Adult night at the museum
Spend a night with Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, see a Stevie Nicks-inspired performance, and learn about the power of sound during a sensory storytelling experience at the Museum of Science. The programs are part of SubSpace, the museum’s experimental playground for adult social experiences. They include Obscured Vision: A Night of Sonic Storytelling, Sept. 11, when you slip on a blindfold and go on a narrative journey hosted by science reporter Ari Daniel and An Evening With Isabella Rossellini, Oct. 10, when the actress, author, model, and animal lover joins dog expert Brian Hare to talk about animal cognition and nature. Also, don’t miss a screening of “The Blair Witch Project” in the Charles Hayden Planetarium Oct. 30 and Edge of Seventeen, a performance by Niki Luparelli featuring the music of Stevie Nicks Nov. 7, and many other events. Tickets are cheaper in advance: $10-$35, depending on the show; ages 18 and older. 617-723-2500, www.mos.org/adults
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MFA opens new Islamic gallery
Learn about the arts of Islamic communities, from Spain to India and beyond, and how these rich artistic traditions evolved over 13 centuries at a new permanent gallery at the Museum of Fine Arts. The Arts of Islamic Cultures Gallery features 69 objects that represent different cultures, time periods, and geographic locations. It includes a door created for America’s first world’s fair in 1876 (made using fragments of medieval Egyptian woodwork), Arabic calligraphy, Chinese ceramics (made in the Middle East and in China), Islamic textiles, and audio recordings of the Quran. The MFA has also commissioned Bangladeshi-British artist Rana Begum to create a work for the gallery to be installed next summer. The gallery was developed over eight years through consultations with scholars, artists, and members of the Boston-area’s Islamic communities. Admission: $25 adults; $23 students and seniors; free 17 and under; voluntary donation Wednesday nights after 4 p.m. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org
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Celebrate beer, wine, and more in Brussels
If you’re headed to Brussels soon, don’t miss two events that showcase some of the area’s best brews, Bordeaux, and restaurants. The Belgian Beer Weekend takes place Sept. 6-8, featuring 350 of Belgian’s top beers. The event, which is held at the Grand-Place in the city center, is free to attend, but you’ll just need to pay for each tasting. The city also hosts the Eat! Brussels, Drink! Bordeaux Sept. 5-8, during which chefs from some of the city’s top restaurants prepare their signature dish. The event features 31 chefs, five cheesemakers, and four pastry chefs. Admission ranges from $21.50 (Lunch Pass) to $43 (Dinner Pass). Buy a Wine Pass to sample additional Bordeaux wines and attend a wine workshop (about $18 in advance, $22.60 at the door). www.brussels.be/belgian-beer-weekend and eat.brussels/en
Take an Arctic photo tour
Capture images of polar bears, snowy owls, and the northern lights during a new seven-day polar bear photography adventure to the northernmost US town: Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow) in Alaska. Gondwana Ecotours has launched its Polar Bear Adventure Tour, Sept. 21-27, which includes a chance to meet locals, talk to tribal elders about native life in modern times, view equipment used in tribal whaling expeditions, and take photos of marine life and wildlife. Guests can also discuss issues of global warming and sea ice recession with an Arctic environmentalist and author. Price: $8,770 per person, based on double occupancy, includes flight from Fairbanks to Utqiagvik, a photography lesson from wildlife photographer Frank Stelges, accommodations in lodges, inns, and a Scandinavian-style hotel overlooking the Arctic Ocean, local guides, ground transportation, and all meals. 877-587-8479, www.gondwanaecotours.com/tour/polar-bear-adventure
compact cook set for travelers
GSI’s new Pinnacle Dualist cookware set offers the perfect ultra-lightweight solution for backpacking and travel, taking up precious little space — it measures just 5.9 by 6.4 by 5.9 inches — and weighing just 1.3 pounds. Bring it backpacking or on cold-weather adventures (it’s perfect for whipping up a toasty drink while snowshoeing or backcountry skiing) or stash it in your car for emergencies. The set comes with 1.8-quart anodized non-stick pot and heat-resistant lid with a built-in strainer. The pot holds two 20-ounce insulated mugs (complete with Sip-It lids), each of which nests in a durable 20-ounce plastic bowl that stores a folding spork — everything you and a friend would need for your wilderness adventures. The pot handle folds over and locks the lid (and the pot’s contents) in place for travel, and you can store the entire set in the included waterproof storage bag, which doubles as a sink. Buy the Pinnacle Dualist on its own ($69.95) or get the Pinnacle Dualist Complete, which includes a folding 3-ounce micro stove and windscreen ($109.95). The two bowls can easily fit the stove and a 110- or 220-gram propane canister to keep your cooking solution compact. www.gsioutdoors.com
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KARI BODNARCHUK