ncmuseums

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

Monday, February 25, 2013

NCMC Events From Around the State…  February 25, 2013

50th Anniversary NCMC Annual meeting registration is now under way! Take a look at the conference itinerary and register on-line.

1). Weatherspoon Art Museum (http://weatherspoon.uncg.edu/) presents “Art for Lunch with Curator Xandra Eden” on Wednesday, Feb 27, 12pm. Enjoy a 30 minute talk on “Diana Al-Hadid” with Xandra Eden, Curator of Exhibitions. Art for Lunch takes place in the galleries. Seating provided. The “Diana Al-Hadid” exhibition highlights her unique exploration of art historical references to examine sculptural and pictorial space.
2). Historic Edenton (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/iredell/iredell.htm) presents “Inglis Fletcher Symposium” on March 1, 2013, 10 AM - 5:30 PM at the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse. Colonial North Carolina’s rich history is woven into the historical novels of Inglis Fletcher. Her stories immerse the reader in the events, landscapes, cultures and personalities of this era. Her collected works, papers and memorabilia, archived in the library collection of East Carolina University, will be used to explore and appreciate the interplay of history, research and fiction. For more information see http://visitedenton.com/calendar-event.php?id=162.
3). N.C. Museum of History (http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/) presents “Legacies of Appomattox” on Sunday, March 3rd, 2 p.m. $8 in advance, $10 at the door ($5 Associates and students with ID) with Elizabeth R. Varon, Professor of History, University of Virginia. Varon dispels the myth of the Appomattox surrender between Lee and Grant as a “gentleman’s agreement.” She argues the surrender terms were controversial from the start and helped lead to the conflicts of Reconstruction.
4). HandsOn! (www.handsonwnc.org) is unveiling two new scavenger hunts on Tuesday, February 26th as part of a quarterly scavenger hunt change.  We are featuring a scavenger hunt for readers that will send you in search of different types of wheels around Hands On!. We also have a pictorial scavenger hunt for non-readers & the visually inspired that will challenge your power of observation! Come in & give them a try & win a prize for your efforts! Free with $5 admission/Free for members.
5). Museum of the Albemarle (www.museumofthealbemarle.com) Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on Friday, March 1, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at the Museum of the Albemarle.  Participants between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and accompanied by an adult will learn interesting facts about Dr. Seuss, read a book, and participate in a hands-on activity.  Program is free to the public.
6). Museum & Archives of Rockingham County (http://www.themarconline.org/) On Thursday, February 28, 2013, the MARC will present an “African American History, Culture, and Art Expo” from 6-9 pm. Beginning at 6 pm, guests will have the opportunity to explore the art exhibit and meet the artists. The program for the event will begin at 7 pm in the former Superior Courtroom on the second floor. The Expo highlights some of our Rockingham County African American art, history, poetry, and includes dramatic performances of significant African American people in history. The cost of admission to the event is $5 for adults, $3.50 for students and seniors, $2 for children (4 and under admitted free) and includes access to the museum.
7). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) Saturday March 2.   Batik Easter Egg Workshop   1-4pm,  2nd floor classroom    Learn the ancient method of decorating Easter eggs using simple, primitive tools to "write" intricate designs with beeswax. The Batik Method of decorating the egg is traditionally used to make the much admired Ukrainian Easter eggs. This workshop for ages 12 through adult will be held from 1 - 4pm in the Museum's 2nd floor classroom. A fee of $10 for Museum members and $15 for non-members will include supplies. Limited to 15 participants ages 12 and up.
8). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort (http://www.ncmaritimemuseums.com/beaufort.html)  Join the Museum for a look at Boat Building Past and Present on Tuesday February 26 at 9:30 a.m.!  Associate Curator Benjamin Wunderly will lead participants on a tour covering the early methods of wooden boatbuilding and modern day construction methods of fiberglass vessels.  Participants will look at various wooden boats on display in the Museum, tour the Watercraft Center and a local boat manufacturer in Carteret County.  Pre-registration and a fee is required.
9). Waterworks Visual Arts Center (www.waterworks.org) presents spring exhibition, “Visual Places – Evolving from Nature” at Waterworks Visual Arts Center through May 12. Four artists reflect on the intersection of architecture and nature through the use of form, texture, and surfaces.  This exhibit is about man and his environs, focusing on the context of displacement, nostalgia, identity, existence, construction, and deconstruction.  These bodies of work cross the dimensions of art, ecology, economy, science, spirituality, and activism by addressing the condition in and around the changing urban atmosphere.  
10). The Greenville Museum of Art (www.gmoa.org) announces the opening of “PAINT NC, A Visual Journey through North Carolina”. The show opened on February 22 with a public reception and will be on display thru April 28. “Paint NC” is an exhibition of landscape paintings by 34 members of PAINT North Carolina.  PAINT North Carolina is a statewide organization of emerging and professional En plein air artists.  En plein air is a French expression which means “in the open air”, and is also used to describe the act of painting outdoors. This exhibition highlights the beautiful and diverse scenery of North Carolina. 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

NCMC Events From Around the State… February 18, 2013



50th Anniversary NCMC Annual meeting registration is now under way! Take a look at the conference itinerary and register on-line.

1). HandsOn! Hands On!-A Child's Gallery, the children's museum in downtown Hendersonville, is excited to announce new additions on February 26th to the Baby Place sponsored by Park Ridge Health. Come enjoy new manipulatives focused on early childhood literacy. Explore your image in our new Bubble & ABC mirrors. And finally, search for the hidden alphabet in the new mural focused on sleep, dreams & lullabies. Free with $5 admission/free for members.

2). SECCA To help celebrate Valentines Day, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) will be holding the third installment of their “Teas and Tours” series on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. This Valentine’s Day-inspired tea will be filled with the aromas and flavors of chocolate and strawberries. The event is a fund-raiser organized by Friends @ SECCA.

3). N.C. Transportation Museum The N.C. Transportation Museum’s “At the Throttle” program begins its third season this Spring, offering a chance for visitors to live out their fantasy of operating an antique steam locomotive. No previous locomotive experience is required. The program is simply a unique opportunity for rail fans to live their dream of running a steam engine, taking a trip back in time to the golden age of railroading. A qualified engineer will be in the cab at all times, but participants will be operating the engine, following a short safety and operation session. This year’s “At the Throttle” sessions take place March 2, 16, and April 6, 13, 20. Sessions will be held between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each day. Sessions are $150 for each participant. N.C. Transportation Museum members receive a discount.

4). High Point Museum invites you to a special program February 20 at 10 am at the High Point Museum. Zane Hedgecock, a local community leader from Wallburg, will discuss the early village of Browntown. For most of the work week, he commutes to Raleigh for his administrative role with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. He is dedicated to retaining the culture of his community, much of which has deep roots in farming. The settlement of Browntown goes back to the mid-18th century following the founding of the Abbott’s Creek Community and the Baptist Meeting House there.

5). Tryon Palace Join us for “Civil War Weekend” - March 9-10. Enjoy rare exhibits, tours & living history programs. After its fall to Union troops in March of 1862, New Bern remained a Federally-occupied city for the remainder of the war. Learn what life was like for the Union soldiers stationed in a city behind enemy lines. The weekend will include special Civil War-themed tours, programs, soldier encampments and craft activities.

6). Bellamy Mansion presents “The Development of Slavery in Colonial British America” by lecturer Thomas Massey, History Lecturer at Cape Fear Community College and Bellamy Mansion Museum Education Chair. Monday, Feb 25 at 6:30PM at Bellamy Mansion.

7). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Celebrate a “Whale of a Weekend” at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2013. The two-day event showcases Dolphin Discovery and Right Whale Quest, new exhibits inspired by real whales and a dolphin living in North Carolina coastal waters. Visitors match wits with Holly, a life-like bottlenose dolphin and take a 3-D virtual journey from North Carolina to the Bay of Fundy with North Atlantic right whales, Calvin and Delilah.

8). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Spend an afternoon learning about famed naturalist Charles Darwin, take a closer look at his theories and their impact on modern science, and meet some of the scientists who are continuing his work when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts “Darwin Day” on Saturday, February 16, 9am-5pm. Free. Visitors are invited to learn more about evolution through natural selection, as well as specific evolutionary adaptations seen in everything from primates to carnivorous plants to viruses. Talk with exhibitors who can trace the 500 million year evolutionary journey of arthropods, from trilobites to insects.

9). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort A busy week at the Museum! On Wednesday February 20th at 1 p.m. Associate Curator Benjamin Wunderly will present on the history of the United States Lifesaving Service in North Carolina, this lecture is free! The following day, Thursday the 21st, there will be a field trip for a behind the scenes tour of the Morehead City Port. Come check out the products that come and go by tanker ships and barges. Lastly, on Friday the 22nd at 5 p.m. there will be a free screening of the film “Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Life Savers”, followed by a Q & A discussion with the producers.

10). Blowing Rock Art & History Museum will open “The Carolina Mountains: Photography of Margaret Morley” on February 21, 2013, an exhibition of photographs taken by Morley who traveled western North Carolina documenting the people and places of Appalachia in the 1890s. The photos, from the NC Museum of History, will be coupled with period artifacts on loan from the Catawba County Historical Association. The exhibit will be up through April 25.

Monday, February 11, 2013

NCMC Events From Around the State… February 11, 2013



50th Anniversary NCMC Annual meeting registration is now under way! Take a look at the conference itinerary and register on-line.

1). New Winston Museum Beginning February 2013, the New Winston Museum will present a free bi-monthly Salon Series featuring a broad range of local historians, artists, writers, musicians, crafts-folk and other specialists. February 28th, 5:30pm: Architect David Gall and Community Activist Maurice Pitts Johnson on the restoration of the historic Happy Hill Cemetery and discovery of a terra cotta section of the 1892 Old Town Hall.

2). Battleship NORTH CAROLINA presents “Firepower!” on February 16, 2013, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm. $95 per person. $85 for Friends members or active military. Learn about and explore the Battleship's 16-inch and 5-inch guns from the gun houses to the ammunition loading compartments; the 40mm and 20mm guns, and the weapons that they replaced (1.10 and 50 caliber guns). Participants will enjoy a lively, engaging, in-depth program with presentations, hands-on experience, and serious exploration for adult learners. Pre-registration required.

3). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle’s newest exhibit “Memorable Sands” will open on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, curator tours, music, and a lecture. The exhibit will feature images and artifacts from African American beaches in the region including Chowan Beach in Hertford County, Bias Beach in Currituck County, Bogues Beach in Pasquotank County, and Seaview Beach in Virginia.

4). Asheville Art Museum is pleased to present “Robert Morris: Mind/Body/Earth”, an exhibition featuring a wide range of works by the contemporary artist, including selections of his prints, drawings, sculpture and video works. This exhibition has been extended through Sunday, March 17, 2013, resulting in a temporary postponement of upcoming exhibition “Aaron Siskind: Abstract Expressionist Photographer” (new exhibition dates forthcoming).

5). High Point Museum The annual “Kickoff to Kindergarten: Parent Days” will be held February 18 at the High Point Museum. The free, drop-in resource fair will be open from 11 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm. Representatives from Guilford County Schools will be available to answer questions regarding school-choice, pre-K options, transportation, school health & nutrition, after-school options, and kindergarten curriculums. Also on hand will be representatives from local libraries, Family & Health Services, Reading Connections, and other important community resources that support the important transition into kindergarten.

6). SECCA presents new exhibition “Afterlife: Jacco Olivier & Jennifer West” on Feb. 15, 2013. “Afterlife: Jacco Olivier & Jennifer West” proves that the fluidity of paint can stay in perpetual motion through film and video – extending both the process and presence of the artist, even as their composition becomes unstable. In this exhibition a painter who stitches photos of unfinished canvases into dream-like animations meets a filmmaker who physically assaults her medium in painterly acts of performance and chemistry.

7). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort On Valentine’s Day at noon the Museum will host a special homecoming of “Echo’s” heart! Echo is the 33.5’ sperm whale that washed ashore over 6 years ago and whose skeleton is on display in the Museum. The heart of this whale underwent a very unique preservation process and will be returning to its owner. Come see a whale of a heart, bring your sweetie if you want! There will be an encore presentation on Saturday, February 16 at 7 p.m.

8). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Wednesday February 13 “African-American Read-In”, 12 noon, 2nd floor conference room, Free Admission The third annual African-American Read-In hosted by the Plaid Cloth Literary Society will be held on Wednesday February 13 at 12 noon in the 2nd floor conference room of the Museum. To participate, one needs only to select works written by an African American and be prepared to read a poem or an excerpt from a book. Listeners are also welcome.

9). Kings Mountain Historical Museum opens their first permanent exhibit Our Stories: The History of Kings Mountain, NC on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. The exhibit opens in conjunction with the release of the new book from Arcadia Publishing, Images of America: Kings Mountain. The Kings Mountain Historical Museum and Mauney Memorial Library will host a book signing with authors Sharon Stack, Director of the Mauney Memorial Library and Stephanie Walsh, Director & Curator of the Kings Mountain Historical Museum at the Museum on Tuesday evening (February 12) at 6:30PM.

10). Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson During the Civil War, a soldier was far more likely to die from disease than during battle. In fact, biological pestilence may even have altered the course of the war. Experience the often overlooked yet fascinating stories behind these hidden terrors during Fort Anderson's two day living history event on February 16-17. The program will also feature living historians, artillery and infantry demonstrations, period sutlers, guided tours, and more!

Monday, February 04, 2013

NCMC Events From Around the State… February 4, 2013

50th Anniversary NCMC Annual meeting registration is now under way! Take a look at the conference itinerary and register on-line.
1). HandsOn! Hands On!-A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, is celebrating Mardi Gras on Tuesday, February 12th all day. Come create Mardi Gras masks. A special snack will be provided at 10:30 am by the Hendersonville Community Co-op while supplies last. This program is for all ages. The cost to attend is free with $5 admission and is free for members.

2). Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is pleased to present a major solo exhibition, “Diana Al-Hadid”, from February 9 – May 5, 2013. The exhibition highlights the artist’s unique exploration of art historical references to examine sculptural and pictorial space. Born in Syria and raised in Ohio, the artist’s haunting works convey a world turned upside down. Her recent large-scale gypsum and metal sculptures, small bronzes, and drawings are inspired by myriad sources, including Italian and Northern Renaissance painting, Gothic architecture, and Hellenistic sculpture.

3). N.C. Museum of History February is the month for lovers so what better way to spend Valentine’s Day than at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The Museum and Rocky Top Hospitality will host “A Star-Crossed Lovers Valentine’s Dinner: Love Stories from the Titanic” on Thursday, February 14 inside the Museum’s Nature Research Center, Daily Planet Café. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. featuring an array of Titanic-inspired drinks, such as the “Iceberg Martini,” “Night Sky,” and “St. Germaine & Champagne.” A three-course dinner follows at 7 p.m., with foods inspired by cuisine that would have been served on board the Titanic. The cost of the dinner is $50 per person.

4). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Visit the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and witness a live in-flight downlink from the International Space Station (ISS) with NASA astronaut and North Carolina native Dr. Tom Marshburn. The audio/video downlink will take place 10:15–10:35am on Tuesday, February 5 from the Main Auditorium and other locations within the Museum. Classes from local elementary, middle and high schools will be in attendance and select students will have the opportunity to ask Marshburn questions during the downlink.

5). Museum of the Albemarle Museum of the Albemarle will hold “History Tales: Make It, Take It” on Friday, February 8, 2013 at 3:30 pm. Participants must be elementary age and accompanied by an adult. Participants will discover how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed “Everyone could be great”, learn about his role in changing society through the book Martin’s Big Words, and participate in a hands-on activity.

6). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort On February 6th at noon Museum educator Christine Brin will give a presentation on Maritime Myths. She will unveil the facts or fictions behind such creatures as sea dragons, mermaids and the Kraken! This lecture is a “Brown Bag Gam” and is free. The audience is welcome to bring their lunch and enjoy the show!

7). New Winston Museum Beginning February 2013, the New Winston Museum will present a free bi-monthly Salon Series featuring a broad range of local historians, artists, writers, musicians, crafts-folk and other specialists. February 14th, 11:45am: Wake Forest University history professor, Dr. Michele Gillespie on the courtship and marriage of Katharine and R.J. Reynolds, based on information from her recent biography, “Katharine and R.J. Reynolds: Partners of Fortune in the Making of the New South”, (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2012).

8). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History On Tuesday February 4, Mike Wiley presents “Brown v. Board of Education: Over 50 years later”, at 7pm. In 1952, the Supreme Court heard a number of school segregation cases, including Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. It ruled unanimously in 1954 that segregation was unconstitutional, overthrowing Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which set the "separate but equal" precedent. This play recounts the effects of the decision on the families who participated in the original court case, the impact of the ruling on school systems at the time and the challenges still being made today.

9). Asheville Art Museum Joining in the community’s celebration of the phenomenal restaurants and breweries that call Asheville home during “Asheville Restaurant Week”, the Asheville Art Museum is delighted to host “Toast Asheville”, a top flight evening of fine wines and craft brews—many from local and regional breweries and distributors—paired with delectable hors d’ oeuvres from local restaurants. The evening’s festivities also include live music with classical guitarist Kevin Lorenz and a silent auction with fabulous lots benefiting the Museum’s educational programs and exhibitions. Toast Asheville takes place at the Museum on Thursday, February 7 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

10). Historic Edenton After seven years hiding in her grandmother’s attic in Edenton, Harriet Jacobs escaped to freedom in the 1842. She went on to become an abolitionist, aid worker and author. A tribute to this remarkable life is being presented by Historic Edenton State Historic Site on Saturday, Feb. 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Family Life Center of Edenton United Methodist Church. In addition to celebrating the bicentennial of Jacob’s birth, the program celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 300th anniversary of the town of Edenton.