ncmuseums

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

Monday, January 31, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 31, 2011

1). Cape Fear Museum presents “Learning Center: Astronomy Adventures” on Saturdays, February 5, 12, 19. Why does the moon appear to change shape? Why does Earth have seasons? Blast off on a journey through the universe and explore planets, stars, the moon and other celestial bodies. Create your own constellation, build and use a star map, and discover the reason for the seasons!

2). Museum of the Albemarle Douglas Jackson, Elizabeth City State University Assistant Professor of Music will speak at the Museum of the Albemarle Guild meeting February 3, at 10:30 a.m Jackson will speak about Max Roach, a Pasquotank native and world famous drummer. The program is to be held in the Gaither Auditorium and is open to Guild members and the public. This is a free program.

3). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to screen the film “Don’t Know, We’ll See: The Work of Karen Karnes” on Saturday and Sunday, February 5 and 6, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. each day. This film screening is free with Museum Membership or admission. “Don’t Know, We’ll See: The Work of Karen Karnes” beautifully captures the work and life of ceramist Karen Karnes, who worked nearly every day for over 50 years creating art. Filmmaker Lucie Massie Phenix has been a friend of Karnes’s since the 1960s, so this portrait of her has an intimacy that is unique in the genre of documentaries.

4). Tobacco Farm Life Museum is hosting its annual “Breakfast with the Commissioner” event with Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler on Friday, Feb. 4th at 8am. During the breakfast, the commissioner will talk briefly about North Carolina agriculture and will present the 2011 “Excellence in Agriculture” award. The public is welcome and tickets are available at the museums for $20. Reservations are encouraged.

5). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents “African American Read-In” on Tuesday, February 1st at noon. Free; bring a bag lunch. Join a community of more than one million readers across the world observing the twenty-second annual African American Read-In Chain. The event is held in recognition of Black History Month, and the public is invited to the Museum to share favorite passages from the writings of contemporary and historical black authors.

6). Greensboro Children’s Museum presents “Silly Saturday - Pajama Jammy” on February 5 –Jam - 10am-4pm. Put on your pj’s, grab your teddy bears, & slip on your slippers….it’s Pajama Jammy Jam Day! Activities include pillow-making, family “race to bed” relays, pillow case racing, & classic bedtime stories.

7). Greensboro Historical Museum presents “Thomas Day: Master Craftsman and Free Man of Color”, program and book signing on Sunday, February 6th at 3pm. Thomas Day (1801-61), a free man of color from Milton, North Carolina, plotted a carefully charted course for success in antebellum southern society. His surviving furniture and architectural woodwork still represent the best of nineteenth-century craftsmanship and aesthetics.

8). Tryon Palace presents Free Day: “My Life” on Saturday, February 5, 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. Free Admission to Gardens, First Floors of Historic Buildings, and the North Carolina History Center’s Mattocks Hall, Gateway Gallery, and Duffy Gallery. Reduced ticket price to the North Carolina History Center Regional History Museum and Pepsi Family Center. $12 for adults and $5 for students. Sponsored by the Harold H. Bate Foundation. Step into the shoes of the many different people of Eastern North Carolina’s past and experience what life was like for them. Learn their stories by visiting the first floors of our historic buildings and our gardens and by joining in on hands-on crafts, games, and activities for the whole family – all free of charge!

9). Discovery Place Discovery Place will boldly confront one of the most divisive issues of our time when it presents “RACE: Are We So Different?” from February 5 through May 8, 2011. Making its debut appearance in the southeastern U.S., the exhibition challenges visitors to ask, “Is race real?” As contemporary scientific understanding of human variation has continued to develop, so has the concept of ethno-racial groups. Through the examination of the science, history and cultural impact of race and racism, “RACE: Are We So Different?” provides visitors with fresh scientific and cultural perspectives intended to inform, test and question modern perceptions.

10). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents “Beginner's Genealogy Class” - five-part series designed for those interested in researching his/her family tree. The first class will be held on Tuesday February 1st in the Museum's 2nd floor Classroom from 6 - 8 pm. There will be a small fee of $25 for the entire course ($5 per class.) Museum members will not be charged. This class is limited to 25 students. For reservations or more information, contact the museum at 336-786-4478.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 24, 2011

1). Guilford College Art Gallery Internationally-acclaimed North Carolina-based artist Patrick Dougherty will create a monumental, site-specific, sapling sculpture at Guilford College, February 2 -20, 2011. The public is invited to watch Dougherty as he works throughout the month. Volunteers are sought to help gather building materials and construct the sculpture. In conjunction with the residency, an exhibition featuring photographs, drawings, and models from two decades of the artist’s career will be presented in Guilford College Art Gallery, Hege Library, through April 15th. Dougherty will give a talk about his work, Sunday, February 20, at 2 p.m. in Bryan Jr. Auditorium.

2). Marbles Kids Museum presents “The Ultimate Wave 3D Opens in IMAX” on Tuesday, February 1. Featuring 10-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, “The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D” follows a quest to find the perfect wave-riding experience. The film’s action focuses on Tahiti and the volcanic islands of French Polynesia, home to some of the world’s most challenging surfing and to astounding coral reef ecosystems at the turbulent interface between island and ocean.

3). Cape Fear Museum presents “Learning Center: Playing with Math” on Saturday, January 29. Measure, estimate, identify, reason, plot and predict your way through interactive mathematics activities. Come play with math to discover how it figures into your everyday life. Design your own math button to wear and take home.

4). Port Discover Port Discover’s Afterschool Science invites kids to get messy at “Seed Me Grow” on Thursday, January 27, from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Kids will examine different methods of seed dispersal and the diversity of plant adaptations. They will design, dissect, and discover all they need to know about seeds in one afternoon. In addition, seeds will be available to take home, so they can be used for this year’s planting and harvesting.

5). Joel Lane Museum House In celebration of Black History Month, the Joel Lane Museum House is proud to announce a lecture on "Joel Lane and the Enslaved People Who Lived on His Plantation" by Florence Mitchell, PhD. on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 7 pm in the Visitors Center. 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. Tickets are non-refundable unless we must cancel the event.

6). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Sabrina Buchanan’s beautiful designs and unique color patterns catch your eye and soothe your soul. Buchanan’s creations are featured in an exhibit entitled “Look Again” at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s newly renovated Spadefish Gallery until February 25. The Spadefish Gallery at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher showcases local artists throughout the year. Artwork that coincides with the Aquarium’s mission of “Inspiring Appreciation and Conservation of North Carolina’s Aquatic Environment” is located on the second floor, near the auditorium. Artwork is available for purchase by contacting the artist.

7). Natural Science Center of Greensboro Want to know if spring is just around the corner? Greensboro's own "Woody the Groundhog" will make his annual Groundhog Day meteorological prediction at the Natural Science Center of Greensboro at 10:00 a.m. on February 2. While other groundhogs may rely on their shadow alone, "Woody" will use his up-to-date Weather Center, as well as his weather sense to come up with his “scientific” prediction. Visitors are invited to come out to witness this memorable prediction by Woody the meteorologist and root for the prediction they want!

8). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts The Halpert Biennial '11 is now open for artist submissions. Sponsored by the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and An Appalachian Summer Festival, it is a national juried visual art competition and exhibition that is open to all two-dimensional visual artists, over the age of 18 and currently residing in the United States. Any original, two-dimensional works of art including paintings, drawings, prints, photography, mixed media, and works using traditional and non-traditional materials are considered for the selection process. Awards total $5,000. Deadline for entries is March 28, 2011.

9). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Saturday January 29 6pm – “Annual Robert Burn's Night Supper” at Trio Restaurant, Main-Oak Emporium, Mount Airy. The Scottish Heritage Society of the Blue Ridge and the Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History invite you to a special evening of dining, toasting, entertainment and celebrating the life of Robert Burns, the Bard of Scotland. A traditional Scottish supper will be served. Reservations must be made by Wednesday January 26. Call the Museum at 786-4478, ext #229.

10). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Spend a day exploring the ocean in the middle of downtown Raleigh! On Saturday, January 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. visitors are invited to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to learn about the marine mammals along our coast—including whales, dolphins and seals—and the challenges they face in today’s world. Educational stations on North Carolina’s Marine Mammal Stranding Program, dolphins along our coast, climate change’s impact on our oceans and unique adaptations marine mammals have for aquatic survival will extend from the first through third floors of the Museum.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 18, 2011

1). N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
A new study shows that while North Carolina still lost the most men in the war of any Southern state in the Civil War, the figures used since 1866 are wrong. Josh Howard, a research historian in the Research Branch of the N.C. Office of Archives, will discuss his work on the “North Carolina Civil War Death Study” on Tuesday, Jan. 25, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Government and Heritage Library, 109 E. Jones St., in downtown Raleigh. The talk is free and open to the public. The project, spearheaded by Howard, encompasses reviewing the military records, as well as archival and newspaper accounts of military deaths during the American Civil War amongst North Carolina Confederate and Union units.

2). Museum of the Albemarle Gather at the Museum of the Albemarle on Thursday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. all this month for a movie matinee. The Museum will show Miles Clark’s silent home movies of the Elizabeth City High School Band and the Elizabeth City area during the month of January. Come out and reminisce about days gone by while the home movie is showing. Scheduled dates: January 13, 20, and 27. Free to the Public.

3). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences There’s patience, and then there’s patience. It took Jackie Orsulak 10 years to get the photo that won the Grand Prize in this year’s “Wildlife in North Carolina” photo competition. Her photo, along with 30 others, will be on display at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences from January 7 through March 31. For the past decade, Orsulak has volunteered to guard sea turtle nests near her home in Duck. The idea is to have someone there when the hatchlings emerge to make sure they have a good chance at reaching their new home in the Atlantic. Orsulak was minding a nest at Southern Shores last summer when the hatchling in her Grand Prize photo made a break for it in the early evening while it was still light out.

4). N.C. Museum of History
Kick off Black History Month three days early at the 10th Annual “African American Cultural Celebration” on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., this free family event will feature more than 75 presenters — well-known musicians, storytellers, dancers, playwrights, authors, artists, re-enactors and more — who will bring to life North Carolina’s diverse African American heritage and culture. Both fun and educational, this festival includes hands-on activities for all ages. Parking is free.

5). The Bascom Center for Visual Arts Enjoy The Bascom year round! In January and February, enjoy, exhibitions, classes and Winter Barn Dances at The Bascom. In conjunction with his Out Back and Down Under exhibition, Greg Newington returns to The Bascom on January 28-29 for “Photography for Lovers”. Part of Highlands Romance Weekend, learn how to add a sense of romance to your photos using light, filters and Photoshop.

6). Museum of Anthropology presents the new exhibit “Culture & Couture” running from Jan. 25 – Aug. 20, Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 4:30pm. In cultures around the world, clothing can be used to express religion, gender, social status, and standards of modesty. This exhibit displays traditional costumes from across the globe as well as garments that reveal the impact of outside cultural influences. Wake Forest students selected clothing, accessories, and images from the Museum’s permanent collection to explore these themes. Admission is free.

7). Port Discover Preschoolers will discover what kinds of animals hibernate and which ones are out on the search for food during “Critters Among Us”, Port Discover’s Toddler Time, on Thursday, January 20 at 10:00 am. Children will make fun-shaped bird treats to hang outside for their own critters! Toddler Time is a special science program just for preschoolers, ages 3 – 5. Cost for the program is $5 per family and reservations are required. Parents or guardians must accompany the child.

8). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Saturday, January 22nd, 10am - 5pm “White Liquor & Dirt Tracks - Legacy of Teamwork” event and exhibit opening. Event features an early racer's roundtable, meet and greet with Junior Johnson, Rex White and Chocolate Myers and others, Emmy winning filmmaker Neal Hutcheson, NASCAR historian and author Daniel Pierce, a concert plus a new racing exhibit produced in partnership with Richard Childress Racing, Wood Brothers Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Michael Waltrip Racing and the Richard Petty Museum.

9). Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum will hold a “Community Day” on Monday, Jan. 24, from 2 – 5 p.m. In the past year, the Museum has opened two new exhibits: “Pirates, Brigands and Scalawags: The Golden Age of Piracy” and “Ships Ashore.” In July 2010 the remains of a shipwreck found in Corolla, possibly the oldest in the state, were transported to the Museum for research, education and display. Community Day is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Monday, January 10, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 10, 2011

1). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to present the exhibition “A Chosen Path: The Ceramic Art of Karen Karnes” on view Friday, January 28 through Sunday, June 26, 2011 in the Appleby Foundation Gallery. The public is invited to an opening reception Friday, January 28, 2011 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., free with Museum Membership or Museum admission.

2). Cameron Art Museum presents MUSIC: “My Wonderful Machine”, ambient music, Thurs. Jan. 13, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Program admission: CAM Members: $5.00, Non-members: $10.00. My Wonderful Machine (MWM) is the haunting ambient musical duo of Jamin Belmont and Hope Henderson from Wilmington. The two developed an original sound that ranges from mod folk to experimental indie rock. MWM is an alluring atmospheric band with a seductive sound that will draw you in.

3). Cape Fear Museum presents “Mystery at the Museum” Saturday, January 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Something unusual has happened at the Museum. Investigate the crime scene then gather your evidence. Take fingerprints, conduct chromatography tests, and analyze DNA. Interview historic witnesses and track down live animals. Forensic science, technology, and your imagination will help you solve the latest Mystery at the Museum.

4). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Need a reason to get outside? Participate in the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s “Nature Swap” by first exploring together outside. Do you find objects in nature, such as interesting shells, bones, egg cases, rocks, pine cones and other treasures? If you enjoy exploring natural areas such as beaches and forests, and collecting found treasures, come to the Aquarium to share and swap.

5). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will hold “History Tales: Make It, Take It” on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 3:30 pm. Elementary students accompanied by an adult will discover how quilts are more than just a blanket to keep warm in some families and how quilts are constructed, while participating in a hands-on activity. The program is free to the public.

6). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA A unique, behind-the-scenes tour of un-restored areas of the Battleship will happen on January 15, 2011, at the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA. The tour is limited to ages 12 and older and limited to 40 participants per each time slot. It is not appropriate for those who have difficulty climbing narrow ladders or over knee-high hatches. Wear warm, comfortable, washable clothing, sturdy, rubber-soled shoes and bring a camera! Choose between a morning or afternoon tour. Registration and payment are due by Thursday, January 13th.

7). N.C. Department of Cultural Resources A case exhibit of small artifacts from the wreck of what is believed to be “Queen Anne’s Revenge” (QAR), Blackbeard’s flagship, will be on display at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh from Jan. 7 through Jan. 30. The artifacts are fresh catch from the fall expedition at the shipwreck site near Beaufort. The “QAR” ran aground in Beaufort Inlet in 1718, and the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources has led research at the site since 1997. The exhibit originated at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort, the official repository for the shipwreck artifacts, within the Division of State History Museums.

8). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Saturday January 15 7:00pm - 8:30pm In the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr – “Surry Countians Continuing the Dream”, Museum Annex 144 W. Oak Street, A Special one-hour spiritual service of love and healing, featuring music, prayer and scripture is a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and to those community leaders of Surry County who have quietly and spiritually made contributions to local African-American history over the past two hundred years. This event is FREE to the public.

9). Somerset Place State Historic Site
A Civil War lecture Jan. 15 arranged by Somerset Place State Historic Site in Creswell has been moved to a new location because of anticipated interest. The program "The Impact and Implication of the Civil War from the Enslaved Person's Perspective: Forced to Aid My Enemies' Cause," is at 2 p.m. in the Vernon G. James Conference Center in Roper. Former site manager Dot Redford will speak. The conference center is at 207 Research Station Road, Roper.

Monday, January 03, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… January 3, 2011

1). Bellamy Mansion presents “History Lecture” with Tom Massey on Monday January 31, 2011 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Bellamy Board Member and Cape Fear Community College History Instructor, Tom Massey, will discuss Development of slavery in Colonial times. Why was this system of labor was adopted? How long did it take for to develop full fledged chattel slavery? How did this labor system impact American History? A perfect lead-in to Black History Month. A Q & A session will follow. Refreshments will be served.

2). Cameron Art Museum
presents Gallery Conversation with Anne Brennan “Materials of MINImuseum” on Sat. Jan. 15, 11:30 am. Cost: Museum Admission, CAM Members: free. Share in the fun of this new informal series of lively art talks with various members of CAM’s staff. The series begins with Anne Brennan, assistant director, offering a hands-on chance to touch, look at and discuss the variety of materials used by Richard McMahan to make his miniature world of art.

3). Asheville Art Museum Join us for a Discussion Bound book talk on Howard Norman’s “The Bird Artist: A Novel” on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Asheville Art Museum. This event is free with Museum Membership or Museum Admission. Howard Norman’s haunting novel is set in turn-of-the-century Newfoundland. It is about a young man who confesses to the murder of the village lighthouse keeper and whose gift for drawing birds becomes both his physical and his emotional release. A 1994 National Book Award finalist, Norman employs a spare writing style that ably describes the characters and the landscape.

4). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences There is still nothing wrong with your television. The Museum is still controlling transmission, and inviting you to join us on First Friday to ponder “The Sixth Finger” — one of the first episodes from the popular 1960s sci-fi television series “Outer Limits” — at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh on Friday, January 7 at 7pm. Free.

5). Fort Fisher State Historic Site Shed those winter blues and kick off the Civil War sesquicentennial with the Fort Fisher State Historic Site as we usher in the sesquicentennial with the program “Glory Enough for All: the 146th Anniversary of the 2nd Battle for Fort Fisher” slated for January 15, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include guest speakers, panel discussions, guided battle walks of the remaining earthworks (tickets available for $5 per person), and thematic tours. Throughout the day re-enactors will bring history to life with Confederate artillery demonstrations and Union infantry impressions, with small arms firings.

6). Somerset Place State Historic Site Somerset Place State Historic Site in Creswell will present the lecture "The Impact and Implication of the Civil War from the Enslaved Person's Perspective: Forced to Aid My Enemies' Cause," on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m. Former site manager Dot Redford will speak. The commemoration of North Carolina’s Civil War 150th anniversary is sponsored in part by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History, within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

7). Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site in Winnabow will present local historian Jack Travis, who will speak on "Jumping the Gun: The January 1861 Captures of Forts Caswell and Johnston" on Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 7-9 p.m. at the Southport Community Building on the grounds of Fort Johnston. Travis is the author of “Men of God, Angels of Death: A History of General Lee’s Premier Artillery Battery.”

8). Natural Science Center of Greensboro On January 26, 2011, NASA Scientist and Supervisor, Trina Ray, will give a talk at the Natural Science Center of Greensboro (NSC) on the famous “Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn” at 7 PM in the Center's OmniSphere Theater. Ray will share highlights and significant findings of the spacecraft's first years in orbit. The talk is open to the public and is free of charge.

9). Cape Fear Museum presents “Cape Fear 101: Photography in Focus” on Tuesday, January 11, 7 p.m., New Hanover Room, Main Library, 201 Chestnut Street. Why does Great Grandma look so grumpy? Join Museum Registrar Terri Hudgins as she uses photographs from the Museum’s collection to explain how changing photographic technologies have taken us from the formal portrait to the snapshot. $5 for Museum members; $7 for non-members.