Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania’s upcoming HomeSchool Day offers visitors a chance to explore hands-on objects and crafts and to learn from curators, archivists and educators. 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 13.
Presentations from the Pennsylvania State Archives will focus on William Penn’s original 1681 Charter, Pennsylvania’s “birth certificate,” as well as several documents relating to the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote.
The museum’s curatorial and education staff will be giving gallery presentations on Pennsylvania’s Ice Age, the restoration of Mammal Hall, the South-Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Arts Exhibition, and the effort to win World War I. The presentation Dressed for Service: The American Red Cross Knit Your Bit will include a knitting/crocheting demonstration using a period World War I sock pattern.
In addition to various gallery programs and hands-on events, the Planetarium will feature two shows through the day:
Animals of the Night for Pre-K to Grade 1
Designed for children, this traditionally styled show helps viewers use their imaginations to see pictures in the sky, learn about constellations, understand basic movements of the Earth, and discover animals that can be found both in Pennsylvania and in the night sky.
Faster Than Light: The Dream of Interstellar Flight for grades 4 and up
The impulse to strike out into the unknown to see what’s over the horizon is as old as humanity. Today, whole new horizons beckon. Astronomers are racing to find habitable worlds. But if one is found, how will we ever get there? How long will it take? What rocket designs might one day conquer the voids of space? How far can our technology take us? This program narrated by Sean Bean explores these questions.
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.
Day-of-event registration will be available. No coupons or passes will be accepted for this special event.
ABOUT THE STATE MUSEUM OF PENNSYLVANIA
The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 24 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and 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.
MEDIA CONTACT: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639
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