In downtown Hamburg, a new museum has been built in the former crypt of the famous St. Nikolai Church (last rebuilt in 1846), which was partially destroyed during World War II.

Opened on Sept. 1, 2013, the new permanent exhibition (presented in English and German) is divided into four themed sections: St. Nikolai Church’s history, Hamburg before and during the war, consequences of the city’s destruction, and memories of the war plus its impact.

Inside the one remaining spire of...

­In Christ­church, New Zealand, after the Cathedral in the Square was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquakes, the church decided to construct a Transitional Cathedral while deciding whether or not to rebuild the primary cathedral. 

The walls of the triangular-shaped Transitional Cathedral, designed by Shigeru Ban, comprise 98 massive cardboard tubes up to 20 meters long. The tubes are strong, fireproof, waterproofed with polyurethane and flexible enough to withstand earthquakes. The...

North of Great Slave Lake in Alberta, Canada, travelers can view the aurora borealis from the comfort of a hot tub or even their own bed at Blachford Lake Lodge, with the 5-day/4-night “Aurora Escape” package from The Great Canadian Travel Company (Chicago, IL; 800/661-3830).

Available Dec. 20, 2013-April 6, 2014, the package costs $2,099 per person, double occupancy (single supplement, $656), and includes two nights’ stay in Yellowknife, an aurora excursion and a round trip on a...