NCMC Events From Around the State… April 14, 2014

1). Oconaluftee Visitor Center   (www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hosting “Understanding our Past, Shaping our Future,” on view from April 26th through May 28th.  The exhibit focuses on Cherokee language and culture, using sound recordings as the basis for presenting a coherent story in words and text.  “Understanding our Past, Shaping our Future” was designed to include community input as a way to develop its content.  A community team held monthly discussions to develop the ideas and images that would make up the exhibit.  Major themes include Cherokee Homeland, Heritage Sites, Tourism, Family, and Community Celebrations.  The touring exhibit is sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in partnership with Cherokee Central Schools, Southwestern Community College, and Western Carolina University.  Funding was provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. There will be a special exhibit PREVIEW on Friday, April 25th from 6 until 7 pm.  For more information, contact: Curatorial.InSight@gmail.com

2). Kings Mountain Historical Museum (www.kingsmountainmuseum.org) will present an Earth Day Celebration on Tuesday, April 22 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  You won’t believe some of the amazing GREEN activities Kings Mountain businesses are up to!  Bring the whole family to explore the many “reduce, reuse & recycle” themes in our current exhibit, Common Threads: Kings Mountain’s Textile Heritage from Prehistory to Today.  See how Kings Mountain’s modern textile industry leaders recycle plastic waste into t-shirts, blue jeans into insulation, and cotton waste into dollar bills and cattle feed.  ADMISSION IS FREE!  Donations are appreciated.  All donations go towards fulfilling the Museum’s mission to collect, preserve, and interpret history through exhibits, educational programs, tours, and other appropriate means, in order to foster a deeper understanding of the history of our community and the region.  To find out more about upcoming exhibits and events, please visit us at: www.kingsmountainmuseum.org or call (704) 739-1019.  You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest.

3). Bellamy Mansion (www.bellamymansion.org) invites you to join them at four historic Wilmington homes for a Progressive Wine Dinner to kick off the Wilmington Wine and Food festival weekend.  On Thursday, May 1^st, experience four types of cuisine and wine pairings.  Tickets available for purchase and all proceeds benefit the Bellamy Mansion Museum.

4). The Museum of the Albemarle (www.museumofthealbemarle.com) will be the site of “Paint and Cookie:  Monogram on Canvas” on Friday, April 25, 2014 from 3:30-5:00 p.m.  The Museum and Serenity Studio Arts will join forces in creating a monogram themed mixed-media canvas.    Elementary age students will use paint, paper, and found objects to create a mixed-media masterpiece on canvas.    The masterpieces created by participants during the workshop will be highlighted at Serenity Studio Arts on May 2, 2014 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. for 1st Friday Art Walk.  Limited space and supply fee required.  For More Information Call 252-335-1453.

5). Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (www.ncmaritimemuseums.com) invites you to “Salty Dawgs:  Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks:  A Summary of Research from the CSI/ECU Fall 2012 Field School” on Tuesday, April 22^nd at 2 p.m.  In the summer of 2012, Coastal Studies Institute investigated a series of shipwrecks between Kill Devil Hills and Rodanthe. Dr. Nathan Richards, the head of CSI’s Maritime Heritage Program discusses a range of archaeological activities from basic underwater surveying to remote sensing technologies. Free admission.  Email: maryellen.riddle@ncdcr.gov. 252-986-2995. Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, 59200 Museum Drive, Hatteras, NC 27943. 

6). North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort (www.ncmaritimemuseums.com) invites you to their special Children’s Program “Kayaking for Kids” on Monday, April 21, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.  What a great time of year to be on the water! Sign up your child for a kayak trip with the Maritime Museum on April 21st. Associate Curator Benjamin Wunderly will teach the safe and smart way to kayak in this class for 8-12 year olds. After in depth instructions the group will be led on a short paddle trip through the salt marshes and sandbars around Beaufort. Participants should know how to swim and feel comfortable with being on the water.  Reservations: $45, $25 with own kayak.  Advance registration.  252.728.7317. North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front Street, Beaufort 28516.

7). Cherryville Historical Museum invites you to join them for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, April 26.  Driver Ned Jarrett will appear at the museum from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 to sign autographs.  His 1937 Ford will also be on display at the museum all day.

8). Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex (www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov)  is seeking two interns to volunteer with 1897 Poe House tours and other duties at the complex this summer. The selected interns will provide guided tours of the 1897 Poe House for walk in visitors during the week. Tours are offered at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00 Tuesday through Friday. Between tours, the intern would assist the Education Staff with various projects related to special events, publicity, and educational activities for all age groups.  This is a great opportunity for students contemplating careers in the museum or history fields to get some hands on practice and understanding of the museum environment.  Volunteer internships look fantastic on college applications and can be added as work experience when applying for paid positions.  The volunteer internships are scheduled from June to August and will work around the students’ schedules. Weekday schedule is negotiable; however, the intern must be willing to volunteer 100 hours during the internship. Candidates must be a rising high school junior, senior, or rising college student enrolled as of August 2014. Applicants should also demonstrate an interest in museum work, visitor services, history, or education.  Applications can be picked up at the Museum of the Cape Fear or downloaded from website, www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov.  The application deadline is April 30, 2014. For more information visit our website or call (910) 486-1330. Completed applications with cover letters can be dropped off at the museum or mailed to: Megan Maxwell, Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, PO Box 53693, Fayetteville, NC 28305.

9). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org), a Child’s Gallery, is planning a FAMILY MUD FUN event scheduled for Friday, May 30 from 6:00 – 8:00 at Berkeley Park. You may have heard of the upcoming mud run to benefit Hands On! that will be a challenging 3 mile obstacle race in the mud, but this smaller family-oriented event will focus more on those families who enjoy the creativity and programs offered at Hands On!  Family MUD FUN will include muddy games for kids and adults of all ages. The youngest participants will enjoy painting with mud, finding worms in the mud and other creative muddy activities.  Children ages 11 & under can enjoy a 1 mile mud run. And, even the parents can participate in activities like mud volleyball and mud tug-of-war.  Tickets for the event are $20 per child ages 2 & up, and this includes a Chick-Fil-A nugget meal, live music throughout the event and muddy games and fun!  All participants must register prior to May 23, but participation is limited and may be cutoff earlier. You can register for the event by visiting handsonwnc.org and registering online. Any children registered before May 5 will receive a t-shirt.  This event is made possible through the generosity of two premiere sponsors: Drs. Richard & Alison Reid of Reid & Reid Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics and Park Ridge Health. New to the event this year is the option for attending parents to purchase their own Chick-Fil-A meal or beverage donated by Southern Appalachian Brewery. Adults must accompany children, but there is no registration fee for adults.

10). North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org) asks you to prepare your sense of adventure and head to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for a tropical rainforest journey. The Museum’s latest special exhibition, “Rainforest Adventure,” opens Saturday, April 26, 2014.  Swing like a spider monkey. Ride the butterfly zip-line. Discover a rodent that weighs more than 100 pounds and a beetle that can carry more than 850 times its own weight. Visitors to this new exhibition are invited to explore one of the least-known habitats on Earth in a fully interactive maze, chock full of the sights and sounds of a tropical rainforest.  The journey begins in the highest treetops surrounded by migratory birds and radiant sunlight. In an effort to reach the forest floor, visitors must answer questions about the rainforest. Incorrect answers lead to dead ends, while correct answers lead them deeper into the four layers of the rainforest: emergent, canopy, understory and forest floor.  Created by Minotaur Mazes, Rainforest Adventure offers visitors an interactive experience that empowers them to make a difference after they learn how essential rainforests are to human health and survival, and that in caring for the rainforest they are caring for the planet. Supplemental children’s activities have been developed in collaboration with Marbles Kids Museum. Rainforest Adventure is designed for families with children ages 4-12.  Tickets: $7 for Adults; $5 for Children 3-12; $6 for Students, Seniors and Military; FREE for Members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.naturalsciences.org/exhibits/special-exhibits.