Begin Main Content Area

 PA.Media.BreadCrumbs - MediaBreadCrumbs

Media > PHMC > Details

State Museum of Pennsylvania to Host HomeSchool Day

02/13/2018

Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania’s upcoming HomeSchool Day offers a look at Colonial Pennsylvania through history, archaeology, natural history, and the fine arts. The event, tailored for families and organizations that teach in a home setting, is scheduled for 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Wednesday, March 14.

Presentations from the Pennsylvania State Archives will focus on William Penn’s original 1681 Charter, Pennsylvania’s “birth certificate,” as well as four rarely seen Indian deeds. Penn had insisted on paying the Indians for their land. His first purchase in 1682 was negotiated by Deputy Governor William Markham, but Penn went on to personally negotiate at least 10 deeds of purchase, beginning in 1683. An archivist will be on hand to discuss the documents and their importance to the commonwealth.

The museum’s curatorial and education staff will be giving gallery presentations on historical archaeology, the Pennsylvania long rifle, Native Americans and William Penn, and the exhibit Every Thing of Interest Shown: T.M. Fowler’s Pennsylvania Bird’s-Eye Views.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) librarians from the State Library of Pennsylvania will present “Sherlock Academy: Help Solve the Case of the Rotten Receipt,” using forensic handwriting analysis.

Hands-on stations, Colonial Era games, and arts and crafts will be offered throughout the museum during the event.

The Planetarium will feature a special classroom-style live lecture, “The Moon and Revolutionary Events: The Boston Massacre.” Using primary documents, this lecture will use history, art, and science to provide a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in the early formation of our nation. There will also be showings of Constellations, a planetarium presentation that looks at these celestial images, their creators, and how modern astronomers catalog them. The show explores each season and where familiar constellations can be found in the Pennsylvania night sky throughout the year. A schedule of show times will be available on the day of the event.

The program fee for HomeSchool Day is $10 per person (adults and children over age 1) and includes all special programs and admission to the Planetarium. Members of the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation (including State Museum Affiliate members) will be admitted free. To register for HomeSchool Day, call 717-772-6997, Monday through Friday, between 9 AM and 4 PM. Preregister prior to March 7 and receive a $1.00 discount on each admission.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 23 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. The State Museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s fascinating heritage. With exhibits examining the dawn of geologic time, the Native American experience, the colonial and revolutionary eras, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the commonwealth's vast industrial age, The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania's story is America’s story.

For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639​

 Content Editor

 PA.AgencyPortal.Media - MediaPageTitle