ncmuseums

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

Saturday, October 10, 2015

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 12, 2015

1). North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching in Cullowhee (www.nccat.org) announces that the touring exhibit, “Understanding our Past, Shaping our Future,” is now on view.  The interactive presentation focuses on Cherokee language and culture, using sound recordings as the basis for representing a coherent story in words and text.  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 make up the exhibit.  Major themes include Cherokee Homeland, Heritage Sites, Tourism, Family, and Community Celebrations.  The exhibit is sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  The exhibit remains open through January 21, 2016. For directions and hours, visit: www.nccat.org.

2). The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex (www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov) will once again host Hallowe’en Revels Night Tours of the 1897 Poe House on October 16-17 & 23-24 from 6:00 -  9:00 p.m.  In the early 20th century Hallowe’en was celebrated with themed parties where costumed guests participated in fortune telling, games, and often frightening surprises!  Experience the fun with actors from the Gilbert Theater as the E.A. Poe family returns for a Hallowe’en celebration. The night tours cost $3.00 per person for ages 7 and up. Tickets must be purchased at the door. Tours will run every 20 minutes beginning at 6:00 pm with the last tour at 9:00 pm each evening. Tour space is limited to 15 participants per tour. There will be an actor’s break from 7:40-8:00 pm.  The Poe House Trick or Treat event will be held on Saturday, October 31st  from 11:00-4:00 p.m. Listen to a Halloween story and then play carnival games in the backyard for a prize. Admission is FREE!.  

3). The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville (www.naturalsciences.org) invites you every third Saturday to join them for family friendly science programs.  This month, ‘Meet Me at the Museum, Saturday Explorations,’ welcomes Lake Waccamaw State Park’s Park Superintendent Toby Hall.   Hall will present his program, “Fun pH Facts of Lake Waccamaw” on Saturday, October 17 at 1:30p.m. This program will discuss how the presence of an acid or base in water can determine what wildlife will be present in and around local watering holes. Many environmental and manmade factors can shape and change a whole ecosystem.  Participants will experience basic testing of water and will learn how acidity plays a big role in the abundant Carolina bays in our area and what makes some very unique. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Please contact the Museum at 910-914-4185 or whiteville@naturalsciences.org for more information.

4). The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA (www.battleshipnc.com) is now accepting applications for vendors for the 6th annual Batty Battleship’s Halloween Bash on Tuesday, October 27th, from 5:30 -  8:00 p.m.  This exciting event brings families onboard the Battleship to have safe and not-to-scary Halloween fun. The Battleship needs businesses to be Trick or Treat Stations (vendors). As a station, the vendor will hand out candy and/or treats to the children and are allowed to hand out promotional pieces to their parents.  For only $50, the vendor will receive an eight (8) foot table with two chairs to decorate in the Halloween theme of your choosing. Vendors are asked to provide candy for 1,000+ people. Games and other treats can also be offered at your table. The Bash is a wonderful and fun marketing opportunity for any business to reach hundreds of families in the surrounding area. If you would like to be a Trick-Or-Treat Vendor, please call Danielle Wallace, 910-251-5797x3024 or visit battleshipnc.com to download the vendor form.

5). Asheville Area Arts Council (www.ashevillearts.com) formally invites you to don a mask and join the Asheville Area Arts Council in your finest dark robes and onyx gowns, for our annual fundraiser, The Color Ball to be held on October 31st! This special event will take place at the Masonic Temple on 80 Broadway St. in Asheville.  Tickets are $35 for general admission, and $100 for VIP.  Ball will be from 6:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m., with VIPs able to arrive at 5:45 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by visiting http://bit.ly/1QXxOXT. Please visit http://ashevillearts.com/recurring-event/color-ball/ for more information.

6). The High Point Historical Society (www.highpointmuseum.org) invites the entire community to its fifth annual Ghost Stories in the Park. The fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, October 24th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and will take place rain or shine. This year Wright Clarkson, a nationally renowned storyteller, musician and teaching artist, will delight our visitors with a variety of tales. Bring chairs and blankets to sit and listen to the family friendly, frightening and amusing ghost stories. Admission is $2 and free for High Point Historical Society Members. Snacks including s’mores, popcorn and apple cider will be for sale.

7). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org), a Child's Gallery in Hendersonville, invites you to Crazy Creature Craft on Tuesday, October 20th from 11:30 a.m. - 5:00p.m. For Boo-seum they are taking their “Critter Craft” and putting a twist on it.  All ages can create crazy creatures as they learn colors, shapes, & fine motor skills. This self-directed activity is located in their Party Room and is free with $4 admission/free for members. Sponsored by Etowah Valley Vet Hospital.

8). The Matthews Heritage Museum (www.matthewsheritagemuseum.org) is pleased to announce that it will host a Ghost Tour of downtown Matthews on Saturday, October 24th.  The two tours, one at 6 p.m. and one at 7:30 p.m. will start at the Matthews Heritage Museum, led by local historian Paula Lester.  On a tour of the Trade Street Historic District you will learn about Matthews’s history and encounter a number of “spirits” from different time periods.  The Museum will open at 6 p.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. There visitors will encounter Daisy Massey, the daughter of Dr. Massey, who is mourning the death of her father in 1902.  She will share with those interested the mourning customs still practiced at the turn of the nineteenth century. Those wishing to take the tour should call 704-708-4996 for reservations.  Group size will be limited.   A charge of $5 per adult will be made, 17 and under are FREE.  All reservations will be prepaid.   The Museum recommends that all should wear comfortable shoes, and those on the 7:30 tour are encouraged to carry a flashlight. 

9). Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (www.nchistoricsites.org/vance) invites you to join them for their Heritage Day on Saturday, Oct 24th from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  Join them as they celebrate Appalachian heritage during the most colorful time of year.  The event will feature bluegrass musicians, mountain craftsmen, local artists, and special guest speakers.  The event is free.  Arts, crafts, CDs, and barbeque plates may be purchased throughout the day. For more information or a complete schedule of events, please call (828) 645-6706.


10). Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (www.ncmaritimemuseums.com) presents “Civil War on Hatteras Island” on Wednesdays, October 14, 21, 28 at 2:30 p.m. Author and local historian Drew Pullen presents the fascinating history of the Civil War on Hatteras Island, lending colorful insight into the island’s memorable history.  This popular talk is presented every Wednesday, through November 18th, Free Admission.  For more information, call 252-986-2995, or email maryellen.riddle@ncdcr.gov.  Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, 59200 Museum Drive, Hatteras, N.C. 27943. 

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 5, 2015

1). Greensboro Science Center (www.greensboroscience.org) announces the much anticipated return of Bodies Revealed to the Center on Saturday, October 10th. Now seen by more than 15 million visitors, the Exhibition features real, whole and partial body specimens that have been meticulously dissected and preserved through an innovative process, giving visitors the opportunity to view the complexity of their own organs and systems like never before. Bodies Revealed will be at the Greensboro Science Center from October 10th through June 5th, 2016. Exhibition hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets to the exhibit can be purchased both online and at the Center's admissions desk. Ticket prices are $12/person for Non-Members in addition to GSC admission (which is $12.50 for adults ages 14 - 64, $11.50 for children ages 3 - 13, and $11.50 for seniors ages 65+. Children 2 and under are free.). Exhibition admission for Greensboro Science Center Members is $10/person. Group discounts and audio tours are available. Visit www.greensboroscience.org or call 336-288-3769 for more information.

2). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) invites you to their Historic Downtown Mount Airy Ghost Tours on Friday and Saturday October 9 and 10 from 8pm -9:30pm. 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 resting places.  Tours begin at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, 301 N. Main Street.  Wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera and umbrella, if needed.   Tickets are $13 (tax included) and pre-paid reservations are required! Call the Museum at 336-786-4478 or purchase your tour online at www.hauntedmayberry.com.  Also this weekend is the annual Autumn Leaves Festival in downtown Mt. Airy.  Museum hours are Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm and on Sunday 1-4pm.

3). New Winston Museum (www.newwinston.org) is pleased to announce upcoming programs in concert with their latest exhibit, Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Winston-Salem’s Wheels of Change. Exhibit related programming will take place on a monthly basis and include a variety of transportation focused panel discussions, lectures and family-friendly events. All events are free and open to the public. The first program in October is Family Saturdays - Start your Engines on Saturday, Oct 17, 10:00am-2pm. Take a stroll around and get a close-up view of antique automobiles and race-cars on display. After cruising around the classic cars, stop inside to see how cars have affected our local history! Also enjoy free coffee and refreshments. Then on October 22nd at 5:30 p.m. the Museum presents “Cruising in the Twin City” for their fourth quarter Salon Series. Master storyteller Fam Brownlee will share insights on the role of the automobile on the lives of teenagers in the city’s history.

4). The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (www.blowingrockmuseum.org) invites you to a spooky evening of haints, horrors, thrills, terrifying treats, and repulsive refreshments on Tuesday, October 13th at 7 p.m. “Terror in the Hills,” a talk by Toney Frazier and Craig Fischer, will explore Appalachia in horror films and ghost shows in the High Country. This event is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. BRAHM is open Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, with extended hours on “Donation Day” Thursdays, 10 am - 7 pm and Sunday, 1 - 5 pm.   The museum is located in downtown Blowing Rock at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main Street.  For more information about this or other upcoming activities at BRAHM, please call (828) 295-9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org.      

5). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org), a Child's Gallery in Hendersonville, invites you to Mad Scientists Lab - Candy Chromatography on Tuesday, October 13th at 11:00 a.m.  Join Dr. Bunson & Dr. Beaker in the Mad Scientist Lab as they make crazy concoctions. Mad Scientists Lab takes place every Tuesday morning at 11:00 October - May. $7 non-members (includes admission for child participating in class); free for members. Limited spaces. Please call to register. Ages 3 yrs & up.

6). Historic Wilmington Foundation (www.historicwilmington.org) announces that Residents of Old Wilmington will host their 10th annual Back Door Kitchen Tour on Saturday, October 10th, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Rain or shine. ROW will welcome ticket holders “through the back door,” with true southern hospitality. Kitchens from 9 historic downtown Wilmington homes, all within an easily walkable 10-block radius, will be featured. Tickets are $25 for adults, $12 for children under age 12 and are available online in advance. For day of tour tickets, cash purchases can be made at the Bellamy Mansion or at any home featured on the tour. Group ticket pricing is available for groups of 10 or more. The Back Door Kitchen Tour is the only fundraiser for Residents of Old Wilmington (ROW), a nonprofit, all volunteer, neighborhood association. Proceeds go back into the community for beautification, preservation, restoration, and other improvements through ROW projects and grants. If you have questions, please go to www.ROWilmington.org/tour.

7). The Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University (www.wfu.edu/moa) invites you to their Day of the Dead Excursion on Saturday, October 24 from 10:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m. The Hispanic League, the Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University, and Sawtooth School collaborated to create this special outing celebrating the Day of the Dead.  The excursion includes a visit to the Museum of Anthropology for an educational presentation and guided tour of the exhibit Life After Death: The Day of the Dead in Mexico. After an authentic Mexican meal at the Museum over the lunch hour, participants will move to Sawtooth School for a workshop where veteran mask maker Martina Moore will guide them through each step of the creative process to produce a Day of the Dead inspired mask. Participants will have the option of displaying their masks in the Museum of Anthropology’s exhibition through early December. The excursion is open to ages 14 and over.  The fee is $50 per person ($40 for students).  Visit www.sawtooth.org for information and to register.

8). Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (www.secca.org) welcomes the Engaging Educator for a Museum Teaching Mash-up on Friday, October 16th at 11:00 a.m.  Visitors are invited to join Jen Oleniczak of the Engaging Educator, SECCA Curator of Education Deborah Randolph and staff, and museum educators from across the state in an experimental gallery experience, designed to shake up the way we interact with and talk about art, and help create on the spot experiences with artworks. Participants will work in small groups, receiving prompts to interact with their assigned art object, and creating short presentations that will be shared with the larger group.  Formed in 2012, The Engaging Educator specializes in customized improved-based workshops, designed to build skills in public-speaking, communication, team-work, and creativity. The company holds regular classes in Winston-Salem and New York City, and has traveled to 20 states. Find out more at www.theengagingeducator.com. This program is free to the public. Please RSVP for the workshop here: https://www.facebook.com/events/690223404410772/

9). Earl Scruggs Center (www.earlscruggscenter) announces Phil Jamison and the Swannanoa Stringbreakers for a square dance event on Saturday, October 24th from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Jamison uses his skill and expertise to intrigue his audience with traditional square dancing to live old time music. Phil has a masterful way of teaching about the history while learning and participating in the dancing.  It is a great way for groups of friends or for the whole family to have fun!  The event last year included well-seasoned professional dancers as well as kids as young as 2 years old sharing and learning together.  The admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children. Members receive a discounted rate of $8 for adults and $4 for children. Dress is casual, but feel free to come in your traditional dance attire if you desire!  Call 704-487-6233 or visit EarlScruggsCenter.org to reserve your spot.  Light refreshments will be available for purchase during the event.


10). The Museum of the Cape Fear (www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov) will host Preschool Pals for ages 3 to 5 on Wednesday, October 14th at 10:00 a.m. At this special program, children will learn all about pumpkins. Activities include age-appropriate crafts and story time. This is a free program but please call the Museum at 910-486-1330 to register so enough supplies will be on hand for every child.