ncmuseums
An occasional list of exhibits, programs, and events at North Carolina museums. Sponsored by the North Carolina Museums Council.
NCMC Events from Around the State… January 25, 2016
1). North Carolina Museums
Council (www.ncmuseums.org)
reminds you that it is not too late to receive the Summer Internship Award for
Museums. NCMC will provide one
institution $1500 to pay an intern for summer 2016. Applicants must be NCMC institutional members
at the time of the application and internship. All application materials must
be received by Monday, February 1, 2016.
To apply, send a letter of intent to the Student Affairs Committee that
outlines: a specific project or area of focus for the intern and the desired
final product or outcome of the intern’s work, core tasks for the intern
(please be specific) that connects his or her work to the institution’s larger
mission, the ways the intern will be integrated into the daily workings of the
staff, and the methods of mentoring and supervising the intern. In addition, you may include any benefits
your institution can offer the intern, if applicable, such as housing, meals,
additional funds, transportation, parking or other benefits. Please e-mail your letter as a Word document
or pdf file to students@ncmuseums.org. Please note that the museum selected to host
the summer 2016 intern agrees to publicly advertise the internship position for
at least one month, preferably in March, and to hold an open application
process. The advertisement must be emailed to the Student Affairs Chair so that
it can be disseminated and posted on the NCMC website. Questions may be
directed to: Jody Servon, NCMC Student Affairs Chair at students@ncmuseums.org.
2). The American Association for
State and Local History (www.aaslh.org) announces that they are now
taking nominations for the AASLH Leadership in
History Awards. AASLH bestows annual awards to encourage excellence in the
collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history. AASLH
encourages all size institutions to apply, and to self-nominate. The awards
recognize excellence for projects (including civic engagement, exhibits,
multimedia, publications, public programming, and special projects) and
individual achievement. All accomplishments occurring since October 1, 2014,
are eligible. Submission deadline is MARCH 1, 2016. Visit http://about.aaslh.org/awards/ for
more information. Have questions or need help with your nomination? Contact NC
state representative RaeLana Poteat at raelana.poteat@ncdcr.gov
or 919-807-7960.
3). The N.C. Museum of History (www.ncmuseumofhistory.org)
invites you to the 15th Annual African American Cultural Celebration. Join the statewide kickoff to Black History
Month at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Saturday, January 30th,
from 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The 15th
Annual African American Cultural Celebration will feature over 75 musicians,
storytellers, dancers, chefs, historians, playwrights, authors, artists,
re-enactors and more. Admission is free for this family festival, named a “Top
20 Event” in 2015 by the Southeast Tourism Society. This year’s African
American Cultural Celebration will focus on the theme “Civil Rights — March On!”
For more information about the event or the N.C. Museum of History, please call
919-807-7900 or visit www.ncmuseumofhistory.org.
4). North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org) announces
that Sir Walter Wally will make his official weather prediction on Tuesday,
February 2nd! Ask anyone around the Triangle and they’d say winter
took its sweet time coming, but it has finally arrived. The burning question is
how long will it stick around? Well, that’s for Sir Walter Wally to decide and
he’ll do just that during the 20th annual Groundhog Day celebration on Tuesday,
February 2, on Bicentennial Plaza in front of the Museum! Judging from his
track record over the last 15-years, Wally tends to favor long winters, but you
never know! The day’s activities kick off at 9 a.m. and run through 1 p.m. The
shadow ceremony where he’ll make his prediction begins promptly at noon. For more information about Groundhog Day,
please contact Miranda Dowdy at miranda.dowdy@naturalsciences.org
or 919.707.9885.
5). The Blowing Rock Art &
History Museum (www.blowingrockmuseum.org) announces
that the family music and theater series Mini Matinees: Wonders and Woodwinds,
has been rescheduled due to winter weather. The new date is Sunday, January 31st,
at 2 p.m. For more information on the event, please visit www.BlowingRockMuseum.org or call
828-295-9099.
6). Mount Airy Museum of Regional
History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org)
invites you to the Genealogy and Family History Swap Meet on Saturday, January
30th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sponsored
by the Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History and Surry County Genealogical
Association, this FREE swap meet is open to anyone interested in genealogy
especially to those who have been in a Beginners Genealogy Class sponsored by
the Museum and taught by Esther Johnson. Those connected with a History or
Genealogy Group are invited to come and set up for this Swap Meet where you can
advertise your group and SELL any of your group’s books, maps etc. All authors
are also invited to come and sell books. Everyone can bring their genealogy to
display and share so others can make connections and find new family
information. Laptops are welcome. Browsers are welcome! For additional information please contact
Esther Johnson by phone at 336-831-6437 or by email at epdj1@triad.rr.com.
7). Weatherspoon Art Museum at
the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu)
is very pleased to present the exhibition Colossus
– Rosemarie Fiore: Falk Visiting Artist which is on view until April 17,
2016. Inventive mechanics, choreographed
performance, and chance surprises come together in the work of Rosemarie Fiore.
For the past fifteen years, the artist has been painting with colored smoke
fireworks. Unlike the gunpowder based explosives frequently associated with the
term firework, these silent devices release plumes of bright pigments, rather
than colored flames. Fiore’s paintings
result from the combination of direction and chance—she selects the color of
smoke canister and steers its release, but variances in heat, air current, and
rates of combustion ensure that its marks defy prediction. As the Spring 2016 Falk Visiting Artist at
the Weatherspoon and the Art Department at the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, Fiore will present a lecture about her work and meet with MFA
graduate students. Special thanks to Christopher Thomas, Studio Foundations
Coordinator, Department of Art, UNCG and the 2014/15 Falk Visiting Artist
Committee.
8). Greensboro Science Center (www.greensboroscience.org)
announces that Pajama Jam has been rescheduled. Pajama Jam, originally
scheduled for Friday, January 22 has been postponed to Thursday, March 24. Any
tickets that have already been purchased will be honored on this date.
Additional tickets for this new date will be available soon. Due to winter
weather, the Greensboro Science Center had to be closed Friday, January 22.
Although they were not open to visitors, their talented and dedicated team was
on site - as they are each day - caring for their animals and exhibits.To keep
informed of future closings and delays, or just to see some pictures of their snow-covered
zoo, like them on Facebook or check their website for updates.
9). Museum of the Cape Fear
Historical Complex (www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov)
announces the 15th Annual Civil War Quiz Bowl. Are you a fan of game shows but
can’t travel to Hollywood to be part of a “live studio audience?” Consider
attending the Museum of the Cape Fear’s 15th Annual Civil War Quiz Bowl on
Thursday, January 28th, starting at 7:00 p.m. Join us as a
contestant or spectator in the Pate Room of the Headquarters Library. The quiz bowl is like a game show.
Contestants are asked questions by the host, Jim Greathouse, who founded the
program 15 years ago while employed at the Museum of the Cape Fear. Contestants
choose from one of 14 categories. They are asked a question from that category.
If they answer correctly, of course they remain in the game. If they answer
incorrectly they receive a strike. Three strikes and they’re out. Winners are
chosen among the last contestants remaining in two age groups: 16 and under for
the youth category and 17 and up as the adult category. Their prize? A gift
card to spend on more Civil War books. If
you are interested in being a contestant you can call the museum at
910/486-1330 to register, or, for the first time, people can register online
at http://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/Events.
Spectators are welcome!
10). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org),
a Child's Gallery in Hendersonville, is pleased to announce the opening of a
new exhibit, Makerspace. Makerspaces are mentor-led learning environments
where children use real materials and tools to encourage curiosity. Guests
tinker, repurpose, upcycle, take apart and put back together to make a creation
or discovery all their own. These programs strengthen community-based learning,
particularly for critical thinking, problem solving and engagement in STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Makerspace at Hands On! will take place in the STEAM Room, located
just outside the Main Street museum entrance. Children and adults are invited
to use their imaginations to design and build bridges, Franken toys, robots,
and more! Other activities include a Magnet Wall Challenge and a Problem
Solving Table. Makerspace will be
open every Thursday and Friday from 2:00-5:00 p.m. in February and March. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
This exhibit is free with $5 admission/free for members. Group rates are
available. Makerspace at Hands On! is
sponsored by Duke Energy Foundation.
NCMC Events from Around the State… January 11, 2016
1). Asheville Art Museum (www.ashevilleart.org)
invites visitors to get a peek into the day-to-day activities of the Museum’s
curatorial department through a new exhibition opening January 16th
titled Vault Visible: Behind the Scenes
at the Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition will appeal to all kinds of
people — art collectors, museum studies students, and anyone curious about the
inner workings of a Museum. Vault Visible
will give visitors the chance to observe Museum professionals at work in the
galleries as they carry out an inventory of the Permanent Collection,
photograph objects, assemble crates and perform conservation treatments, all in
the public eye. Accompanying displays and programming will reveal the
compelling stories behind the Museum’s Collection of 20th- and 21st-century
American art, while also helping visitors learn how to care for works of art,
identify various mediums, and, in short, think like a curator. As a special
component to the exhibition, the Museum will be re-creating several of its
storage spaces in the public galleries, bringing large numbers of ceramics,
glass works and paintings from the Permanent Collection out into public view.
With the help of the transparent wall in the gallery, visitors will be able to
peer into “the vault” to see how works of art are stored—an experience usually
reserved for the Museum’s curatorial staff. In conjunction with the exhibition,
the Museum will be holding a series of programs. These programs will include
workshops designed to teach practical skills in caring for works of art, as
well as discussions centered on the challenges and delights of curating and
collecting. Displays will change during the run of the exhibition to highlight
the exciting discoveries made as the inventory unfolds. For more information about the exhibition and
related programming, please visit www.ashevilleart.org.
2). Mount Airy Museum of Regional
History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org)
invites you to join them for In the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Surry Countians
Continuing the Dream on Saturday, January
16th from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
This program of healing will focus on the sacrifices, love, learning,
service, perseverance, and hope of the African-American community of Surry
County. Light refreshments will follow the program. Free admission, donations
accepted.
3). Fort Fisher State Historic
Site (www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher)
will commemorate the 151st anniversary of the 2nd battle of Fort Fisher on
Saturday, January 16th by hosting “Distinguished by Their Gallantry
in Action: Fort Fisher’s Medal of Honor Recipients” program. Open to the public, this one day living
history will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include periodic cannon
firings, special tours, free lectures, kid’s activities, dozens of Union and
Confederate reenactors, and a new exhibit highlighting the 72 soldiers,
sailors, and Marines who received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Fort
Fisher toward the end of the Civil War. Although never presented to their
recipients, five Medals of Honor on loan from the U.S. Navy will be among the
articles featured in the new exhibit. Please call (910) 458-5538 for speaker line-up
and other event information.
4). North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences at Whiteville (www.naturalsciences.org) invites you
to learn “All About Snakes” in the upcoming family-friendly monthly science program,
Meet Me at the Museum, on Saturday, January 16th at 1:30 p.m. Ever
wonder what snake species are at home in eastern North Carolina? Which ones are
venomous and which ones are not? Join the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
at Whiteville as they welcome Shane Freeman, Park Superintendent of Jones Lake
State Park and Little Bit, the corn snake. Freeman will explore the various
snake species that call our area home. Participants will learn about snake
biology, identification and a few do’s and don’ts. Admission is free, but
donations are greatly appreciated. For
more information, please contact the Museum at 910-914-4185 or whiteville@naturalsciences.org.
5). The Blowing Rock Art &
History Museum (www.blowingrockmuseum.org) invites
birders, naturalists, conservationists, and anyone interested in learning
something new to the Museum’s next Scholars and Scones program, Birds of the
High Country: Amazing Stories from a Remarkable Place, on Thursday, January 21st,
at 11 a.m. The Director of Land Bird
Conservation at Audubon North Carolina, Curtis Smalling, will lead this
informative and energetic talk which will introduce the audience to some
amazing facts and stories about the birds that call North Carolina’s High
Country home. It will conclude with some
simple ways that you can get involved in helping our birds thrive. Hatchet Coffee and locally-baked goods will
be served. Admission is a suggested donation of $5. For more information visit www.BlowingRockMuseum.org or call
828-295.9099.
6). The Museum of the Albemarle (www.museumofthealbemarle.com)
will host Preschooler Time on Thursday, January 14th at 10 a.m. Participants between the ages of 3 to 5 years
old and accompanied by an adult will discover how deep NASCAR’s roots are in
North Carolina. Find out, and learn
about a few of the legendary drivers that come from our state and participate
in a hands-on activity. For more information, please call (252) 335-1453.
7). Cape Fear Museum (www.capefearmuseum.com) offers Created
Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle Film Screenings. In the more than 50 years since the 1963
March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom, the Civil Rights movement has helped
transform U.S. society. Explore the movement’s history with Cape Fear Museum
and its partners, the New Hanover County Public Library and New Beginning
Church. Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle is an initiative of the
National Endowment for the Humanities that uses the power of documentary films
to encourage community discussion of America’s civil rights history. New
Hanover County Public Library will screen the following films in the New
Hanover Room at their main branch located at 201 Chestnut Street: Freedom
Riders on Saturday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m. and the The Loving Story on Saturday, January 30, at 2:00 p.m.
8). North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org)
hosts Town Hall featuring Greg Fishel plus United Nations, White House and
Museum experts in the Museum’s WRAL 3D Theater on Thursday, January 14th
from 7-8:30 p.m., followed by a caual reception to meet the speakers. Apollo’s 1969 photographs of the blue-green
Earth with its wafer-thin atmosphere and nighttime sparkle of city lights have
become among the world’s most evocative images. They stimulated the
environmental stewardship movement and influenced the designation of this
latest moment in Earth history as the Anthropocene to highlight, and try to
mitigate, the cumulative extent of human impacts on natural systems. As the
human population approaches 7.5 billion, how can societies and environments
best be sustained? Forging a sustainable
future, both globally and locally, depends on the United Nations and
institutions such as universities and museums working in new ways to build a
public base of science-related knowledge. Join WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg
Fishel and his three guests — Ramu Damodaran, Chief of the United Nations
Academic Impact; Lori Foster, Professor of Psychology at NC State University
and Fellow with the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team; and Emlyn
Koster, Director of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences — for the next program in
the Museum series, “The Nature of Science: A Town Hall with Greg Fishel.” The
event is made possible by the Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and
Capitol Broadcasting Company.
9). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org),
a Child's Gallery in Hendersonville, announces Literacy Week at Hands On! Join Hands On Tuesday, January 19th
– Friday, January 22nd for early reading and writing literacy exploration!
Ages 3 years and above will enjoy learning about letters. Gain competence with
pre-writing skills and letter recognition through engaging hands-on games.
These activities are located in our party room and are free for members/free
with $5 admission.
10). Weatherspoon Art Museum (www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu)
invites you to Pan American Modernism Opening
on Friday, January 29th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Join them for a special evening celebrating Pan American Modernism: Avant-Garde Art in
Latin America and the United States. Drawn from the University of Miami's
Lowe Art Museum collection, Pan American
Modernism explores the rich visual dialogue that occurred across the two
Americas between 1919 and 1979. Included are 70 significant artists from
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru,
Puerto Rico, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. 5pm: Director's Preview
with Nancy Doll. By invitation for
Contributor level WAM members and above. 6pm: Members Gallery Talk. 6:30-8pm:
Public Reception, free and open to the public. No reservations required.
NCMC Events from Around the State… January 4, 2016
1). The Blowing Rock Art &
History Museum (www.blowingrockmuseum.org)
is kicking off a new film series called Movies at the Museum on Tuesday,
January 5th at 6:00 p.m. The featured film is Sunny Side of
Life (1985), directed by Scott Faulkner, Anthony Slone, and Jack
Wright. The speaker for the evening is Dr. Gary Boye, a professor and music
librarian at Appalachian State University. During the 1920s and ’30s, the
records and radio shows of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara, and sister-in-law
Maybelle, spread the music of the southern mountains around the world and
earned the Carter family international fame. Sunny Side of Life celebrates
the legacy of this country music dynasty by focusing on the Carter Family Fold
in Maces Spring, Virginia. This film screening is funded by BRAHM’s
Appalachian Culture and Heritage Education Fund. Admission is $7 for
nonmembers, $5 for members and students. For more information, please
call (828) 295-9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org.
2). Southeastern
Center for Contemporary Art (www.secca.org)
invites you to Point & Counterpoint: An Event with Artist Jeana Eve Klein
on Thursday, January 7th in the Main Gallery. Participate in Jeana Eve Klein's artwork, Trading Time, by learning the craft of
French Knot embroidery directly from the artist. The event is limited to three
slots, first come first served. 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.
slots are available. Please email Jeana Eve Klein to reserve a spot: kleinje@appstate.edu.
3). North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org)
invites you to learn how mammals survive extreme environmental change on
Thursday, January 7th at 7:00 p.m.
From explorations in the remotest parts of New Guinea, the high forests
of the Andes, and the plains of East Africa, find out how extreme mammals cope
with extreme environmental threats on a rapidly changing planet when
Smithsonian zoologist Kristofer Helgen presents “Mammals in an Age of Extreme
Environmental Change,” at the Museum. In
this presentation, held in conjunction with the Museum’s current featured
exhibition “Extreme Mammals,” Helgen will also explain how modern scientific
expeditions and detective work in museum collections can lead to the discovery
of new species of mammals, as well as a better understanding of the ways that
mammal species are increasingly endangered in a human-dominated world. Tickets
are $10. Add an exhibition ticket to your order and receive $5 off admission.
Friends of the Museum members receive free admission to the exhibition. Tickets
are available online (www.naturalsciences.org/extreme)
or at the Museum Box Office (919-707-9950).
4). North Carolina Maritime
Museum in Beaufort (www.ncmaritimemuseums.com) invites
you to Brown Bag Gam: United States Lifesaving Service in North Carolina on
Thursday, January 7th from Noon – 1:00 p.m. Pack a lunch for the Brown Bag Gam during
your lunch hour and join Associate Curator Benjamin Wunderly to learn about the
United States Lifesaving Service. Listen
to the story of the Lifesavers unfold over the history of their service to this
country and the countless lives saved and the tragic loss of life suffered
because of shipwrecks along the North Carolina coast. Gam is defined as a friendly conversation
between whalers or to visit with another ship while at sea. Free Admission. No advance registration. Walk-ins welcome.
5). Hands On! (www.handsonwnc.org), a Child's Gallery in
Hendersonville, invites you to Curiosity Week at Hands On! Tuesday, January 12th
– Friday, January 15th. Be as curious as a monkey all week! All ages
can enjoy reading & writing about Curious George. This program is free with
$5 admission/free for members and is sponsored by Etowah Valley Veterinary
Hospital.
6). New Winston Museum (www.newwinston.org) is
pleased to announce the upcoming program in concert with their latest exhibit, Planes,
Trains & Automobiles: Winston-Salem’s Wheels of Change. Built for Speed:
Motor Sports in the Triad will take place on Wednesday, January 13th, at 5:30
p.m. at the Museum. Event is free and open to the public. In collaboration with Triad Stage and the
Winston Cup Museum, NWM is hosting this panel discussion on the past, present,
and future of regional motor sports. Panel will include Loren Pinilis of Bowman
Gray Stadium, Will Spencer of the Winston Cup Museum and Janet Allared, author
of Vrooommm! Come early or stay late to view the Winston Cup Museum race car.
Vrooommm!, Triad Stage's latest production, is about the first female NASCAR
driver and will run from January 27th – February 14th at Hanesbrands Theatre.
7). Museum
of the Cape Fear (www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov) will host Preschool Pals on Wednesday,
January 13th at 10:00 a.m. The theme will be “1897 Winter Fun” and
will revolve around the 1897 Poe House and will include making some old
fashioned crafts, and an on-site field trip to children’s playhouse. The
program lasts for 45 minutes and is free to parents and their preschoolers aged
3 to 5. So that museum staff can have enough supplies on hand for all
participants, please call the museum at 910-486-1330 to register. For
information about the Museum of the Cape Fear, visit www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov
or follow them on Facebook.
8). Spencer
Doll & Toy Museum (www.spencerdollandtoymuseum.com)
invites you to their Antiques Appraisal Fair (Roadshow Style) on January 22nd
and 23rd from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Antiques dealer Michael Hansen
will take a look at your items and will offer advice and information regarding
a broad spectrum of general merchandise including toys. Bring in your family
heirlooms and yard sale bargains to find out the fascinating truths about these
finds! Cost is $5.00 per item. Limit 2
items per person.
9). Charlotte
Museum of History (www.charlottemuseum.org) invites you
to a Robert Burns Supper on Monday, January 25th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Born the son of a poverty stricken farmer in
1759, Robert Burns became one of the most famous Scottish poets. Every year on
January 25th, people all over the world join together in honor and celebration
of Burns and his talent for lyrics and poems. Join us in celebrating this
outstanding poet for a traditional Burns Supper. Toast to the lassies while
also enjoying a meal consisting of traditional Scottish food such as Cock - a -
Leekie Soup, Chicken, Haggis, Neeps, Tatties and Cranachan for dessert. $30 for
members; $35 for public. Please visit www.charlottemuseum.org
to register.
10). Joel
Lane Museum House (www.joellane.org) presents a lecture on
“Gambrel Roof Houses of Northeastern North Carolina” by Reid Thomas on
Thursday, January 28th at 7:00 p.m. at the Visitors Center of the Joel Lane
Museum House. Explore unique examples of
gambrel roof houses in northeastern North Carolina and beyond. This image-rich presentation looks at the origins
of this style and raises the ultimate question, Why Gambrel? Admission is $16
for the general public and $11 for members of the Joel Lane Historical Society.
Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, and advanced payment is
required. Please call 919-833-3431 or go to the Eventbrite web site to purchase
tickets. Be sure to include the names of all in your party; nametags will serve
as tickets. Tickets are non-refundable unless event is cancelled. For more
information, call 919-833-3431, email joellane@bellsouth.net, or visit www.joellane.org.