NCMC Events From Around the State… December 10, 2012
1). Asheville Art Museum (www.ashevilleart.org) On December 15, 2012, the Asheville Art Museum will debut two important and evocative exhibitions recognizing the history and haunting memory of Nazi Germany during World War II and the legacy of those who survived. Survivors and Liberators: Portraits by Wilma Bulkin Siegel and In the Camps: Photographs by Erich Hartmann will be on view in the Museum’s East Wing beginning Saturday, December 15, 2012 with an opening reception taking place on the evening of Saturday, January 12, 2013 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. (free with membership or regular Museum admission).

2). Museum of the Albemarle (www.museumofthealbemarle.com) Museum of the Albemarle will hold “Pre-Schooler Time” on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10:00 am. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-Schoolers will discover how children celebrated Christmas during the Civil War, read a Christmas book and participate in a hands-on activity.

3). HandsOn! (www.handsonwnc.org) the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, invites you to come be part of Critter Craft on Thursday, December 20th. Visitors of all ages can make a Santa's pet dog. This is a drop-in, self–directed activity in our Party Room. Cost to attend is included in $5 admission and is free for museum members. Critter Craft is sponsored by the Etowah Valley Veterinary Hospital.

4). Discovery Place KIDS (http://www.discoveryplacekids.org/) presents “Polar Express: Toot! Toot!” on December 13. Board The Polar Express with us while we read this heartwarming story. Little conductors will chug along on an adventure at our train table and make their own special bell to ring throughout the holiday season. Daily activities take place from 11:15-11:45 a.m. and 2:15-2:45 p.m.

5). Cape Fear Museum (www.capefearmuseum.com) presents “Cape Fear Skies: Earth, Moon, and Sun” on Sunday, December 16th, 1:30, 2:30 & 3:30 PM. Parental participation is required, free for members or with Museum admission. Venture into our portable planetarium and investigate how Earth, the moon, and the sun work together. Observe eclipses, moon phases, and more. Cape Fear Skies offers your family a realistic planetarium experience the third Sunday of each month. Venture into outer space as you hear mythical tales and explore stars, planets, and more.

6). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences (http://naturalsciences.org) Smartphone-packing high-school students are bombarded by electronic distractions daily, so they need to be entertained and to feel empowered while being introduced to a topic in science. There is no greater entertainment and no greater power than the natural world. Join us online Thursday, December 13 from 1 to 2pm (EST) for “E.O. Wilson’s Global Town Hall,” with celebrated biologist Edward Osborne Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus at Harvard. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will be hosting and streaming Wilson’s presentation, in which he plans to show that the exploration of biodiversity is now cutting-edge science, and to explain why this subject is destined to be increasingly supported due to its importance in medicine and environment.

7). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) Tour four floors of museum exhibits, view our themed Christmas trees, shop for holiday gifts, plus enjoy light refreshments and a special performance at 1:30 by Briana Duensing, a senior piano major at UNC School of the Arts. In honor of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, Briana as "Bonnie Blue Briana," will play selections of patriotic songs, music celebrating victories, slave songs often with code words about escaping to freedom, and songs of mourning and longing for home and peace. Music played a big part in the lives of Civil War soldiers and the people at home so Briana's performance will also include storytelling interspersed with musical selections. As an added bonus, MAPS - Mount Airy Professionals of Surry, will be hosting "Cookies with Santa" from 3 to 5pm. For a small monetary donation or a canned food, you can have your photo made with Santa! Holiday Open House is Free to the public.

8). SECCA (www.secca.org) presents “World @ SECCA: Matijcio on Narracje Festival” on Thursday, December 13, 7 pm, FREE. Join SECCA Curator Steven Matijcio for an illustrated recap of the video art festival he recently curated in Gdansk, Poland: art thou gone, beloved ghost? Through video and photographic documentation, Matijcio will provide a virtual tour of the many installations and experiences that went into this city-wide exhibition featuring 17 international artists. This event is free and open to the public.

9). NC Preservation Consortium (http://www.ncpreservation.org/) ) is accepting applications for preservation grants from libraries, museums, archives, historic sites, and other collection institutions in our state. The application deadline is February 1, 2013. Applicants must be institutional members of NCPC. The maximum award is $2,000. Grants may be used for preservation assessments, consultations, equipment, supplies, training, projects, and conservation treatments. For more information and access to the application go to: http://www.ncpreservation.org/grants.html.

10). Bennett Place State Historic Site (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/bennett/) presents “Christmas in the Carolinas” on Dec. 15 & 16: Saturday 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday 10 am - 3 pm. Living history demonstration depicts how Christmas was celebrated on a North Carolina Piedmont farm during the Civil War. Ole St. Nick will make a visit to the farm, and children will have the chance to speak with Santa about their Christmas lists. The traditional roasting of the hogs head and other mid-19th century living history demonstrations will be performed.