a Jacuzzi and sun lounges, plenty of toys — sea kayaks, surfboards, diving equipment, and sea scooters — and a crew dedicated to making the experience worth the price tag. They’ll help you build a custom itinerary, which may include private helicopter trips to the Sale River, a cruise to Montgomery Reef (Australia’s largest inshore reef), and trips to ancient Aboriginal rock art sites. Time to wake up and find out more: www.eyos-expeditions.com.

Cotopaxi's new durable Allpa Travel Pack suits those who prefer a backpack-style system.Cotopaxi

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Durable bags for adventures big and small

Whether you’re going on a weekend ski getaway, a European adventure, or a road trip, having a smartly designed, durable, and water-resistant bag makes packing — and locating gear — a breeze. Cotopaxi’s new Allpa Duffel Bag (available in 50 and 70 liters) and Allpa Travel Pack (available in 28, 35, and 42 liters) both have rugged exteriors made with a TPU-coated 1000-denier polyester shell and heavy-duty nylon panels. The duffel has a cavernous main compartment, a large mesh zippered pocket for stashing a book and other smaller items, and a dirty laundry compartment — with a separate zippered entry — on the bottom. Slip travel documents, sunglasses, and other smaller items in the two zippered outer compartments and carry the bag using the duffel straps or removable backpack straps. The Allpa Travel Pack suits those who prefer a backpack-style system — complete with comfy shoulder straps, an adjustable waist belt, and a padded back — or a shoulder strap for carrying. This pack has a sizable outside pocket with lots of organizer options for snacks, travel documents, and devices, and a large, padded laptop and tablet pocket that’s accessed through an outer zipper. The pack fully unzips, clamshell-style, and has two large main compartments for clothes, shoes, and other gear, and two smaller zippered mesh pockets for smaller items. It also has a separate rain cover (included) and an exterior water bottle pocket. $140-$160 duffel; $170-$220 pack. www.cotopaxi.com.