ncmuseums

An occasional list of exhibits, programs, and events at North Carolina museums. Sponsored by the North Carolina Museums Council.

Monday, October 26, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 26, 2009

1). Tobacco Farm Life Museum The Museum will be celebrating our Fall Heritage Day with living history and heritage arts, live entertainment, children’s activities, and antique vehicles. Saturday, October 31, 9am – 4pm.

2). N.C. Maritime Museum Sea monsters, shipwreck victims, pirates and other maritime ghouls and goblins will inhabit the darkened exhibit hall at the N.C. Maritime Museum on Friday, Oct. 30, from 5:30-8 p.m. Be prepared to be scared by the haunted hall tricks and take home a sweet treat. At the Mad Scientist table, participants will feel inside “mystery boxes” and squeal over mystery marine items. Drama students from East Carteret High School will help present the scary fare. Wear your costume and join the fun.

3). Museum of the Albemarle Halloween comes to the Museum of the Albemarle with Albemarle Mysteries and Legends Thursday, October 29th from 3:30p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors will hear haunted stories and legends of the region. Learn about infamous Albemarle residents and watch the movie “Tarheel Mysteries and Legends.” Appropriate for all ages.

4). Hunter Library at Western Carolina University is pleased to announce the publication of a new book, Cherokee Basketry: From the Hands of our Elders. A recent release by The History Press, “Cherokee Basketry” is the result of a collaborative project involving a partnership between the library and two key Cherokee cultural organizations, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual.

5). Transylvania Heritage Museum presents Halloween Tour on Friday and Saturday, October 30-31. Come enjoy a tour of Historic Downtown Brevard plus hear a few Transylvania Ghost Stories as well! Tour will last about an hour and begin at 5 and 6:30. Reservations required.

6). Cameron Art Museum The Cameron Art Museum is excited to announce HAUNT 2009, the Museum’s fall fundraiser, will be held on Friday, October 30, 2009. HAUNT will keep the party going all night with costume contests, music, dancing, a photo booth and an art raffle. Tickets are $50 per person and limited to the first 300 revelers. The ticket price includes beer, wine and snacks. Raffle tickets will be sold that night $1 a ticket or 25 for $20.

7). N.C. Museum of History presents Time for Tots: American Indian Life on Tuesday, Nov. 3 or Nov. 10, 10-10:45 a.m. Ages 3-5 with adult. To register, call 919-807-7992. Learn about the lives of the first North Carolinians. Handle objects, listen to stories, and make a paper turtle rattle to take home.

8). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Discover the unnatural history of cane toads and bullfrogs. Participate in the spider toss. Or make your own bat mask. All at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ Natural History Halloween celebration on Saturday, October 31, from 11am-5pm. Free!

9). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Celebrate Halloween early with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s Trick or Treat Under the Sea. The aquarium welcomes trick-or-treaters of all ages on two frightful nights this year: Wednesday, October 28 or Thursday, October 29 from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. Dress up in costume (no masks for adults, please), rake in the candy and play games with prizes. Enjoy face painting, story-telling, and haunted gardens. Look for our spooky divers in the big tank! At 6:40 pm on both nights, a magic show entitled “Pirates Have Problems” by No Sleeves Magic Camp will be held in the Auditorium.

10). Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center, located “at the end of the road” on Harkers Island, will celebrate its gallery opening during the weekend of October 30 – November 1. On Friday, the weekend begins with a Gallery Opening Luncheon (11:30 am) featuring Senator Kay Hagan as speaker, Beaufort Grocery as caterer and many special guests followed by a Ribbon Cutting for our new gallery. Saturday (9-4) is “Core Sound Community Day” with arts and craft vendors, a children’s area filled with games and Halloween carnival activities.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 19, 2009

1). The Bascom Looking for an artful alternative to Halloween? Look no further than The Bascom. Spooky Raku: A Halloween Pottery Firing is free and the Bascom invites the whole community. On Saturday, Oct. 31, at sundown (approximately 5:30 p.m.), red pots will be glowing against the black night sky, creating a magnificent mood and an unforgettable All Hallows Eve.

2). The Mint Museum of Art If your Halloween costume is more trend setting than traditional this year, you could win a prize at the Beaux Arts Ball presented by The Mint Museum. The Beaux Arts Ball, a Halloween costume party, will be held Friday, October 30, 2009 from 8:00 p.m. to midnight at the Mint Museum of Art. Admission is $75 for Mint members and $90 for non-members.

3). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Celebrate Halloween early with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s Trick or Treat Under the Sea. The aquarium welcomes trick-or-treaters of all ages on two frightful nights this year: Wednesday, October 28 or Thursday, October 29 from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. Dress up in costume (no masks for adults, please), rake in the candy and play games with prizes. Enjoy face painting, story-telling, and haunted gardens. Look for our spooky divers in the big tank!

4). Kings Mountain Historical Museum Annual Honor Our Veterans Exhibit is the current exhibit at the Kings Mountain Historical Museum. The exhibit will run through Saturday, November 14, 2009. This year we are focusing on “Women in Service for Our Country”. Also represented are photos, memorabilia, uniforms, and weapons from the Revolutionary War to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

5). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA premieres Ghost Ship, Eastern North Carolina’s only haunted battleship! Ghost Ship opens the hatches on October 16th and runs on October 23, 24 and 30. The Haunted Ship will begin selling tickets at 6:30 pm each night and will run until 10:00. It is not for the faint of heart and not recommended for young children. A complete schedule of dates and times is available on the website.

6). President James K. Polk State Historic Site German chocolate cake, painted turnips (!), colorful dances and guided tours of gravestones will mark the 214th birthday of one of America’s most effective presidents in a free family program at President James K. Polk State Historic Site on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. According to Irish legend, well before folks carved pumpkins they turned turnips into whimsical faces to ward off the devil. At 11a.m. and 1 p.m. the Polk State Historic Site staff members will offer guided tours of the Polk family cemetery plot with discussion of those buried there and the symbolism of headstones.

7). Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University recently opened Our State Dog: North Carolina's Plott Hound an exhibit that looks at the Haywood County development of this breed. The exhibit includes rare hunting weapons, images, and skins and covers both breed characteristics and how Plotts are used to hunt various game animals. "Our State Dog" will be on display at the Center through April 8, 2010.

8). Hickory Museum of Art The first Folk Art Festival at the Lake, hosted by the Hickory Museum of Art, attracted a crowd of over 1,000 on Oct. 3. A Preview Party, sponsored by Catawba Valley Medical Center, held the night before was a sell-out with 150 attending. Duke Energy was the major sponsor of the folk art festival. This event was an effort by the Hickory Museum of Art to introduce the museum to residents of the Lake Norman area.

9). Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens presents African American Historic Downtown Walking Tour on Sunday, October 18, 2:00 p.m. $4 per adult, $2 per student. Departs from Tryon Palace visitor center lobby. Learn about 300 years of African American history on a walking tour of New Bern’s historic district. This tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and covers 16 blocks.

Monday, October 12, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 12, 2009

1). President James Polk State Historic Site presents James K. Polk Birthday Celebration on October 31. This living history program will bring back to life the Polk family of Mecklenburg County in November 1795, when James K. Polk was born into the family. Activities will include an historic cooking demonstration, children's games and other hands on activities. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

2). Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens presents Parlor Talk: Pieces of the Past: A History of American Quilts on Thursday, October 15. Speaker: Meghan Bishop, Tryon Palace Historic Interpreter. 12:00 p.m. Free. Bring your lunch and we will provide the beverages. Commission House Parlor. American women have made quilts for centuries. Many of the patterns and styles we use today, inherited from our great-great grandmothers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, are pieces of our past. Come learn about the history of American quilts.

3). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences This fall, follow along on a photographic expedition through Alaska’s 19.2-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' newest special exhibit, Journey Through the Arctic Refuge, on display Saturday, October 17 through January 10. Free.

4). Cameron Art Museum The Cameron Art Museum is calling for architectural folly designs by architects and artists. Winning designers will construct their projects on the museum grounds (Pyramid Park). All winners are responsible for construction. Structures will remain on view for 6 months. Limit of 3 designs per entrant. This project is organized in conjunction with the museum's recently opened exhibition, “GWATHMEY SIEGEL: Inspiration and Transformation”, on view through January 10, 2010.

5). Greensboro Children’s Museum The Greensboro Children’s Museum will help celebrate the world of imagination at its annual Make Believe Ball featuring special guests Dora the Explorer and her best friend Boots! It’s a magical event where children and parents come dressed in costume and get a chance to participate in all kinds of fun, hands-on activities that will be centered around the Museum’s incredible new traveling exhibit “How People Make Things”. Saturday, October 17, 5-8pm.

6). Port Discover Children will discover different states of matter— liquids, solids, solutions and mixtures—during Port Discover’s Toddler Time, Mix-It-Up, Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m. The young scientists will learn why measurements are important in science and will put these skills into practice as they make their own bath salts to take home.

7). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will hold History Tales: Make It, Take It on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 from 3:30 pm until 4:30 pm. Elementary age participants will learn about major fires within the Albemarle region. View firefighting artifacts from the Museum’s collection and participate in a hands-on activity. This is a free event.

8). North Carolina Collection Gallery On October 15, Tom Bowers, professor emeritus at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, will speak about the early years of journalism education at UNC-Chapel Hill, and about his new book Making News: One Hundred Years of Journalism & Mass Communication at Carolina. The talk will begin at 5:45 p.m. in the Wilson Special Collections Library on the University campus.

9). Outer Banks History Center The futile efforts of the Wright Brothers to conduct secret flights on the Outer Banks in 1890 is the subject of the latest book by nationally known author Larry Tise. Conquering the Sky: The Secret Flights of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk is a detailed narrative of the attempts at secrecy in a world enthralled with path breaking developments in speed, power and flight. Tise will discuss his book at the Outer Banks History Center on Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. in a free program.

Monday, October 05, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 5, 2009

1). High Point Museum presents Lurid Stories at the Wednesday, Oct. 14 Museum Guild Meeting. Jackie Hedstrom from the High Point Library Heritage Center will reveal tales of murder, mayhem, and mystery in the area.

2). Cameron Art Museum presents Gallery Talk: Architects in the Galleries on Sat. Oct. 10, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. In this new series members of the American Institute of Architects, Wilmington Chapter offer monthly informal gallery talks in the exhibit “Gwathmey Siegel: Inspiration and Transformation” and on CAM’s building giving visitors an opportunity to see through an architect’s eyes. This month John Wojciechowski leads the gallery talk.

3). Fort Fisher State Historic Site Step back in time and experience life on the Confederate home front at Fort Fisher on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join costumed staff and volunteer interpreters as they demonstrate Civil War civilian activities in the fort’s live oak grove overlooking the Cape Fear River. Learn how Fort Fisher’s artillery protected the vital foreign trade routes running through Wilmington with the firing of a 32-pound rifled and banded cannon at Shepherd’s Battery at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

4). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum invites you to explore the Museum and surrounding neighborhoods with paper and pencils as we celebrate The Big Draw from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2009.”The Big Draw” is an international event organized by The Campaign for Drawing and by Drawing America. The Asheville Art Museum is a registered participant with The Campaign for Drawing.

5). N.C. Office of Archives & History Few books are as important to North Carolina history as John Lawson’s “A New Voyage to Carolina,” published in London in 1709. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the book, the N.C. Office of Archives and History will host a symposium Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, at locations in and around the North Carolina Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. For a complete agenda, go to www.ncculture.com.

6). Hickory Museum of Art will present three exhibitions honoring the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. The NAACP will hold its 100th Anniversary Celebration as part of its Annual Conference, which will be in Hickory, North Carolina from October 7 through 11, 2009. Ebony: Faces of African Americans in Catawba County provides a look at African Americans residing and working in Catawba County through photographs created by graduating students from Catawba Valley Community College. This exhibit opened on August 22 and runs through December 27, 2009.

7). Port Discover Examine live sea creatures and coastal vegetation with Liz Brinker, coastal ecologist at Elizabeth City State University and board member of the North Carolina Coastal Federation, at Coastal Vegetation, Port Discover’s Second Saturday Science, Saturday, October 10 at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

8). Orange County Historical Museum On October 9th, the traveling exhibit Here Comes the Bride from Rogers Museum in Arkansas comes to the Orange County Historical Museum. The exhibit explores weddings in early America and includes hands-on activities and a slide show with an audio tape. Sponsored by PHE and Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales. The exhibit is open until November 12th, 2009.

9). Bennett Place State Historic Site Travel back in time on a free wagon ride to the Confederate army’s recruitment station at Bennett Place State Historic Site on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the soldiers’ encampment, kids can “sign up” to become new recruits and then try some eating some hardtack before receiving formal “enlistment papers” and bounty money to take home.

10). Kings Mountain Historical Museum The Kings Mountain Historical Museum is pleased to be involved with the Kings Mountain Gateway Festival on October 10, 2009 from 10:00 – 5:00. Revolutionary War Re-enactors will be encamped on the Museum Commons behind the Exhibit Hall. There will be candle making and rifle firing throughout the afternoon.