Disabled and severely obese travelers to get extra seats for free in Canada

Intrigued by the filming locations depicted in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, but can't make it to New Zealand, Poland, or Slovakia this winter? Well, head to Philadelphia instead to get your fill of all things Narnia at the Franklin Institute when "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition" opens there this Friday, Nov. 28. The 10,000-square-foot interactive exhibit features scene displays, creatures, props, and costumes from both movies, while also explaining the science and natural history behind the fantasy world. Guests enter in a re-creation of author C.S. Lewis's study and then step through a wardrobe to find themselves in a wintry Narnia scene, complete with wind and falling snow. Highlights include a replica of the White Witch's throne that visitors can sit on to feel its icy chill, accompanied by a display on climate change; a section on King Miraz's castle from Prince Caspian where guests can build an arch, learn about the architectural strategies used in the design, and also witness a demonstration of a medieval catapulting weapon; and an area showcasing pieces of petrified history, including a 5-million-year-old cave bear tooth. The displays—supported by input from NASA and California Institute of Technology scientists—are especially designed to allow kids to question the validity of the fantastical elements in the movies: Can animals communicate with humans? Can a waterfall really freeze? Can we manipulate the weather? In the movies, the magic was grounded in reality. As Prince Caspian executive producer Perry Moore explains, "That kind of magic is related to nature. It's about the power of the planet and the power of the earth." The exhibit runs at the Franklin through Apr. 19, 2009. Tickets cost $22.25 for adults and $17.50 for kids before 5:30 p.m., which also includes regular museum admission; after 5:30 p.m., adults pay $10.50 and kids pay $9.50. Tickets are sold online. Narnia-themed packages are also available at local hotels. narniaexhibition.com Philadelphia is the second stop on the traveling exhibit's multi-city tour. It debuted in Phoenix's Arizona Science Center in June and will visit eight more cities in the U.S. and Canada over the next five years. EARLIER Q&A; with editor of On Location Vacations, about movie quest travel Philly tour guides will have to pass history tests Interview with the director of Quantum of Solace about how to do James Bond travel

A smart bookstore just north of Union Square recently became my new go-to spot for all things travel- and literature-related. From the street, the only hint is a huge illuminated globe in Idlewild Bookstore's window, but walk up the stairs and you'll find a selection that caters to exactly what us travelers want. David Del Vecchio opened Idlewild over the summer, and word's definitely spreading around Manhattan. A former United Nations press officer, David named his shop after the original name for New York International Airport, which, in 1963, was renamed JFK. The genius behind Idlewild is its shelving system: books are organized by destination, so it's like a one-stop shop for your next trip. The store sells more than 5,000 books covering more than 150 countries. Let's say you're headed to Paris. On the France shelves, you'll find everything from the big-name guidebooks to lesser-known guides that chain bookstores don't even stock. Guidebooks share shelf space with novels, non-fiction, and maps. They've got titles cover everything you'd ever wanted to learn about the City of Light: books on the best brasseries, patisseries, markets, the best quiet corners of Paris. Then there's Ernest Hemingway and Julia Childs next to Eloise in Paris. The same applies to anyplace you're thinking of visiting—they've got sections for all 7 continents. The wanderlust-inspiring shop has something for everyone. If you're a New Yorker, drop in, take a seat, and fantasize (or start planning) your next trip. Just visiting the city? Check out the extensive New York shelves, with everything from Not For Tourist books on all five boroughs to guides to the Hamptons. Idlewild's also got international cookbooks, globes, maps, bags, inflatable neck pillows…. My only immediate travel plans are to head home for the holidays. I sure didn't need a guidebook, but today I picked up a neoprene iPod sleeve with super-cute Sukie graphics. The best part: Everything in the store goes on sale this Sunday (11/23). For one day only, you'll get 20 percent off books and 40 percent off travel accessories. You heard it from BT first. Idlewild Books, 12 West 19th St., New York, 212/414-8888, idlewildbooks.com

The National Museum of American History reopened today after a two-year, $85 million renovation. In a noteworthy move, Barack Obama has already been added to the Presidential Gallery prior to his inauguration. As part of the opening festivities, former Secretary of State Colin Powell read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address this morning, and President Bush led a re-dedication ceremony on Wednesday. Responding in part to a critical review of its organization in a 2002 blue-ribbon commission report, the museum has tidied up with new display walls and brightened up with a sunlit five-story atrium. The Star-Spangled Banner—the now fragile flag that inspired the national anthem at the Battle of Baltimore in 1814—received special attention, with its own climate-controlled display case, Francis Scott Key's lyrics are projected behind it. A touchscreen device tells the history. Located in the National Mall, the museum houses a wide range of artifacts that you won't always find in a textbook. Exhibitions display Dorothy's red slippers, an 1865 telescope made by the nation's first female astronomer, the Greensboro lunch counter made famous by civil rights activists, a century's worth of metal lunch boxes, and a car from Disneyland's Dumbo ride. The museum has basically everything interesting in American culture including the kitchen sink (which Julia Child donated, along with the rest of her Cambridge, Mass. TV shows set). The Washington Post has a full review of the revamped space. 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., free, americanhistory.si.edu RELATED Smithsonian had a good article in its latest issue about the Star-Spangled Banner and its restoration. EARLIER Airports Debut New Runways in Chicago, D.C., and Seattle