PRELUDE IN THE KNOW FEBRUARY 2006

An evening at the theater

With nearly 200 theater, music and dance companies, Atlanta is quickly becoming the Southeast’s most important center for the performing arts. And now you can take your Valentine out to experience the city’s vibrant performance scene at a fraction of the price with same-day tickets from AtlanTIX.

With locations in the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Underground Atlanta Visitors Center and at Lenox Square, visitors have access to all the Atlanta stage has to offer, for half the price. Plus, AtlanTIX provides discounted tickets to cultural attractions like Zoo Atlanta, Center for Puppetry Arts, the High Museum of Art and much more. www.atlantaperforms.com

A night of luxury

Winner of numerous design awards, Boston’s chicest boutique hotel, Nine Zero features groundbreaking technology and architecture, ultra-luxe furnishings and one of the world’s top hotel restaurants, Spire. Got a dog? The “In the Doghouse” package includes gourmet treats, a plush doggie bed and puppy pillow menu for your canine companion. The hotel even offers side-by-side manicures for you and your hound. And now you can take a little taste of Nine Zero’s haute style home with you— everything from the bathrobe and in-room bath amenities to full bedroom sets, dinnerware and lighting fixtures are available for purchase on the hotel’s website. www.ninezero.com

A day at the museum

What does a museum exhibit sound like? That’s what the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County asked in its especially commissioned exhibit, Sonic Scenery: Music for Collections, February 3 through May 3. The museum asked prominent musicians from a range of genres to create soundscapes for its illustrious permanent exhibition halls, which visitors can enjoy on special headsets or their own iPods. Artists include Ozomatli, Autolux, Jon Hassell, Stephen Hartke, David J (above), Matmos, Nels Cline, Languis, Nobody and the Sun Ra Arkestra—the 14-piece free jazz ensemble that improvised a soundtrack for the Ancient Latin America Hall live in front of the museum’s Aztec Sun Stone. www.nhm.org

A month of remembrance

The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit celebrates Black History month all year long. The 120,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art museum features innovative exhibitions covering black history and culture from around the world and throughout history. Current exhibitions include the history of African-Americans in professional football, human-rights images from South Africa, and an exploration of the offensive stereotypes refl ected in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century material culture. An extensive permanent collection traces black culture from 3.5 million years ago to today. www.maah-detroit.org