Train Street Cafe, Hanoi, Vietnam
Train cafes in Hanoi are especially popular with foreign tourists, who often share check-in photos on social networks. However, this is a controversial destination regarding safety. By mid-September 2022, the local government officially announced the closure of train cafes and revoked licenses for businesses violating railway corridor safety.
In 2022, all shops on the train street had their business licenses revoked, and fences were erected to prevent people from entering and exiting.
This old quarter area has a train track just a few centimeters away from the shops on both sides of the street, creating a lot of excitement for tourists when taking souvenir photos with a cup of coffee while the train runs right next to it. Hanoi had requested the closure of some shops in the area in 2019, but this street is still crowded.
Instead of going by train, CNN suggests that tourists start their tour of Hanoi from the area of the Cathedral. Although there are no trains coming from behind, they are compensated by the noise from many motorbikes.
Underground Museum, Los Angeles, USA
Located in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, the Underground Museum was created by artist couple Noah and Karon Davis, who are known for championing the work of artists of color. However, due to the impact of the pandemic, this art space could not continue to maintain despite receiving support from many celebrities such as Beyonce, Tracee Ellis Ross and John Legend.
The museum also serves as a bookstore, an event space, and a community center.
Alternatively, the California African American Museum is a worthwhile visit for tourists looking to enjoy artwork by artists of color.
Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
Asia's largest bird park has announced it will close in August 2022 after more than 50 years in Singapore. However, there is good news for visitors: all of Jurong's creatures will be merged into the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, as well as the new Banyan Tree luxury resort, to form an eco-tourism hub in northern Singapore.
Asia's largest bird park announced to close in August 2022 after more than 50 years of operation in Singapore
For now, visitors can visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO world heritage site, or visit the Turtle Museum in Yishun if they love animals.
Dublin Writers Museum, Ireland
Wilde, Beckett and Yeats are all important contributors to English literature, all three of whom hail from Ireland, and the Dublin Writers Museum is dedicated to their literary heritage. Like many other tourist attractions around the world, the Dublin Writers Museum has been temporarily closed since March 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic.
This Irish museum will close in 2022 when its owners decide it "no longer meets the expectations of contemporary museum visitors".
However, in August 2022, Failte Ireland, Ireland's national tourism agency which owns and operates the museum, announced that the museum would close permanently because it "no longer meets contemporary museum visitors' expectations of accessibility, presentation and interpretation".
Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant, Hong Kong (China)
Once the world's largest floating restaurant, featured in dozens of movies and TV shows and visited by Queen Elizabeth II, Jumbo Kingdom has met an unhappy end.
Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant, Hong Kong (China)
The cost of maintaining the floating restaurant was too high, given the pandemic-related tourism slump in Hong Kong. After several failed attempts to sell it, the Jumbo sailed to a port in Southeast Asia, but unfortunately sank in the South China Sea.
Jumbo is gone, but other tourist attractions in Hong Kong are still operating well, like the Peak Tram (funicular railway) which was refurbished in 2022.
9/11 Museum, New York City, USA
The museum, opened in 2006 by relatives of those who died in the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, existed before the National September 11 Memorial and Museum opened. It houses personal items of survivors and victims. Due to financial hardships during the Covid-19 pandemic, the museum closed in the summer of 2022.
The museum opened in 2006 by relatives of those who died in the 2001 World Trade Center attacks.
The museum no longer exists, but most of the artifacts were moved to the New York State Museum in Albany, more than 150 miles from New York City. Visitors can also visit the New York National September 11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero.
Edo-Tokyo Museum, Tokyo, Japan
The museum offers an overview of Japanese history, tradition, and culture during the Edo period. Located on the riverside in the Ryogoku neighborhood, the museum opened in 1993. It will be closed for at least three years for renovations, with a planned reopening in late 2025 or early 2026, museum officials said.
This history museum is being upgraded and refurbished for three years.
Another famous museum in Tokyo, TeamLab Borderless, has also announced its closure to move its headquarters. A reopening date has not been announced. This is a place to display digital artworks, creating a world without borders. TeamLab Borderless is recognized by Guinness World Records as the most visited museum in the world with nearly 2.2 million visitors in 2019.
TeamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Offering digital experiences created by “super scientists,” the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized it as the world’s most visited museum.
The museum will move from its headquarters in Odaiba to a new facility, which is expected to be completed in 2023. However, the reopening date of the museum has not been announced.
TeamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Museum of London, England
This historical and cultural museum was founded in 1912. It is currently located on London Wall and has been moved to the nearby General Market. The renovation, conversion and new construction will take place over four years and is expected to reopen in 2026. Therefore, visitors to London next year will not be able to visit this place.
Famous historical and cultural museum founded in 1912
Alternatives: See Shakespeare plays at the Globe Theatre, explore the underground Churchill War Rooms or the Tower of London.
Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, USA
After her glorious voyages, the ship was officially “retired” off the coast of southern California in 1967, then decorated in an art deco style, serving as a restaurant, hotel and tourist attraction in Long Beach. After a long period of use, the Queen Mary is now in dire need of refurbishment. The estimated cost of the renovation is at least $5 million.
Queen Mary has no plans to reopen to guests until 2023
In addition to the Queen Mary, the successor to the Queen Mary that is still in active service, Long Beach also has many other worthwhile attractions, such as the Museum of Latin American Art.
