ncmuseums

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

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 25, 2011

1). Marbles Kids Museum presents selections from “Sideways Stories from Wayside School “on Sunday, May 1 from 1:00pm and 2:00pm. Counting to 100 alphabetically! Talking pigtails! Teachers turning students into apples! The Pickle Jar Players will present theatrical reading selections from Raleigh Little Theatre’s production of Sideways Stories from Wayside School, the best-selling series for the elementary kids. Raleigh Little Theatre will offer a full stage production of the play in May.

2). Museum of the Albemarle will host a “Native American Day Camp” on Thursday, April 28, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Campers need to be first through fourth grade students. Campers will explore the life of the Carolina Algonquians living in the Albemarle Region through discussions on health and healing practices, make a clay pot, view artifacts, discover hunting methods, make a bead necklace and much more. A catered lunch and snacks will be provided. Space is limited and pre-registration is required by Tuesday, April 26, 2011. Registration forms can be picked up at the Museum of the Albemarle. Cost: FOMOA Member - $20.00 and Non-Member - $25.00.

3). Page-Walker Arts & History Center presents “An Icon Transformed: Metamorphosis of an Old Cary School into a New Arts Center”; exhibition from April 29 to June 20 with an artist’s reception on April 29 6-8 p.m. Through the eyes of three of Cary Photographic Artists' most talented photographers: Heath Clayton, Jim Larcom and Joe Lipka, the transformation of Cary’s historic landmark school building into Cary’s newest visual and performing arts center is revealed. Displays of school memorabilia and historical collections will augment the exhibition.

4). Reynolda House brings the classic drive-in experience indoors with “Reynolda After Hours: Reynolda’s Indoor Drive-In”, Friday April 29 at 8 p.m. Guests can customize their own dream ride, watch actor Steve McQueen in his first leading role in the 1958 drive-in classic “The Blob,” and enjoy movie theater refreshments and blob-like Jell-O shooters. The museum will provide cardboard frames to be decorated into original hot rods, and prizes will be awarded for the craftiest car. Admission to Reynolda’s Indoor Drive-In is $5 for members and students, $8 for non-members.

5). NC Department of Cultural Resources The Civil War savaged lives yet secured the future of generations in North Carolina and the rest of the nation, and altered the course of American history. The injustices faced by African Americans were some of the most significant factors leading to the American Civil War (1861-1865). The fight for liberation is just one of many moving features of the “Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit,” (www.nccivilwar150.com) which will visit the Wilson County Public Library from May 2-28. The exhibit will commemorate the bravery and resiliency of North Carolinians throughout the Civil War with stimulating images gathered from the State Archives, the N.C. Museum of History, and State Historic Sites.

6). Museum of the Cape Fear The National Weather Service and the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources’ Connecting to Collections Project will present SKYWARN on Monday, May 2, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. The program will help any interested parties to understand the warning process of potential severe weather and how to read weather patterns in order to protect sites or homes, the public, and staff at cultural heritage institutions.

7). Historic Oakview Park We're excited to be preparing for our annual "Antique Automobile Show," taking place on May 7. Relive automobile history at the Antique Auto Show at Historic Oak View County Park on May 7, 2011 from 10am until 4pm. The Triangle Chapter will also be assembling their 1917 Take Apart Model T at 11:30am and 2:30pm.

8). Cameron Art Museum presents “Music in the Courtyard: The Wolfe Gang”, organic free-range music on Thurs. May 5th, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Program admission: CAM Members and students: $5.00, Non-members: $10.00. Experience “The Wolfe Gang” performing original songs and instrumentals with unique arrangements of zydeco, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, reggae, jazz, swing, funk, soul, folk, country, and blues. The longtime Wilmington musicians --guitarist/vocalist Michael Wolfe, bassist Robb Harrington, and drummer Gene Carmen--have been drawing notice worldwide with their new release, “read the fine print”. Music held outdoors weather permitting, inside if not.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 18, 2011

1). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will hold “History Tales: Make It, Take It” on Tuesday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. Elementary students accompanied by an adult will discover why people wore hats, the types of hats and have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on activity. The program is free to the public.

2). Cherryville Historical Museum As part of the museum’s Spring fundraising, we will raffle off a $3,000 value Tank ATV on April 30, 2011 during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival! Tickets can be purchased at the festival or by contacting the museum. In addition, several events will take place throughout the day on the 30th; including turkey call demonstrations from the national champion, storytelling in our storyteller cabin, puppet theatre for children and a representative from Cherryville New Year Shooters will give a talk.

3). Port Discover To celebrate Earth Day, preschoolers will learn the 3 R’s—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—that keep our earth happy while we say “Thank You, Earth!” at Port Discover’s Toddler Time program, on Thursday, April 21 at 10:00 am. Children will make a planter out of recycled materials and enjoy a morning playing in the soil. 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.

4). NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher 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. “Nature Swap” showcases natural objects, such as shark teeth, skulls, and shells. You can learn more about natural objects from Aquarium staff by examining their collection, and by bringing in your own finds. You can also acquire points for your treasures to use in trade for another item of equal or lesser value.

5). Joel Lane Museum House Macaroni Kid is excited to announce our Macaroni Kid Meet Up “Pathways to the Past” partnering with the Joel Lane Museum House and Inter Faith Food Shuttle for an afternoon of education and community service on April 30, 2011, from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Joel Lane Museum House the birthplace of Raleigh will host demonstrations for children showing the life in the 18th century North Carolina in “Pathways to the Past”. Activities will include making rag dolls, writing with a quill pen, “tin” punching, candle dipping, and other hands-on activities.

6). Guilford College Art Gallery Guilford College Art Gallery & Etherington Conservation Services are co-hosting “Hometown Treasures,” a perfect event to learn about preservation, techniques & history of your personal artifacts, Sat., Apr. 30, 9a-5p in the Art Gallery. Books, prints, drawings, photographs, ephemera, oil paintings, small scale metal objects and wooden artifacts (up to 3/person) can be evaluated. Preservation recommendations offered - no monetary values. Call 800-444-7534 for appointment. Free & open to public.

7). SECCA On April 21, The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) will present “American Gothic: Aaron Spangler & Alison Elizabeth Taylor”, an exhibition of two mid-career artists translating Renaissance era techniques and the humble medium of wood into a powerful reflection on the rise and fall of rural America. The exhibition, organized by SECCA and curated by Steven Matijcio, will open with a free Talk @ SECCA by Aaron Spangler at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 21. Minnesota-based Spangler will discuss the techniques, motivations and experiences that inform his intense practice of woodcarving. A reception with refreshments and a cash bar will immediately follow the artist talk.

8). Cameron Art Museum presents “Theatre Culture and Community” on Thurs. Apr. 28, 7:00 pm and Sun. Apr. 30, 2:00 pm. Program admission: CAM Members and students: $5.00, Non-members: $10.00. UNCW students studying the practice of “devising” theatre with Dr. Anne Berkeley present original, short performance pieces. In devised performance work actors build from scratch an artistically engaging performance text with music, dance and drama.

9). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts We will have a “Lunch & Learn” on Wednesday, April 20 from 12 noon until 1pm. Join Appalachian State University Printmaking Professor, April Flanders’ as she discusses her current work featured in her solo exhibition Beyond their Natural Range. Her most recent work addresses the uncontrollable nature of invasive botanical species in the Appalachian region. Bring a bagged lunch and we will provide the bottled water.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 11, 2011

1). Duke Homestead State Historic Site George Hamilton IV will be performing at Duke Homestead State Historic Site on Sunday, April 17, at 2 p.m. This home-grown country music legend will be singing Easter-themed music, following last year’s tour celebrating his 50 years with the Grand Ole Opry. Tickets are $10 per person, with half-price tickets available for Duke Homestead members and for children under 12.


2). Port Discover Port Discover offers a full day of heart healthy fun & fitness-building during the “Spring Break Kinetic Kids Camp,” on Wednesday, April 27 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Kids will get to dissect and examine a pig’s heart, construct a heart valve from household objects, and exercise to Zumba! Spring Break Kinetic Kids Camp’s health programs are a part of Port Discover's Kinetic Kids program made possible thanks to University Health Systems Foundation and the Albemarle Hospital Foundation.


3). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA Battleship NORTH CAROLINA welcomes spring with the 4th annual “Easter Egg Hunt” from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at Battleship Park, on Friday, April 22, 2011. Hippity Hoppity down the Battleship trail for a day of fun with continuous games, bounce house, petting zoo and pony rides (additional fee) for all to enjoy. Make sure to bring your camera and take pictures with Buddy the Battleship Bunny.


4). High Point Museum Chris J. Hartley, author of “Stoneman’s Raid, 1865”, will be the featured speaker at the High Point Museum Wednesday, April 20 at 10 am. Hartley’s book is the most detailed and complete account written of an action that remains controversial. George Stoneman’s 1865 Union cavalry raid did much for his tattered reputation, perhaps even helping the major general to the governorship of California in 1883. But many take a darker view of Stoneman’s Raid. The High Point Museum Guild invites all lovers of history to attend this free event and hear about Stoneman’s Raid on High Point and the surrounding area in 1865.


5). Cameron Art Museum presents “Gallery Conversations: Georgia Mastroieni and Holly Tripman” on Thursday April 14th at 6:30 pm and Sunday, April 17th at 3:00 pm. Cost: Museum Admission, CAM Members: free. Twice a month you can join in the conversation of this informal series with various members of CAM’s staff discussing the art work on view. Georgia Mastroieni, curator of education, and Holly Tripman, registrar share the dialogue taking closer looks at selected pieces and themes in the exhibition “Remembering BIG: The Life and Works of Allen D. Carter”.


6). The Bascom The quality and excellence of exhibits and programs, part of the core of The Bascom's mission, are highlighted this spring at with “American Still Life, Yesterday and Today”. Opening on April 16, this juried exhibit includes a combination of works by contemporary American artists enhanced by historical still life examples borrowed from museum collections. Observe some of the innovative ways contemporary artists visit the still life genre. The exhibit runs through July 4. Admission for the exhibit and the opening reception on Saturday, April 16 from 5-7 pm is free.


7). N.C. Collection Join author Mark Nicholls for a discussion of his new book “Sir Walter Raleigh: In Life and Legend”. He’ll divide fact from fiction in recalling the man whose spirit of adventure helped set the course of North Carolina’s history on Thursday, April 14, 2011, 5:45 p.m. in the Pleasants Assembly Room, Wilson Special Collections Library, UNC-Chapel Hill campus. 5:00 reception. Free and open to the public.


8). Outer Banks History Center Join the Friends of the Outer Banks History Center on April 12 from 7-9 p.m. to hear details of the Bodie Island Lighthouse restoration straight from the contractors who have worked on the project. This presentation is part of the annual membership meeting of The Friends of the Outer Banks History Center. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free, and the public is welcome to attend.


9). SECCA The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), along with six other organizations, is presenting a collaborative celebration April 13 to premiere “The Greenhorns,” a film highlighting a rising generation of farmers and their holistic approach to producing food. Beginning at 5 p.m., the event will be a festive and unique evening of food, film and community. The program will be held rain or shine at SECCA, located at 750 Marguerite Drive. Activities include a cocktail hour, Seed Circus, supper and the film screening. Admission is $8 for SECCA members and $10 for non-members.


10). Natural Science Center of Greensboro Bunnies, bunnies and more bunnies are hopping to the Natural Science Center on Saturday, April 16 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for the annual “Bunny Day” special event! This popular family event is always memorable for kids of all ages. So hop on over to enjoy the fun!

Monday, April 04, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… April 4, 2011 1). Bellamy Mansion presents “Mondays @ the Mansion: Funerary Art and Rural Cemeteries” with Janet Seapker on Monday, April 18th 10:30am, $5 with coffee. 2). Fort Dobbs State Historic Site Hundreds of soldiers, American Indians and civilians from the 18th Century will come to life as costumed interpreters at camp and battle during the free Fort Dobbs State Historic Site “War for Empire 1761” Living History weekend April 9-10. Each day’s events will offer a glimpse into military operations and camp life during the harrowing Cherokee War that pitted native warriors against provincial soldiers during this crucial time in the Colonial Carolinas. Major battle re-enactments with musket and cannon firings are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and again on Sunday. 3). N.C. Department of Cultural Resources The North Carolina Connecting to Collections Project (C2C) will host a workshop to train participants in the basic care of museum artifact collections on April 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History. Adrienne Berney, Collections Care Trainer for the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources’ C2C project, will lead the session. Berney, who has served as an objects curator for a state history museum, has also worked with several historic houses. 4). Historic Halifax Celebrate 235 years of American Independence from Great Britain on Tuesday, April 12, at the annual “Halifax Day” festivities. From 9 a.m.-5 p.m., visitors at Historic Halifax State Historic Site may join in the remembrance 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 and tours of historic buildings for young and old. It is sponsored by the Historical Halifax Restoration Association, Inc. All activities are free and open to the public. 5). Historic Wright Tavern The Rockingham County Historical Society Museum and Archives (RCHSMA) will present their first "Family Day" on April 9, 2011, from 10:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M., on the Museum grounds at Wright Tavern in Wentworth. Activities will include games, music, story-telling, demonstrations of everyday work in the home, and tours of our historic structures and grounds. Staff from the LDS Genealogy Library will assist visitors and explain how to use the internet to research family history. Archaeologists at work and American Revolutionary reenactors will be here, too! Adults and children alike will enjoy fun, food, games, exploration, and hands-on activities. 6). Greensboro Children’s Museum presents “Urban Homesteading Workshops-Eat Fresh! Create your Own Edible Landscape” on Saturday, April 9th from 10:00 am-12:00 pm, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm. Herbs in your scrambled eggs, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers for a tasty sandwich or salad… Imagine fresh, delicious produce growing wherever you live! Come learn basics of gardening with the Edible Schoolyard and start your family on a new adventure in eating! 7). N.C. Collection Gallery presents “And They Talked—Always They Talked: 215 Years of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies” on Thursday, April 7, 2011, 5:45 p.m. in the Pleasants Assembly Room, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill. Longtime Di-Phi member Kevin Cherry will discuss the origins and development of the societies. A reception, viewing of the exhibition “From Di-Phis to Loreleis: A History of Student Organizations at UNC”, and a capella performance by the Loreleis will begin at 5:00 p.m. in the North Carolina Collection Gallery, Wilson Library. Free and open to the public. 8). Bellamy Mansion presents “Music at the Mansion” with Susan Savia, performing beautiful American and English music circa 1850 through 1920. Susan will play Harmonica, Jaw Harp, Strum Stick and Appalachian Dancing Man. Some of the music, considered popular during the period, is now rare and unknown. She will bring it back to life for your listening pleasure while benefitting the treasure that is Bellamy Mansion. Admission $15.00 includes free dessert. Wine available for purchase. Doors open at 6:45 pm. 9). Black Mountain College Museum & Art Center On the evening of April 6th at 7:00PM, the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center will host a film screening of “Don't Know, We'll See: The Work of Karen Karnes,” by Lucy Massie Phenix. The filmmaker will be in attendance. A renowned studio potter and Artist in Residence (along with David Weinrib) at Black Mountain College from 1952-54, Karnes is making a rare visit to Asheville from her home in Vermont. 10). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Presents four new exhibitions… “Chromata: Laura Berman”, “Places for Contemplation in Public Buildings: Constructing a Model Space for Reflection”, “Open Spaces, Sacred Places: Tom Stoner & the TKF Foundation”, “Beyond Their Natural Range: April Flanders”. Stop by and enjoy the new exhibitions!