NCMC Events From Around the State… January 30, 2012

NCMC announces its 2012 conference to be held in Asheville, NC, on March 18 and 19. Registration is in process and can be done on-line or by mail; Early Bird deadline is February 17. The conference theme is “Elevating Expectations.” Visit www.ncmuseums.org to register and for more information.

1). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents ‘Talk by Douglas Fordham: James Gillray and Home Rule” on Tuesday, February 7, 5:30 p.m. Members/students free, non-members $5. Artist James Gillray (1756–1815) was known for his satirical prints about politics, imperialism, and domestic life. This talk will examine Gillray’s representation of domestic interiors, and will explore whether the artist’s vision of “Home Rule” carried both domestic and imperial connotations. Fordham is associate professor of art history and director of graduate studies in the McIntire Department of Art at the University of Virginia.

2). Cameron Art Museum The opening reception for the exhibition “Civil War Era Drawings from the Becker Collection” will take place on Thursday, February 2, 2012 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The exhibition features 127 “first hand” drawings depicting colorful aspects of life and action during the Civil War era. These original drawings by artist-reporters for the “Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper” were used to inform a reading public consumed by the need to know what was happening throughout America as it struggled to establish its national identity.

3). Museum of the Albemarle Join us on Saturday, February 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for the commemoration of the Battle of Elizabeth City fought in 1862. On site will be Civil War living history presentations, exhibits and displays, live artillery firing in Waterfront Park, demonstrations of the mustering of the troops and various programs by the Tar Heel Civilians that bring the civilian aspect of the war-time era to visitors. Talk to local historians and view the arms, medical equipment and other items of the day. Junior Docents will encourage children in hands-on history activities including period dances, games and chores.

4). Preservation Society of Chapel Hill presents a Black History Month Film Series, “Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery”. “Africans in America” examines the economic and intellectual foundations of slavery in America and the global economy that prospered from it. And it reveals how the presence of African people and their struggle for freedom transformed America. Episode One, "The Terrible Transformation: 1450-1750" on Wednesday, February 8th at noon. Episode Four, "Judgement Day: 1831-1865" on Wednesday, February 22nd at noon. Free admission but donations welcome.

5). N.C. Museum of History will present "Music From the Carolinas: Boo Hanks" on Feb. 12. The program will showcase Hanks' virtuosity in the delicate finger-style Piedmont blues. The program is presented by PineCone with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM. 3 p.m. Free.

7). Bennett Place State Historic Site Words of the formerly enslaved will be shared in a lecture at Bennett Place State Historic Site on Thursday, Feb. 16, 6:30-9 p.m. The presentation, "The First Year of Freedom in North Carolina: Pursuing Freedom with the Hoe and the Sword, the Book and the Lord," by Dr. Reginald Hildebrand, UNC-Chapel Hill, will offer first-hand accounts based on his research. The program, hosted by the Durham Civil War Roundtable and the Bennett Place Support Fund, is free to members, and has a $5 fee for visitors.

8). Asheville Art Museum invites visitors to enjoy a casual reception and evening of conversation with Asheville Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Musical Director, Daniel Meyer, and Asheville Art Museum Executive Director, Pamela Myers, on Wednesday, February 8 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Held at the Museum, this event is free to Symphony and Museum Members; tickets are $5 for non-Members.

9). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Weather in North Carolina is certainly unpredictable but Sir Walter Wally is almost always right! Come join us at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for the 15th annual Groundhog Day celebration. The free event is Thursday, February 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the shadow ceremony beginning promptly at noon on Bicentennial plaza in front of the Museum. The ceremony will be held in the Museum’s auditorium in case of inclement weather.

10). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents “History Talks” with Mike Wiley- “A Game Apart: The Life of Jackie Robinson” on Thursday February 2 at 7pm in the Museum Annex. Mike Wiley’s performance, sponsored in part by a sub grant from the Grassroots Program of the NC Arts Council through Surry Arts Council, provides a glimpse of Jackie Robinson’s life during a bygone era of separate and unequal locker rooms, of whites only hotels, and of restaurants with only a back door for colored athletes to enter. Witness the hopeless humiliation of a star player who was showered with adulation on the field and became a second-hand citizen when he walked off the diamond.

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 16, 2012

1). Cape Fear Museum presents “Mystery at the Museum” on Saturday, January 21, 10 AM-4 PM, $3 for members; $6 for non-members. Something mysterious has happened at the Museum - a gardener made a shocking discovery in the Museum’s courtyard while planting a tree. What could these shimmering objects be? Investigate the scene then analyze your evidence in the mystery labs. Be on the lookout for clue carts and hidden evidence. Experience our exhibits as they come to life to uncover the secrets of our region’s past.

2). N.C. State Capitol On Saturday, January 21, learn the stories behind some of the Executive Mansion's furniture and artifacts with Maria Shevzov, acting curator of decorative arts at the N.C. Museum of History and North Carolina's Executive Mansion. The free lecture takes place at 1 p.m. in the old House Chamber. In this multimedia presentation, Shevzov will introduce several objects from the collection to discuss the medium, the use of the object, and the private lives of the public families who used these items.

3). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Most people alive today will witness a momentous juncture in the history of the human species – the point when explosive growth in human numbers and appetites peaks and is followed by … no one knows. Join prize-winning journalist Andrew Revkin to explore the question “Which Comes First: Peak Everything or Peak Us?” at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Wednesday, January 18 at 7pm. Free.

4). SECCA presents “Talk at SECCA: Out of Fashion Artist Conversation” on on Thursday, January 19th, 7pm. Free and open to the public. “Out of Fashion”, the current exhibition at SECCA, presents a variety of work by 14 artists and designers from across NC, including those who have moved to our state, as well as those from NC now living abroad. Across multiple generations and materials, they use the language of fashion to explore broader social, economic, political and environmental issues. Join three “Out of Fashion” exhibiting artists and SECCA curator Steven Matijcio for a special in-gallery experience and conversation.

5). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher presents “Mommy and Me” on Tuesday, January 17, 9am, for adults and children ages 1-2. $13 for one adult and one child ($1 for each additional child); Admission to Aquarium is included. Mothers and their children interact and learn together about aquarium animals. They also enjoy free playtime in our Freshwater Wonders Room.

6). Cape Fear Museum Once again, Cape Fear Museum of History and Science needs help cracking a mysterious case of “whodunit?” Families are asked to put on their detective hats and solve an all new “Mystery at the Museum” Saturday, January 21 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (last ticket sold at 2:30). Something mysterious has happened at the Museum—a gardener made a shocking discovery in the Museum’s courtyard while planting a tree. What could these shimmering objects be? It is Native American currency or a colonial merchant’s income? Perhaps it’s Pirate booty!

7). The Bascom presents “Art Adventure" on Tuesdays, January 17-February 21, 3:15-430 pm, ages 5-9. Roll up your sleeves and join in on the fun after school! You will work on individual and collaborative projects, and experiment with everything from painting, ceramics and sculpture to printmaking and collage. Snacks are provided. Bus service is available from Highlands School. Class size is limited, pre-registration is required. Tuition: $30 for a six week session.

8). Waterworks Visual Arts Center The Reverend Dale Steele of LightShine Ministries will give a special gallery talk on exhibiting artist (posthumously) Robert Doares’ artwork “Immanuel, God with Us: The Life of Christ in Art” on Thursday, January 19 at 11 am and Tuesday, January 24 at 1:30 pm. The 54 panoramic drawings and paintings in the series represents 30 years of Robert’s life and became his offering of worship and praise to the Lord. Each drawing took 300 hours to complete and each oil took over 600 hours to complete. This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by January 16.

9). Museum of Anthropology presents “Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present” from Jan. 24 – Mar. 31, Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 4:30pm. In its American premier, this exhibit examines transformations in contemporary Japanese society and landscapes over recent decades by providing an overview of the diverse photographic expression that emerged during that time period. The exhibit features text in English and Japanese. Admission is free.

10). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to present “Ready for Prime Time”, a preview party celebrating “Prime Time: New Media Juried Exhibition”, the inaugural exhibition of the New Media Gallery scheduled to open in the Museum’s newly-expanded East Wing in March 2012. Ready for Prime Time will take place at Asheville CityMac, located at 755 Biltmore Avenue in Biltmore Village, on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. (audiences of all ages are welcome). A $5 donation at the door is suggested in support of ongoing exhibitions and educational programming at the Museum.

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 9, 2012

1). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences True to its namesake’s nature, “Genghis Khan: The Exhibition” will be occupying the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh for an extra week. But time is running out – the exhibition’s last day is now Sunday, January 22. Don’t miss seeing the largest collection ever assembled of the treasures of the Empire of Genghis Khan!

2). Cape Fear Museum “Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art “, exhibit opens January 28, highlights the beauty of coiled basketry and shows how a basket can be viewed simultaneously as a work of art, object of use and container of memory. This exhibition features more than fifty baskets and related objects and images. It traces the parallel histories of coiled baskets in Africa and America starting from the domestication of rice in Africa two millennia ago, through the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the Carolina rice plantation, to the present. Audiences will learn about the creativity and artistry of Africans in America from the 17th century to the present.

3). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents “In the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Surry Countians Continuing the Dream” on Saturday January 14 from 7-8:30pm in the Museum Annex. This program of healing will focus on the sacrifices, love, learning, service, perseverance, and hope of the African-American community of Surry County. Light refreshments will follow the program. Free admission, donations accepted.

4). HandsOn! the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, invites you to come be as curious as a monkey with us! All week long, Jan. 17 – 20, we will celebrate being curious with self-directed drop-in activities that range from coloring, to drawing, to word searches, to mazes and more. On Wednesday, Jan. 18th, there will be a Book n’ Craft program at 11 am featuring a reading of “Curious George” by H. A. Rey and a monkey craft. These programs are free with the $5 museum admission fee and free for museum members, and sponsored by Fountainhead Bookstore.

5). Waterworks Visual Arts Center Waterworks will host artists’ talks/demonstrations on four Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30 pm. January 17 – “My Career as an Illustrator,” (Walter Stanford); January 24 – “Why Impressionism?,” (Phyllis Steimel); January 31 - “Post Impressionism,” (Don Moore); February 7 – “Within the Wood,” (Rick Sorensen). Tuition is $15 per session or 4 sessions for $50. Call 704-636-1882 to register.

6). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA For the explorer at heart, bring a friend and join us for a behind the scenes tour of unrestored areas of the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA on Saturday, January 14, 2012. The four-hour tour consists of small groups with guides. Guests explore the bow, third deck, Engine room #1, the refrigerator compartments, and climb inside the fire control tower to the top of the ship. The Azalea Coast Radio Club will be in Radio II to explain their work on the ship's radio transmitters.

7). Cameron Art Museum Charlie Brouwer will be in Wilmington at the Cameron Art Museum on Thursday, January 12 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm to discuss his upcoming public art project with the community. Community participation is encouraged for this public artwork. Program admission to the event is CAM members free and non-members $5.00. No registration is required. Charlie Brouwer is an artist from Floyd County, Virginia. Ladders have often occurred in his sculptures and installations. “Rise Up Wilmington” will be the latest in a series of temporary public art projects he has been creating with communities. These projects are designed to bring the art and artist into closer contact with his audience – especially new audiences.

8). Port Discover Heather Fletcher, owner of “The Cupcakery”, will share her baking tips and teach the science behind baking during “Baking 101,” at Port Discover’s Second Saturday Science program, on Saturday, January 14 at 11:00 am. Children won’t want to miss out on this edible, mouth-watering science lesson! Second Saturday Science is free.

9). Weatherspoon Art Museum presents “Richard Mosse: Falk Visiting Artist” from Jan 14, 2012 – Apr 15, 2012. Photographer Richard Mosse has spent the last two years shooting a new series of work titled “Infra” in the eastern Congo. The artist is known for his restrained and highly aestheticized views of sites associated with violence and fear, such as his 2008 depictions of the war in Iraq, and his large-scale photographs of airplane crash sites and emergency drills. For his work in the Congo, Mosse used Kodak Aerochrome, an infrared film designed in connection with the United States military to detect camouflage in the 1940s.

10). The Gregg Museum of Art and Design presents “Textiles of Exile”, running January 19 – May 12. Working with fibers is one of the oldest of human activities, one of the easiest to seize and carry in an emergency, one of the easiest to hide, one of the most comforting to engage in, and the craft most closely associated with storytelling. In “Textiles of Exile”, the Gregg displays examples from illegal Hispanic immigrants in California, Afghan refugees in Pakistan, threatened women in Peru, relocated Laotian Hmongs in Thailand, and prisoners in the American justice system; all call attention to the universality of the “silent scream” of homesickness.

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 3, 2012

1). Joel Lane Museum House Charles Silver, owner of Midway Plantation, will talk about “Moving Midway” from the owner’s perspective on Thursday, January 12, 2012, at 7 pm in the Visitors Center at 160 South Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC 27603. Admission will be $15 for the general public and $10 for members of the Joel Lane Historical Society. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, and advanced payment is required.

2). Cape Fear Museum presents “Building Wilmington” on Saturdays, January 7, 14, 28, 1-4 PM. Free for members or with Museum admission. Conduct fun and creative building experiments to explore Lower Cape Fear architecture. What is a structural foundation and why is it so important? How are historic buildings preserved for future generations to enjoy? Create a marshmallow geodesic dome to test out shape strength and make your own newspaper tower to take home.

3). Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Considered yourselves challenged! On Tuesday evening, January 17, 2012 at 7:00 pm the Friends of Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson will hold their First Annual “War Between the States Quiz Bowl”. This will serve as one of many fundraisers to assist with the reconstruction of Gun Emplacement #3 on Battery B, Fort Anderson. It will also serve to raise funds for the mounting of a working 32-pdr gun when the emplacement is complete. The winning team will get their name on the War Between the States Quiz Bowl Trophy and another special prize. $100.00 registration per team.

4). N.C. Museum of History presents11th Annual “African American Cultural Celebration” on Saturday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy a day of activities, crafts, music, entertainment, and foods in celebration of the state’s African American heritage and culture. Join us for the kickoff to Black History Month! In honor of the festival’s 11th year, this year’s event highlights North Carolina’s 11 historically black colleges and universities — the largest number of any state in the nation. Over 75 musicians, storytellers, dancers, historians, playwrights, authors, artists, re-enactors, chefs, teachers, scholars, and other presenters will share their culture and heritage.

5). HandsOn! Hands On!-A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, invites you to come be part of Critter Craft Day on Thursday January 5, 2012. Visitors can make a cat craft with various size circles. This activity focuses on learning about our feline friends and shapes. This is a drop-in, self –directed activity in our Party Room. Cost to attend is included in $5 admission and is free for museum members. Critter Craft is sponsored by the Etowah Valley Vet Hospital.

6). Asheville Art Museum presents “Lunchtime Art Break: A Tisket A Tasket: Appalachian, Cherokee and Low Country Baskets” on Friday, Jan. 6th, 12-1pm. The Museum presents lunchtime Art Breaks, a series of gallery talks and presentations designed to inform and engage Museum visitors in dialogue with Curatorial and Education Staff, Museum Docents and special guests. This month’s Art Break features Frank Thomson, Museum Curator, who will discuss current exhibition “A Tisket A Tasket: Appalachian, Cherokee and Low Country Baskets”, which examines how basket makers have preserved their unique traditions in spite of the many challenges they have faced. This exhibition closes January 8.

7). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Witness the all important race to discover the tomb of Genghis Khan when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences shows “The Mask of Fu Manchu” on First Friday, January 6 at 7pm. Free. Last one there will be unspeakably foul. The opponents in this race include the sinister Chinese scientist Dr. Fu Manchu and Egyptologist Sir Lionel Barton, spurred on by the British Secret Service. If the Fu tracks down the sword and mask of Khan he will have the legendary conqueror’s power to enslave the world. If Sir Lionel gets there first, he gets to “bring those pretty things back to England.” Who you got?

8). Waterworks Visual Arts Center invites you to the 7th Annual Oyster Roast, Saturday, January 28 from 6:30-11:30 pm. This fundraiser supports our educational and outreach programs. Tickets are $65/person. Price includes all-you-can-eat steamed oysters, shrimp, chicken bites, Brunswick stew, and all the fixins’, beer, wine, dessert, and entertainment. Purchase tickets now online or call 704-636-1882. Waterworks promotes educational and outreach programs through hands-on studio classes, artists’ talks, lectures, workshops, an art library, family activities, and other community outreach projects for individuals, groups, and schools.

NCMC Events From Around the State… December 26, 2011

1). Tryon Palace presents “Twelfth Night with the Stanlys” on January 5th at 6, 7, and 8pm at the Stanly House at Tryon Palace. The Stanly family cordially invites you to attend their grand Twelfth Night party - January 5th, 1803. Join in the festivities with traditional entertainments in the historic Stanly home, including light refreshments. Who knows, you may even be crowned King and Queen of the evening! To make your reservation, call 252-639-3524.

2). N.C. Museum of History presents “History à la Carte: The War of 1812 in North Carolina” on Wednesday, Jan. 11th, 12:10-1 p.m, with speaker James Greathouse, Transportation and Local History Museum, Fayetteville.. Bring your lunch; beverages provided. Discover North Carolina’s role in “America’s Second War for Independence.” Greathouse will discuss prominent individuals such as Otway Burns, Johnston Blakeley, Dolley Madison and Benjamin Forsyth.

3). Guilford College Art Gallery presents “Esse Quam Videri: Self Portraits by Bahraini Muslims”, from January 9-February 29, 2012. Opening reception: Wednesday, January 11, 5-7 pm; comments by Todd Drake, artist/collaborator, 5:30 pm. An exhibition featuring 24 portraits collaboratively created by Muslims living in Bahrain and artist Todd Drake, and resulting from a Fulbright-Hayes Grant and support from the U.S. State Department.

4). Fort Fisher State Historic Site As part of the state’s observance of the NC Civil War Sesquicentennial, Fort Fisher State Historic Site will host “The Lights of the Great Armada: the 147th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort Fisher” on January 21-22, 2012. This two-day event will highlight the largest amphibious assault of the Civil War with a Navy and Marine living history program that will include small arms and artillery demonstrations throughout the weekend, a period torpedo exhibit, as well as special presentations focusing on the Union and Confederate sailors and marines who fought at Fort Fisher in January, 1865.

5). Weatherspoon Art Museum presents Noon @ the 'Spoon Tour: "Altered States & Visions" on Tuesday, Jan 10, 12 noon. Noon @ the 'Spoon features a 20-minute docent-led tour of a new exhibition. Offered every second Tuesday of the month. Free.

6). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA For the explorer at heart, bring a friend and join us for a behind the scenes tour of unrestored areas of the Battleship on Saturday, January 14, 2012.The four-hour tour consists of small groups with guides. The tour is limited to ages 12 and older and limited to 40 participants per time slot. Registration and payment are due by Thursday, January 12th.

7). HandsOn! On Wednesday, January 4th, Hands On!, the children’s museum located in downtown Hendersonville, will be hosting a program in honor of Braille Literacy Week. Children can come to the museum all day and learn how to write their name in Braille. They will learn a little bit about the history of Braille and leave with their name on a card written in Braille. This program is designed for all ages.

8). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to present “Traditions in Cherokee Basket Making” on Sunday, January 8, 2012 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the Museum’s Holden Community Gallery (first floor of the Museum). Cherokee storyteller Davy Arch will share stories of the Eastern Cherokee’s history and culture during this special event, followed by a live artist demonstration of traditional Cherokee basket making techniques.

9). Cameron Art Museum presents a lecture with artist Charlie Brouwer on Thurs. Jan. 12th from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. Program admission: CAM Members: Free, Non-members: $5.00. Charlie Brouwer is an artist from Floyd County, Virginia. Ladders have often occurred in his sculptures and installations. “Rise Up Wilmington” will be the latest in a series of temporary public art projects he has been creating with communities. These projects are designed to bring the art and artist into closer contact with his audience – especially new audiences.

10). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher presents “Aquarist Apprentice” on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. Check out a dirty job you’re sure to love. Join staff on a behind-the-scenes tour and learn about Aquarium animals, what they eat, how they live, and how to care for them. Then, assist aquarists with food preparation and help feed the animals. Participants also observe aquarists during daily care and maintenance tasks. This limited opportunity is only open to 10 participants. Pre-registration required.

NCMC Events From Around the State… December 19, 2011

1). Greensboro Children’s Museum presents New Years Rockin’ Eve “Eve Party” with Big Bang Boom on Friday, December 30th, 11:45am. Let's romp and stomp with some creative noise makers in creation station, parade down GCM's Main Street and rock out with Big Bang Boom! We will countdown to "Noon" Year's Eve Eve! Don't miss this last chance to party in 2011 at the Museum!

2). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Give yourself and your little elves a holiday break at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher. “Holiday Elf Camp” offers children ages 5-12 years old the opportunity to become Santa’s little helpers and learn, too. Campers will make gifts, wrap them, meet other elves and create memories at the Aquarium. Each day features a different animal theme. Children may be registered for one, two or three days of camp. The program fee of $50 per day includes Aquarium admission, pizza lunch, snacks, crafts, holiday gift-wrap and instruction. Camp dates are Dec. 21, 22, and 23.

3). N.C. Museum of History presents “History Corner: Scots-Irish” on Wednesday, January 4th from 10-11am, ages 6-9 with adult, $1 per person. Who are the Scots-Irish? Find out where they settled and the traditions they introduced to North Carolina. This hands-on program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.

4). HandsOn! Come into Hands On!- A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, on Thursday, December 22nd and Friday, December 23rd from 10:00 am -5:00 pm and make your own Christmas ornament. Materials will be available in our Party Room to create delightful Christmas ornaments for you to take home or decorate the Hands On! Christmas tree. This drop-in activity is suited to a variety of ages and is free with $5.00 admission and free for members. Girl scouts will be helpful elves and assist children with their creations.

5). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will be open on Christmas Eve from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. During your visit to the museum you may enjoy the Victorian-style decorations in the lobby and visit our galleries. There will be a matinee viewing of the holiday movie “Mr. Christmas” at 1:00 pm and 2:30. “Mr. Christmas” is a period film set in 1941 just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

6). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA In the middle of May, 2011, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, began work on hull repairs to the Starboard Bow. On Friday, November 29, 2011, the State of North Carolina and Battleship accepted completion of the bow repair project. Taylor Brothers Marine Construction, a NC based company, completed the project within the contract time frame and under budget. As completion of one project comes to closure, a new project is being undertaken by Taylor Brothers to repair the main and forward mast.

7). Reynolda House Reynolda House Museum of American Art opened “Domestic Bliss: Art at Home in Britain and America, 1780–1840,” a small, focused exhibition on Dec. 17, 2011. The exhibition will be on view in the West Bedroom Gallery of the historic house through May 20, 2012. Admission to this exhibition, as well as “Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum,” on view through Dec. 31, is included in the price of admission to Reynolda House.

8). Natural Science Center of Greensboro On December 21, 2011 at 1pm, the Natural Science Center of Greensboro (NSC) will unveil its newest exhibit for its oldest new resident, Bone-Crusher, a 92 year old alligator snapping turtle. Alligator snappers are the largest freshwater turtles in North America growing up to 250 lbs. with unsubstantiated reports of specimens exceeding 400 lbs. With a spiked shell (averaging two feet long), beaklike jaws, and a thick, scaled tail, this species is often referred to as the "dinosaur of the turtle world." Though exact life expectancy is unknown, it is believed that their lifespan rivals that of giant land tortoises and can exceed 150 years.

9). Guilford College Art Gallery presents “Esse Quam Videri: Self Portraits by Bahraini Muslims”, from January 9-February 29, 2012. Opening reception: Wednesday, January 11, 5-7 pm; comments by Todd Drake, artist/collaborator, 5:30 pm. An exhibition featuring 24 portraits collaboratively created by Muslims living in Bahrain and artist Todd Drake, and resulting from a Fulbright-Hayes Grant and support from the U.S. State Department.

10). Museum of the Albemarle will hold “Pre-Schooler Time” on Thursday, January 12, 2012 and Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 10:00 am. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-Schoolers will discover how people in the Albemarle Region have enjoyed music by viewing various instruments from the Museum’s collection, read a book, and participate in a hands-on activity. This is a free family program.

NCMC Events From Around the State… December 12, 2011

1). SECCA The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts (SECCA and Foothills Brewing are proud to present “Crossroads @ SECCA #003”, the third and final installment of the new concert series’ inaugural season. “Crossroads @ SECCA #003” will take place on Saturday, December 16, from 5-9 p.m. at the McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium, SECCA’s intimate 300-seat venue. Headlining the night will be the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the legendary Crescent City institution that’s called the French Quarter home for the past 50-plus years.

2). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher presents the newest installation in the Aquarium’s Spadefish Gallery, entitled “A Walk in the Woods: North Carolina’s Maritime Forests,” showcases the artistry of the Raleigh-Durham Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA). On display from now to March 1, the creative works celebrate the rich animal and plant diversity of maritime forests along our coast. These unique ecosystems have adapted to the effects of salt spray and wind because of their proximity to the ocean. All pieces in the show are original and while other medium, such as watercolor or pastels, can be used, these pieces are at least 75 percent colored pencil.

3). HandsOn! the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, on Thursday, December 15th from 2:30-4:30 pm and make a dreidel. Learn how to make a dreidel and play the dreidel game. This game is a part of the Jewish holiday of Hannukkah which begins at sundown on December 20th. This drop-in activity is suited to a variety of ages and is free with $5.00 admission and free for members.

4). N.C. Museum of Forestry presents a special exhibit, Prehistoric Giants Ancient Fossil Discoveries, November 3 through July 8, 2012. Journey into the exciting world of dinosaurs now uncovered at the NC Museum of Forestry. Activate your imagination. Broaden your knowledge. Experience ancient fossil discoveries. Make rubbings of dinosaur footprints, unearth real fossils in the Fossil Dig Pit.

5). Waterworks Visual Arts Center presents winter exhibition “Art of Faiths: Religions of the World: Tolerance and Diversity” – through February 11, 2012. A multi-year series exploring the diversity of faiths practiced worldwide and in our community. This year, we look at Christianity through the works of artists Ed Byers (Asheville, NC), Robert Doares (posthumously), and Michele Wood (Atlanta, GA). Using personal beliefs and experiences, each artist has created a body of work that conveys their exploration of Christianity. In the upcoming years, we will view the art of Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.

6). Hunter Library at Western Carolina University has released “Travel WNC” a new digital collection. The online exhibit includes images and commentary about 27 towns and communities in western North Carolina over five decades. Visitors can follow a route along footpaths and wagon trails in the 1890s, take a train ride in the 1910s, and drive by car along mountain roads in the 1930s. This digital resource makes rare and unique research materials images from Hunter Library’s Special Collections accessible to students, researchers, teachers, and the viewing public. Photographs and documents can be accessed from a searchable database.

7). Port Discover Preschoolers will learn all about liquids, solids, gases, solutions and mixtures during “Mix It Up,” Port Discover’s Toddler Time program, on Thursday, December 15 at 10:00 am. Children will make a salt bath solution to take home. The handmade bath salts can make a wonderful holiday gift from your child! Toddler Time is a special science program just for preschoolers, ages 3 – 5. Cost for the program is $5 per child and reservations are required. Parents or guardians must accompany the child.

8). The Mint Museum presents “Styling Competition: The New Modern Woman of Charlotte” on Tuesday, December 13th at 7pm. Students from The Art Institute of Charlotte have studied the museum's collection featured in the exhibition “Chanel: Designs for the Modern Woman”. Five student teams, comprised of students from both the fashion and photography programs, researched Coco Chanel's fashion designs, held fashion shoots in the museum's galleries, and now they're unveiling to the public their interpretations for the new modern woman of Charlotte.

9). Reynolda House Museum will present the one-woman play “A Christmas Memory” on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. This year’s performance will mark the museum’s 25th anniversary of the play, adapted from the Truman Capote story. Admission is $8 for members and students, $12 for non-members. There’s a reason Reynolda House has presented “A Christmas Memory” for 25 years. This humble autobiographical story written by Capote never fails to stir personal memories and nostalgia for the real joys of the holiday season and remind us of the importance of spending time with family and loved ones, carrying on our own traditions.

10). Town Creek Indian Mound Stars have always been objects of wonder and provided guidance for travelers, as the Nativity Story reminds us at this time of year. Take a moment during the busy holiday season to gaze up at the beauty of the night sky at the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources' Town Creek Indian Mound on Saturday, Dec. 17. Beginning at 6 p.m., participants will have an opportunity to view not only the stars, but learn about various constellations in the night sky.