ncmuseums

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

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… September 26, 2011

1). High Point Museum presents program and book signing Saturday, October 1, 7 pm. Dr. Theodore Kornweibel, author of Railroads in the African American Experience – A Photographic Journey will be speaking about his book and then doing a book signing. The book examines the significant contributions of African Americans to the building, maintenance, operation, and profitability of the American railway system. The program is presented by the High Point Museum and the National Railway Historical Society Greensboro Chapter.

2). Wrightsville Beach Museum presents “An Afternoon with Henry Jay MacMillan” on Sunday, October 2, 2011, 2-6 pm. The Wrightsville Beach Museum invites you to an intimate afternoon as we view seldom-seen works by Henry Jay MacMillan from private collections. Visit the Wrightsville Beach Museum as art experts, family, and local friends of Henry Jay MacMillan share observations on his work and reminiscences of his life. Pieces from private, local collections and from the family of the artist will be shared during this afternoon event. Light refreshments on the porch.

3). Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of “Homage2”, on view in Gallery 6 from Saturday, October 1, 2011 – Sunday, March 4, 2012. An Opening Reception for the exhibition will be held at the Museum on Sunday, October 2, 2011 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Drawn primarily from the Museum’s Permanent Collection, in addition to works on loan from private collections and the Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNCG, Homage2 highlights artists who have taken up the challenge of the square and have used space and color in unique ways, and pays tribute to artist Josef Albers’s unmistakable influence on the modern art world from mid-20th century to present day.

4). Cape Fear Museum presents “Weird Science” on Saturdays, October 1, 8, 15, 29, 1-4 pm, ages 5-12. Museum members: Free; Non-members: Free with Museum admission. Why does milk curdle? What’s the best environment for worms? Explore strange and sometimes slimy science with fun, hand-on experiments. Make your own “bouncy blubber” and use mud to discover how craters form on the moon.

5). The Bascom Complementing The Bascom’s “Celebration!” fundraiser, the “Tools in Motion” exhibition showcases repetition and motion in common, everyday tools and hardware. This witty traveling exhibition comes from The Hechinger Collection and was organized by Arts and Artists International of Washington, D.C. On view at The Bascom from October 1st through December 23rd.

6). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher invites families to observe national “Take a Child Outside Week” by signing up for an Aquarium canoe outing, either Saturday, Sept. 24 or Sunday, Sept. 25. Take a Child Outside week, from Sept. 24-30, is nationwide program supported by about 250 organizations, including the Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Its aim is to help remove obstacles that prevent children from knowing the natural world, and to encourage a better appreciation of nature.

7). Museum of the Albemarle
In the spirit of the Nags Head Casino join the Museum of the Albemarle for the “Pirates' Jamboree” fund raiser Saturday October 1 from 7pm to 11 pm! Admission is $20 in advance & tickets are available in the Museum’s lobby. Enjoy a fun filled night of dancing and music from DJ Harvey Taylor & live music by Out In The Cold! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, beverages and cash bar. Come in casual dress or PIRATE attire!

8). Marbles Kids Museum presents “Forces of Nature”, opening Friday, September 30. Lose yourself in “Forces of Nature”, and find what may be cinema's biggest, baddest depictions of real-life earthquakes, volcanoes, and storms. This giant-screen movie from National Geographic and Graphic Films follows scientists on pulse-pounding quests to discover how natural disasters are triggered - without getting literally caught up in their work.

9). HandsOn! Hands On!-A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, is excited to host musical visitor, Tania Battista, of the YouTheatre Program of the Flat Rock Playhouse. She will sing at Hands On! Friday, September 30 at 10:30 a.m. Cost to attend is included in $5 admission and is free for museum members. Tania’s songs are great for any age and will be fun and interactive!

10). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences “Take A Child Outside Week”, a national initiative spearheaded by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, kicks off Saturday, September 24 and runs through Friday, September 30. Designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from exploring the natural world, the program encourages children and adults to spend time together outdoors. It was inspired by Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods,” which identifies the benefits of outdoor experiences for children and addresses some of the problems of what he terms “Nature Deficit Disorder,” such as increased feelings of stress, trouble paying attention and feelings of being disconnected from the world.

Monday, September 19, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… September 19, 2011

1). Asheville Art Museum On Saturday, September 24th the Asheville Art Museum’s ARTmob returns with the “Primary Colors: Cocktail + Dance Party”. The Museum invites you to “party in your primaries” from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. at Arcade Asheville, located at 130 College Street in downtown Asheville. A suggested donation of $5.00 is requested in support of Color Study, currently on view in the Museum’s Appleby Foundation Gallery through November 6, 2011.

2). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort presents a new exhibit: “Watched by Sound and Sea: Occupied Beaufort, 1862.” Opening reception is Saturday, Sept. 24. The Civil War transforms a quiet southern town in Eastern North Carolina into a hub of Union Navy activity. Discover what life was like in an occupied town and how locals were affected by the war. Guest Lecturer Judkin Browning, author of “The Southern Mind Under Union Rule: The Diary of James Rumley, Beaufort, NC 1862 – 1865” will speak at 3 p.m. No cost. Light Refreshments will be served.

3). Museum of Anthropology presents “A Must-Hear Attraction: Dialect in the Heritage Tourism Landscape in Rural Valdres, Norway”, lecture on Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:00pm. Dr. Thea Strand, Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Wake Forest, will explore the connections between popular dialect revitalization efforts and tourism development projects in Valdres, Norway, and how the sounds of a rural dialect can be marketed as cultural heritage with broad aesthetic appeal. Admission is free.

4). Port Discover Dr. Tesfaye D. Serbessa, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Elizabeth City State University, and his students, will assist children in exploring basic concepts of chemistry by conducting fun-filled chemistry experiments during Port Discover’s “Afterschool Science”, Thursday, September 22, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. During the Chemistry 101 program, Dr. Serbessa will lead a variety of chemistry-based activities including making a cold/hot pack, baking soda volcano, color splash or dry ice bubbles.

5). Cape Fear Museum Discover regional history and science topics of interest at Cape Fear Museum’s “Cape Fear 101: Stories from the Savannah” on Tuesday, September 20 from 6:30-8:30 PM. Endangered species biologist Julie Moore with the US Fish & Wildlife Service in Washington, DC will explore the Cape Fear region’s botanical heritage and the legacy of pioneer ecologist B. W. Wells, in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibit “B.W. Wells: Pioneer Ecologist”, on view until February 7.

6). Natural Science Center of Greensboro The Natural Science Center's (NSC) vision to build North Carolina's only center-of-state aquarium in Greensboro will finally move from blueprints to construction on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. To commemorate this event, NSC leaders are holding a unique ground-breaking ceremony at 10 a.m. to officially announce the start of construction of the new, world-class Carolina SciQuarium.

7). HandsOn! Come mix science with art at Hands On! – A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum located in downtown Hendersonville with “Coffee Filter Tie-dye class”. This drop-in art project is designed for children ages 6-10, will take place Thursday, September 22nd from 2-4 pm. Cost to participate is free with $5 museum admission fee and free for museum members.

8). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher This year, Trick-or-Treat Under the Sea will sport a new look as the Aquarium partners with Green Halloween, a community initiative focused on creating child- and Earth-friendly holiday traditions. In an effort to make Trick-Or-Treat Under the Sea a Green Halloween event, the N. C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher will host a costume exchange. The Aquarium will collect donations of gently used costumes during the month of September. We encourage you to clean out your closets of costumes from years past and bring them to the aquarium Sept. 1-31. On Oct. 1, families are welcome to visit the Aquarium between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to select a new costume from those donated.

9). N.C. Maritime History Council On September 29, 30 and October 1, the North Carolina Maritime History Council brings its annual conference to Wilmington. This year’s conference theme “Wilmington at War: A Military Crossroads,” centers around the importance of the Port City during wartime as well as times of peace. The conference includes numerous tours, activities, programs and visits to many of the areas historic sites and museums. Interested parties please see the Maritime History Council’s website and click on annual meeting for the complete conference agenda and registration form.

10). N.C. Transportation Museum presents “Day Out With Thomas”, Sept. 23-25, Sept. 30-Oct.2. Thomas the Tank Engine visits the museum and gives train rides with a variety of entertainment events, including music, a magician, Thomas play areas, Imagination Station and the opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt. Fee required.

Friday, September 09, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… September 12, 2011

1). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort presents “Locals’ Reception: ‘Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge’ Exhibit” on Friday, Sept. 16, 5–7 p.m. This is an off-season opportunity to experience the Museum’s newest permanent exhibit. Light refreshments provided. This is a free event supported by the Friends of the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort.

2). Port Discover Spend some time in Port Discover’s “Kids Grow” garden during “Nature IDs,” Port Discover’s Toddler Time program, on Thursday, September 15 at 10:00 am. The kids will create a science nature journal for recording, observing, and identifying the natural world around us. Programs in “Kids Grow” garden is made possible by a grant from AgCarolina Financial. 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.

3). Joel Lane Museum House The Joel Lane Museum House will present “Lizzie Lane’s Colonial Tea” on Sunday, September 28, 2011 from 3 to 5 pm with a rain date of Sunday, October 2. Elizabeth was Colonel Joel Lane’s seventh child. He was a founding father of Raleigh and an officer in the Militia during the American Revolutionary War. In the beautiful colonial gardens at the Joel Lane Museum House, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and granddaughters will learn the etiquette of taking tea and cakes in colonial times. After tea, they will have a chance to participate in early American crafts and games. The strains of live music will fill the air. Admission is by advanced purchase only, and tickets have sold out early for the last two years.

4). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Whether they’re hiding in the corners of our homes, spinning a web or descending upon us on a single thread of silk, spiders are undeniably fascinating which is why they’re the theme bug for this year’s “BugFest”—the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ biggest event of the year and the largest, one-day, bug-centric event of its kind in the country. On Saturday, September 17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., all four floors of the Museum, as well as Bicentennial Plaza, Jones St. and Edenton St. will become bug central station!

5). Museum of the Albemarle “Pre-Schooler Time” will be held at the Museum of the Albemarle on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:00 am. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Children will discover the purpose of blimps, what blimps are made of and how they float in the air. Read a book and participate in a hands-on activity. This is a free family program.

6). Asheville Art Museum is pleased to present this September’s ArtFacts workshop, “Collecting WPA Prints”, with June Lambla, owner and manager of Lambla artWORKS, LLC. The workshop will be held at the Museum on Monday, September 12 at 5:30 p.m. The cost for the workshop is $5 for Museum Members and $6 for Non-Members, and includes light refreshments. Advance registration is requested, but not required.

7). Maria V. Howard Arts Center September 17th and 18th Christine Zoller will offer a silk painting workshop. Participants will experiment with a number of silk painting techniques and become comfortable with a fabric some times considered intimidating. The class will also offer a few quick dye methods and will focus on using textile flowable paints and fiber reactive dyes with resists. The workshop will take place from 10:00am to 4:00pm each day in the Arts Education Building of the Maria V. Howard Arts Center at the Imperial Centre. The cost of the workshop is $80 for city residents and $85 for non residents. There will be a separate $25 material fee paid to the instructor.

8). Weatherspoon Art Museum presents "Persona" Opening Reception + Artist Talk on Friday, Sep 16, 6-9pm. Join us for special exhibition preview of “Persona: A Body in Parts”. The evening begins with a Talk by participating artist Kate Gilmore at 6pm followed by a public reception and premiere of Gilmore's live performance artwork at 7pm.

9). CSS Neuse State Historic Site and the Governor Caswell Memorial presents Military Through the Ages on September 17, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. There will be re-enactors portraying soldiers from the American Revolution through World War II. Visitors will be invited to learn about uniforms, accessories, equipment, and weapons that soldiers used during the wars represented. The event is free, but donations are welcome.

10). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents History Talks Lecture Series: Kevin Duffus presents “The Last Days of Blackbeard the Pirate”, 2PM Sunday September 18, Free to the Public, Museum Conference Room. What happened during Blackbeard's last days that precipitated his demise? Who, truly, was Edward Teach, and from whence did he come? What was his true name and where may he have hidden his treasure? North Carolina Humanities Council's Road Scholar author Kevin Duffus, in his newest lecture, invites audiences to enter the dimly-lit passageway of time and learn surprising contradictions to previously-published historical accounts of the last days of Blackbeard the pirate.

Friday, September 02, 2011

NCMC Events From Around the State… September 5, 2011

1). High Point Museum presents “Washington Street Walking Tour” on Saturday, September 17, 10:30 am. Local historian Glenn Chavis will offer a guided walking tour of historic Washington Street. Washington Street was a thriving business and entertainment district for High Point's black community during the period of segregation. Each tour, lasting approximately 90 minutes, is free of charge but is limited to 20 people so you must call to reserve your spot. Call the Museum to register.

2). Museum of Anthropology presents “Local Peace Corps Volunteers: Bringing Cultures Together for 50 Years”, exhibit running from Sept. 20 – Dec. 16, Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 4:30pm. This exhibit documents the experiences of local Peace Corps volunteers who served in many different countries around the world from the 1960s to the present. Objects and photographs brought back to the United States by the volunteers are on display. The exhibit also includes film clips of interviews in which each volunteer describes how his or her service in the Peace Corps led to better understanding of other people and cultures. Admission is free.

3). HandsOn! Hands On!, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, wants to invite you to celebrate our 4th birthday with us on Wednesday, September 14! Join us for birthday treats provided by Mikes on Main and Three Chopt. The birthday cake is being provided by McFarlan Bake Shop! Events are free with $5 admission and free for members.

4). SciWorks Winston-Salem has joined the “Science Café” movement that has swept the nation. SciWorks, Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University and Sigma Xi (the International honor society for scientific and engineering research) have scheduled another series of talks in September, October, and November 2011. Science Cafés are informal talks given by a local expert at a local gathering place. The talks will take place at Buena Vista Grille, 109 S. Stratford Road in Winston-Salem. The Science Cafés begin at 7pm and will be held in the private room. There is no fee to participate in the Science Café.

5). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce next month’s upcoming “Docent Recruitment Day” at the Museum. On September 12, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon, Museum staff and active Docents will welcome prospective volunteers who are interested in becoming Museum Docents. Guests will enjoy coffee and refreshments while speaking with the Museum team about this wonderful volunteer opportunity. Attached and below you will find a full press release containing details about the benefits of becoming a Museum Docent.

6). Polk County Historical Assn. & Museum presents a special one-day show of a private collection of Tryon Toy Makers and Wood Carvers works on Saturday Sept. 17. At 2 pm, Ric Dunn and Michael McCue will speak on the history and interesting tidbits of both organizations. Michael has done extensive research on these groups and published "The Tryon Toy-Makers and Wood-Carvers A History 1915-1940". Local artist Richard Baker will sketch displayed artifacts for a small charge to benefit the museum.

7). Tryon Palace Wander the gardens, enjoy a concert by the Tryon Palace Fife & Drum Corps, and step back in time to an era where a man’s personal honor was his most cherished quality. On September 5th, 1802, a prominent New Bern lawyer met his political rival, a former State Governor, in a lethal duel on the streets of New Bern. Watch the drama of that day unfold before your eyes. In this historical reenactment of a duel between 19th-century New Bern political rivals, costumed characters battle to protect their reputations. This event will take place on Monday, September 5 at 4:00 p.m. on the Tryon Palace South Lawn.

8). Weatherspoon Art Museum is pleased to present the exhibition “Persona - Body in Parts” (September 17 – December 11). The exhibition examines the human body as a plastic surrogate form from which multiple and complex identities can be defined. The exhibition includes new work by Carter (New York), a series of new Soundsuit sculptures by Nick Cave (Chicago), recent large-scale photographs by Nikki S. Lee (Seoul), Barbara Probst (New York/Berlin) and Gillian Wearing (London), as well as a newly commissioned sculpture/performance work by Kate Gilmore (New York).

9). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History presents “Toast and Jam” from 5 - 7pm on Saturday September 10. Good Wine and Good Music all set in the Museum's picturesque courtyard. This FREE monthly program will feature wine from Shelton Vineyards and Classic Salsa and Latin Jazz music by West End Mambo, though a special grant provided by Surry Arts Council and the North Carolina Arts Council.

10). Museum of the Albemarle Bring your grandchild to the Museum of the Albemarle, Thursday, September 8 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm for the “Grandparent Files: Forgotten Toys”. Learn how toys of the past were made from wood, cloth and string. Bring any toys from your past for a “show and tell” time. You and your grandchild will construct a forgotten toy. Grandparents and grandchildren of all ages are welcome. Supply fee for each child: $5.00 general public; $3.00 FOMOA members; $2.00 FOMOA Grandparent members Pre-registration & Supply Fee requested by September 6th.