ncmuseums

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

Monday, April 26, 2010

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 26, 2010

1). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences (http://naturalsciences.org/) presents “Shark-Human Interactions: Who’s Attacking Whom?”. Discover a new perspective on the dynamics between shark attacks and shark harvesting when the Museum of Natural Sciences hosts a presentation by George Burgess, curator of the International Shark Attack File and veteran of “Discovery Channel” and “National Geographic Channel” documentaries. Thursday, April 29 at 7pm.

2). Ackland Art Museum
(http://www.ackland.org/index.php) On Thursday, April 29, at 6:00 PM, the Ackland Art Museum hosts award-winning poet DéLana R. A. Dameron, author of “How God Ends Us” (winner of the 2008 South Carolina Poetry Book Prize), for a public reading of works composed in response to the current Ackland exhibition “Jacob Lawrence and The Legend of John Brown”. On Saturday, May 1, from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Dameron will host a free poetry writing workshop investigating methods of writing in response to art.

3). Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens (http://www.tryonpalace.org/) presents a theatrical production “Meet John Lawson.” Visitors will learn about the life of John Lawson—early 18th century explorer, surveyor, and father—as he prepares a special gift for his daughter, Isabella. 1pm. $4-adults; $2-students. Theatrical production included with regular ticket. Saturdays, May 1 and Saturday, May 15.

4). Orange County Historical Museum (http://www.orangenchistory.org/) “Hillsborough Last Fridays” are back! On April 30th from 6-9pm come to the Museum to see Grady Brown Elementary School students dressed in costume as famous people of the past in a Living Wax Museum.

5). Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) (http://www.secca.org/) Continuing their partnership, SECCA and Krankies Coffee are presenting the film “The Fearless Freaks” on Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m. at Krankies. The film is the fourth in the “Art Grind Film Series” hosted free by both organizations. Krankies is located at 211 East Third Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101. Admission to the film is free. “The Fearless Freaks” is an intimate look at one of today’s most acclaimed alternative rock groups, The Flaming Lips.

6). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (http://www.turchincenter.org/) presents “Collecting Worlds: Suzanna Bryan”, April 2 - July 31, 2010 in the Mayer Gallery. Painter Suzanna Bryan works with layers of media, representing layers of consciousness. Her creative process involves working on multiple paintings at once, and her intuitive style involves developing images and figures in acrylic that she enhances with a variety of media, including collage materials, oil pastels, gouache and India ink. Layers of media reveal powerful images and figures.

7). Port Discover (http://www.portdiscover.org/) What is blood pressure? How can it be measured? What is normal heart rate and temperature? Pamela Etheridge, Community Health Nurse with Albemarle Health, will lead “Body Check!”, Port Discover’s Second Saturday Science, Saturday, May 8 at 11:00 a.m. Ms. Etheridge will teach the children how to test for these vital signs and explain why they are so important to our health. Children are encouraged to wear sneakers and dress comfortably.

8). Kings Mountain Historical Museum (http://www.kingsmountainmuseum.org/) The Kings Mountain Historical Museum would like you to come by and view our current exhibit “Early Inhabitants of the Western Piedmont” which will run through May 1, 2010. This exhibit features private and other Museum collections of early pottery, basketry and weapons from the Native Southeastern Indians and early pioneers that lived in the Western Piedmont many years ago.

9). Cape Fear Museum (http://www.capefearmuseum.com/) presents “Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame”, exhibit opens May 2. See historic photographs and sports memorabilia from this year’s Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Surfer Ben Bourgeois, basketball coach Terry Holland, boxer Sherriedale Morgan, and high school coach Joe Miller are represented in this year’s exhibit.

10). Asheville Art Museum (http://www.ashevilleart.org/) The Asheville Art Museum proudly presents “Hands in Harmony: Traditional Crafts and Music in Appalachia, Photographs by Tim Barnwell” from Friday, May 14, 2010 to Sunday, October 10, 2010. The public is invited to an Opening Reception Friday, May 14, 2010 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This exhibition is a photographic exploration of the makers of Appalachian folk music and traditional handcrafts by photographer Tim Barnwell.

Monday, April 19, 2010

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 19, 2010

1). Museum of Anthropology presents Exploring Africa Family Day on May 1 at the Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University. 1:00pm – 4:00pm. This family-friendly afternoon will feature fun activities for all ages including African crafts, games, music, storytelling and food. Admission is free.

2). N.C. Museum of History The new exhibit Scouting: 100 Years of Adventure at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh commemorates the centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Since 1910 more than 100 million people have experienced the excitement and benefits of this organization. The small exhibit, developed by the Occoneechee Council based in Raleigh, offers a glimpse of the Boy Scouts’ past and brings it to the present. Admission is free.

3). High Point Museum presents Railroads in the African-American Experience on Saturday, April 24, 3 pm. Noted author, social scientist and rail historian, Dr. Theodore Kornweibel will present a lecture on his new book, “Railroads in the African American Experience.” Sponsors of the event include the Greensboro NRHA Chapter with the Greensboro and High Point Historical museums and the Greensboro and High Point Public libraries.

4). Orange County Historical Museum On April 24th, the town of Hillsborough is commemorating the 145th anniversary of the end of America's deadliest war, the Civil War. Join us on at 12 and 2pm for guided walking tours of Hillsborough. The walking tours are $5.00 per person and begin at the Alexander Dickson House.

5). Cameron Art Museum presents North Carolina Collects: The Real McCoy – exhibition opening reception on Thurs., April 22, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm member opening and 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm public. “North Carolina Collects: The Real McCoy” on view April 23 - September 12, 2010 is the first in a series of exhibitions featuring private collections of North Carolina collectors. This exhibition consists of hundreds of pieces of McCoy pottery drawn from an extensive private collection. The exhibition will feature cookie jars, vases and decanters ranging from the 1930’s to the 1970’s and will include rare, one-of-a-kind examples of McCoy pottery.

6). Turchin Center for Visual Arts presents Bridges to Communication: New Works by Bill Brown, April 2 - July 31, 2010 - Gallery A. Bill Brown is a sculptor and painter who lives and works in nearby Linville. He has been a full-time studio sculptor since 1978. Brown's background includes a foundation of artistic experience that began in childhood. Daily exposure to and interaction with emerging and established artists helped build a fascination with the creative process, and began a lifelong artistic exploration.

7). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents Lunch and Learn Session #6 featuring Kelly Epperson of WPAQ and Mary Lee Epperson King on April 14 at 12 noon in the Museum Annex. Bring a bag lunch and learn about the role roots music has played in the lives of each featured regional musician or singer and the importance of roots music in our community. This program is free to the public.

8). Port Discover Celebrate Earth Day at Port Discover, Thursday, April 22, by cultivating your own piece of the Earth! In partnership with Independent Shaklee in the Albemarle, Port Discover will provide children with tomato plants, organic soil and fertilizer to encourage kids to grow their own food this summer. The tomato plant and growing supplies will be given away to children, free of charge, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., on Earth Day, April 22, at Port Discover.

9). N.C. Museum of Art The North Carolina Museum of Art unveils its new gallery building April 24-25 with a Grand Opening Festival celebrating North Carolina Arts. Musicians, artists, dancers, and craftspeople will create unforgettable festivities, including performances, lectures, and hands-on activities. The festival weekend also features world-premiere performances by the Carolina Ballet, Dendy Dance Theater, and Carolina Brass among others. And all events are free! Free tickets are required to view the new gallery building.

Monday, April 12, 2010

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 12, 2010

1). N.C. Museum of History presents The South’s Secret Weapons: Disease, Environment and the Civil War on Tuesday, April 13, 7-8 p.m. Confederate leaders hoped that fevers in the South would become potent weapons should Union forces invade, thus decimating their ranks. Humphreys will explore how yellow fever and other contagious diseases in the South played a role in the Civil War. The lecture is sponsored by the N.C. Museum of History Associates and the National Humanities Center. A reception follows the program. The related exhibit “A Call to Arms” will open at 6 p.m. for touring.

2). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Get your groove on at the Third Annual Planet Earth Celebration! Come rain or come shine, come celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with a 1970S-themed green festival dedicated to sustainable living. The third annual Planet Earth Celebration takes place inside and outside the Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, April 17 from 11am to 5pm. Free.

3). Kings Mountain Historical Museum The Kings Mountain Historical Museum would like you to come by and view our current exhibit Early Inhabitants of the Western Piedmont which will run through May 1, 2010. This exhibit features private and other Museum collections of early pottery, basketry and weapons from the Native Southeastern Indians and early pioneers that lived in the Western Piedmont many years ago.

4). The Bascom Contemporary watercolor and mixed media artist Pat Dews will give a free demonstration of her highly acclaimed work at The Bascom on Monday, April 12. Join Dews and other art lovers for a wine reception at 4:15 p.m. in The Bascom's Education Gallery, followed by a studio talk, question-answer session and demo at 5 p.m. Dews will discuss her art and her very unique techniques.

5). N.C. Transportation Museum The N.C. Transportation Museum will celebrate classic cars and those that keep the museum rolling in one special day. The museum’s annual Volunteer Open House, Membership Day and Studebaker Car Show will all be held April 17. The museum’s Volunteer Open House is our annual recruitment effort. During this fourth annual event, current volunteers will be stationed across the museum grounds between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to explain the opportunities available to those wishing to lend a hand.

6). Ackland Art Museum Each spring, the Ackland Art Museum at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill presents New Currents in Contemporary Art (April 9 - May 23, 2010), an exhibition of works by graduating UNC-Chapel Hill master of fine arts students. Marking the culmination of a two-year program, this exhibition introduces four emerging artists who interpret ideas ranging from the personal to the political in a wide variety of media, styles, and approaches.

7). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents Lunch and Learn Session #5 featuring Nick and Chester McMillian of Back-Step on April 14 at 12 noon in the Museum Annex. Bring a bag lunch and learn about the role roots music has played in the lives of each featured regional musician or singer and the importance of roots music in our community. This program is free to the public.

8). Mebane Historical Museum The Mebane Historical Museum is pleased to announce the formal opening of a new exhibit entitled, The Life and Major League Baseball Career of Lew Riggs. Featuring memorabilia from Riggs’ career, this exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of this Mebane native will be unveiled at the monthly meeting of the Mebane Historical Society at 7:00 P.M. on April 19. The program will also include a special slide presentation on his baseball career. Admission is free and open to the public.

9). N.C. Maritime Museum presents Science by the Sea exhibit on April 1-30. This temporary exhibit highlights the achievements of our local marine science research community. Visitors will discover the fields of oceanography, marine mammal biology, marine fisheries, and ecology, and get to know the individuals that made the labs successful. The exhibit features local landmarks dedicated to marine research and a glimpse into a working laboratory.

10). Greensboro Children’s Museum The Greensboro Children’s Museum’s annual Earth Day Celebration will take place on Thursday, April 22, from 9am-5pm. There will be fun earth-friendly activities for the whole family including a unique Re “cycling” Parade. Thursday morning from 9am to 12noon, children can do craft activities with recycled materials, enjoy story time about the Earth and even plant their very own seeds. Then in the afternoon between 3:30 and 4:00pm, children can bring their favorite “cycle” (tricycle or bicycle) to decorate with recycled materials. At 4pm, we’ll start the Re“cycle”ing Parade around the street loop of “Our Town”.

Monday, April 05, 2010

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 5, 2010

1). N.C. Museum of History presents Raleigh Civic Symphony Chamber Players: New Deal Music on Saturday, April 10, 3-4 p.m. Explore American classical music of the 1930s and 1940s inspired by the Works Progress Administration and the Federal Music Project. The performance complements “In Search of a New Deal: Images of North Carolina, 1935-1941”, an exhibit of photographs documenting daily life in rural North Carolina during the Great Depression. The 50 Farm Security Administration photographs provide a compelling and diverse portrait of a state coping with tough economic times.

2). Bennett Place State Historic Site Two hardened war adversaries who later became great friends negotiated the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War at Bennett Farm near Durham Station on April 26, 1865. A re-enactment of one of the war’s last surrenders will be held at Bennett Place State Historic Site on Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18, highlighting a week of free commemorative events for the 145th anniversary of the end of America’s deadliest war, which cost more than 625,000 lives.

3). Cameron Art Museum N.C. Collects: The Real McCoy is the first in a series of exhibitions featuring private collections in North Carolina. The exhibition will be on view at the Cameron Art Museum April 23-September 12. “The Real McCoy” opens with a private reception and gallery talk for members Thursday, April 22 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, and a public reception from 7:00 to 8:00 pm.

4). Washington County Historical Society along with the Port o’ Plymouth Museum is pleased to announce a brand-new Civil War Living History in Motion project. Entitled “Odyssey of an Ironclad: The Incredible Journey of the CSS Albemarle”, a working replica of the ironclad crewed by a local group of Confederate Naval Re-enactors, will retrace the ironclad’s perilous April 1864 race down the treacherous Roanoke River to Plymouth and a place in the annals of Naval History. The two-day journey will begin on the morning of Saturday, April 17th. The CSS Albemarle will depart at 10:00 am from Edwards Ferry, (the boat ramp at the foot of Hwy 258 bridge at Scotland Neck), and begin the journey down the Roanoke River to her home port in Plymouth, arriving late on Sunday afternoon.

5). The Bascom Starting April 12, The Bascom will offer its spring Art Academy session -- eight weeks of beginning art classes that last through June 4. These ongoing classes for non-artist, beginner or continuing students are “gateway” experiences – entry points to, or expansion of, your art experience.

6). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will hold Pre-Schooler Time on Thursday, April 8 from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. This month’s theme is “A Little Color Will Do,” where pre-schoolers will discover how people used natural ingredients to dye yarn and cloth, read a book, and participate in a hands-on activity. This program is free.

7). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Train to become an official severe weather spotter, meet local television meteorologists, and learn tips for surviving hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning storms at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ first annual StormFest, Saturday, April 10 from 9am to 4pm. This free event is presented in collaboration with the National Weather Service (NWS), American Red Cross and Wake County Emergency Services, and includes demonstrations, activities and educational material for all ages.

8). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents Family First Southern Sculpture Workshop on Sunday, April 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is $7 per person attending the workshop. Discover the southern buildings photographed by William Christenberry and make your own three-dimensional building out of found materials. We will photograph your sculpture, too! Family First Workshops are for elementary school-aged children and up, accompanied by an adult. All materials are provided.

9). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents Tartan Day at the Museum on April 6 at 12:30 in the Museum Courtyard. Special program and Scottish Tea featuring shortbread, soda bread and tea in honor of Tartan Day. Free to the public.

10). Turchin Center for Visual Arts presents Bridges to Communication: New Works by Bill BrownApril 2 to July 31. Bill Brown is a sculptor and painter who lives and works in nearby Linville. He has been a full-time studio sculptor since 1978. Brown's background includes a foundation of artistic experience that began in childhood. Daily exposure to and interaction with emerging and established artists helped build a fascination with the creative process, and began a lifelong artistic exploration.

11). Historic Halifax State Historic Site Celebrate 234 years of American independence from Great Britain on Monday, April 12, at the annual Halifax Day festivities held in Halifax. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors may join in a colorful remembrance at Historic Halifax, site of the April 12, 1776 vote by North Carolina’s Provincial Congress to separate from the British Crown. The program will feature colonial-costumed interpreters, living history demonstrations, “hands-on” activities and demonstrations for young and old, and historic building tours.