Jaunted

· "17th Biennale of Sydney"
One of the best things about Australia's largest contemporary visual arts event is that the works are on display everywhere, from the Royal Botanic Gardens to the Sydney Opera House. What's even better is that it's free. The show, this year with the theme of "The Beauty of Distance: Songs of Survival in a Precarious Age," opens May 12 and runs through August 1.

· "The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters"
What makes the Royal Academy of Arts' exhibit a must-see is that aside from the 65 paintings and 30 drawings from Van Gogh, you'll see 35 rarely shown letters from the artist. It's an unusual glimpse into his complex, talented mind. The exhibit runs in the London museum through April 18.

· "Mummies of the World: The Dream of Eternal Life"
Mummified remains will replace the Plasticized bodies of "Body Worlds" as the new "it" anatomy exhibit. The largest traveling exhibition of mummies from all over the globe kicks off its three-year U.S. tour at LA's California Science Center July 1. Okay, so it's not exactly a spring opening, but it's what everyone will be talking about this season.

· "Caravaggio"
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Italian master Caravaggio, the Scuderie del Quirinale will showcase the most Caravaggio paintings ever collected in one city. The Rome museum is borrowing Bacchus from Florence's Uffizi Gallery, Musicians from New York's Metropolitan Museum and more for the show, which goes through June 13.

· "2010"
Head over to New York's Whitney Museum of American Art for the 75th installment of its signature exhibit, the Whitney Biennial. The focus of this year's edition is time, hence the simple name of the exhibit. If you've never been to a Whitney Biennial, get a primer with its greatest hits on the fifth floor. The show runs through May 30.

Related Stories:
· Caravaggio blockbuster to open in Rome [AFP]
· Five Unexpected And Interactive Musical Attractions [Jaunted]
· Museum Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photos: 17th Biennale of Sydney, Royal Academy of Arts, American Exhibitions, Scuderie del Quirinale, Whitney Museum of American Art ]