The arrival of autumn has us thinking of Pumpkin, Yayoi Kusama’s iconic sculpture on Naoshima, an island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea that’s one of our favorite destinations in Asia for contemporary art and architecture. The collection of museums and artworks set among the island landscapes and known as Benesse Art Site Naoshima provide many opportunities for […]

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Artisans of Leisure founder and CEO Ashley Isaacs Ganz just returned from a trip to Italy that included a stop at Expo Milan 2015, an ambitious World’s Fair focused on food. While the many international delicacies on offer were a highlight, the stunning architecture of the national pavilions left the biggest impression. At the top, geometric […]

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For travelers interested in decorative arts, the spectacular Juna Mahal (“Old Palace”) in Rajasthan, India  is sure to be a highlight of touring in the region. Built in the 13th century for an aristocratic family, the Juna Mahal was expanded over the centuries, finally reaching seven stories. The last residents of the palace moved out […]

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Located along the peaceful coastline north of Copenhagen, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is one of our favorite museums in Scandinavia and a highlight of the region. Named for the three wives of the estate’s 19th-century owner (all named Louise), the museum comprises a beautiful sculpture park, galleries displaying modern and contemporary American and European […]

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Artisans of Leisure’s founder and CEO, Ashley Isaacs Ganz, recently returned from an incredible private tour of Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Russia. Read about favorite cultural, scenic and culinary highlights from her trip.

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The Serpentine Gallery is one of the best places in London to experience contemporary art. We especially love exploring the temporary pavilion the gallery commissions in Kensington Gardens each summer. This year’s pavilion was designed by the Spanish architecture firm selgascano, led by Jose Selgas and Lucia Cano.  The tunnel-like structure hides a cafe at […]

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One of our favorite excursions from Helsinki is to the Iittala glass factory. We can arrange a private tour of the factory to watch artisans creating the glass vases, tableware and objets d’art that are synonymous with modern Finnish design. This tour is especially recommended for collectors of Oiva Toikka—designed Iittala annual birds, eggs and other works of art. All of the vases designed by master Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, including the iconic Savoy vase, are made in the main factory.

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We recently returned from another wonderful trip through Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, a veritable storehouse of traditional Japanese culture, fantastic food, high-quality crafts, historic architecture and beautiful gardens.

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