NCMC Events From Around the State… August 3, 2015

1). The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) announces Darker Side of Mayberry Tours held at 7pm every Friday through the end of October.  Mount Airy’s history as “Little Chicago” has been swept under the rug a long time ago as the city turned to cleaning up its’ image in the 60s.  This 45 minute walking tour of our downtown area will take you to the areas where murder, mayhem and moonshine were prevalent.  Tickets are $11 per person.   Historic  Downtown Mount Airy Ghost Tours are held at 8pm every Friday and Saturday through the end of October.  Join us for an exciting 90 minute, lantern-lit walking tour through Mount Airy's streets and its historic past.  You will hear about 13 of our "less mortal" friends and some of Mount Airy's final resting places.  Wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera and umbrella, if needed.   Tickets are $13 and pre-paid reservations are required;   Free Teacher Appreciation Open House will be held on Wednesday August 5 from 2-5pm  Teachers can tour the Museum and learn about the educational programs and tours for the 2015-16 school year;  Summer Storytelling Saturday at 2pm August 8.  This storytelling program is FREE to the public. Linda Hodges with Surry Storytellers will captivate you with her tall tales and “yarn spinning!”

2). Cleveland County Arts Council (www.ccartscouncil.org) announces the opening of their latest exhibit, Baseball as Art, which will be on exhibit August 6^th – September 10^th, 2015. An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, August 6^th from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.  This exhibit features artwork pertaining to baseball and coincides with the American Legion World Series in Shelby.

3). Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission (www.gullahgeecheecorridor.org) will hold its third quarterly business meeting for 2015 on Friday, August 7^th, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.at New Hanover Fire & Rescue Station 19 Training Room, 9815 River Road, Wilmington, NC. This meeting will continue the Commission's emphasis on interpretation and preservation of Gullah Geechee culture. Through concurrent workshops, there will be discussions on community organization, community development, land preservation, farming/agriculture, education, and elevation of Gullah Geechee culture. Other subjects may be included as appropriate.  The general public as well as local organizations are cordially invited to participate in what the Commission hopes will be a robust and productive discussion.

To learn more about the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, the public is invited to visit its web site: www.gullahgeecheecorridor.org.

4). Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (www.secca.org) invites you to 2nd Saturday @ SECCA on Saturday, August 8^th from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium Lobby. You’re invited to bring your families to watch films and classic cartoons in the auditorium and make art inspired by our current exhibitions. Free Admission.

5). The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org) displays monster with power to turn living, screaming flesh into stone.  On First Friday in August, venture into the deepest, starkest realms of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for a look at “The Gorgon.” Witness what happens when a female gorgon named Megaera takes human form and terrorizes a small European village by turning anyone who looks at her to stone. Yes, it’s true; she had a face only a mummy could love! But you can see it in relative safety during this month’s Natural Horror Picture Show, held Friday, August 7th at 7:00 p.m.  The Museum stays open from 5 to 9pm on the First Friday of every month, inviting visitors to witness a (classic) sci-fi or horror movie, wander through eye-catching exhibits, groove to live music from Lily and Molly James, and enjoy snacks and beverages from the Daily Planet Café. Additionally, the Museum Stores offer after-hours shopping (till 7pm) and an opening reception for painter and native North Carolinian Mark Stephenson (6-8pm), whose show “Moments of Eternity” runs August 7–31 in the Nature Art Gallery. All exhibited art is for sale.

6). Tryon Palace (www.tryonpalace.org) invites you to experience the sights and sounds of the Civil War with Civil War Living History Weekend on August 15^th and 16^th. The Civil War will come to life during Tryon Palace's Civil War Living History Weekend held at the New Bern Academy Museum, Tryon Palace, and surrounding historic homes. The Academy will be home to reenactors, artillery and infantry demonstrations, and lectures throughout Civil War Living History Weekend while Civil War themed tours will take over the historic Stanly, Dixon and Hay houses.  All these interpretive activities will help demonstrate the ways in which North Carolinians experienced the war and how New Bernians lived during Union occupation.  Visit www.tryonpalace.org/calendar to see the full schedule of activities and to learn more.

7). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org), a Child's Gallery in Hendersonville, invites you to explore the science of art at Hands On! Join the educators at Hands On!, for summer S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) classes to engage young minds. Coming up we will explore the science of art by creating projects with felt, prints, and mobiles. On Tuesday, August 11^th from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. they present the “Science of Art! ~ Fabulous Felt!” (Ages 7-11) Use colored wool to create felted beads, jewelry, and felted pictures. $34 non-members-$26 members. Pre-registration required. Call 697-8333 to register.

8). The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville (www.naturalsciences.org) offers “Dragonfly Detectives Day Camp” on Monday, August 17^th - Friday, August 21^st from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  Dragonfly Detectives is a fun and inquiry-based science day camp.  Participants will meet at the museum and will travel to Lake Waccamaw State Park to study dragonflies, water quality and weather in the field.  They will also learn about aquatic systems, animal migrations, dragonfly identification, careers in science and other topics while doing a variety of fun, educational activities in the park.  At the end of the week each participant will take home a toolkit to continue their investigations on their own.  Lunch and transportation are provided.  Call or email to register.  Space is limited.  For more information or to sign up for the Dragonfly Detectives Day Camp, or about doing this as an afterschool program, contact Meghan Barron at 910-914-4185 or Meghan.barron@naturalsciences.org.   

9). High Point Museum (www.highpointmuseum.org) invites you to join them on Saturday, August 8^th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and have Fun with Water in the Historical Park. Compete in a water bucket relay with our junior interpreters and try out an old fashioned thumb waterer while learning how early American settlers watered their plants without a garden hose.  FREE. Drop-in.

10). The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (www.ncmaritimemuseums.com) invites you to learn more about crafting canvas-backed decoys every Friday in August from 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Artist, Sam Green, demonstrates the time-worn art of painting decoys.  View his authentic canvas-backed decoy constructions and chat with this knowledgeable waterman.  For more information, call 252-986-2995, email maryellen.riddle@ncdcr.gov or visit www.ncmaritimemuseums.com.  Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, 59200 Museum Drive, Hatteras, N.C. 27943.