News from around the world

Ticket prices cut

Some tourist destinations are dropping prices in response to the struggling economy. For example, Madame Tussauds Washington, D.C., which showcases lifelike wax figures of celebrities, will reduce its admission prices, starting on Election Day, from $18 to $10 for adults. The price for children will be cut from $12 to $8. In Manhattan, the Sports Museum of America announced price reductions too. The top ticket price is now $16, compared with $27 when the museum opened earlier this year.

The Washington Nationals lowered some of their season ticket prices for next season. And the Oakland A’s are doubling the number of $2 seats for Wednesday games next season -- and throwing in $1 hot dogs for the whole stadium.

Wyndham adds New Orleans hotel

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has added the 251-room Chateau Bourbon in New Orleans’ French Quarter to its portfolio of upscale hotels. The hotel was formerly the D.H. Holmes department store, which operated for more than 140 years.

Ice rink opens

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City is opening a 150-foot-by-80-foot outdoor ice rink. Skaters will share the rink with a 17-foot-tall sculpture of a polar bear. The rink will be open to the public from Nov. 22 through Feb. 28.

Whale exhibit opens

A whale exhibit from New Zealand has opened at the National Geographic Museum in Washington. “Whales Tohora,” on view through Jan. 18, features a nearly 60-foot sperm whale skeleton and a model of a blue whale’s heart that visitors can crawl through.

Ferry links towns in Florida, Georgia

The Cumberland Sound Ferry Service is offering round trips three days a week between St. Marys in Georgia’s southeastern corner and Fernandina Beach, Fla., less than 8 miles away. The last passenger ferry to travel the Cumberland Sound between the cities made its final trip in 1916. The ferry runs Thursday through Saturday and can carry 49 passengers. Round-trip tickets cost $15.