Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its program schedule for November 2019:
StoryTime: Rainbow Crow, Friday, November 1, 10:30 AM
The children's story Rainbow Crow, the traditional Lenape legend as retold by Nancy Van Laan, will be read and dramatized in the museum's Archaeology Gallery. Young visitors will then experience the music of the Lenape, play instruments, and preform the Stomp Dance. StoryTime is the museum's popular reading series for children aged 3 to 5 that is followed by a related play activity or exploration of related hands-on artifacts. StoryTime is included with general admission.
Curiosity Kids: Build It! Thursday, November 7, 11:30 AM
The museum's youngest visitors will learn to build using everyday items and solve building challenges. Curiosity Kids is a program that bridges the fun of Curiosity Connection with the wonders of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Museum educators guide parents and their children aged 3 to 6 on fascinating trips through history. Hands-on experiments in science and art offer enlightening views of the world.
Learn at Lunchtime: Story of Maj. Robert Gaynor, Friday, November 8, 12:15 PM
Bob Hill, curator of Military and Industrial History, will speak on Scranton native Maj. Robert Gaynor at an exhibit of his World War II uniform on the museum's Ground Floor. As a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, 28th Division, U.S. Army, Major Gaynor participated in the push to remove the Nazi occupation force from France. On August 29, 1944, the 28th Division paraded through Paris to a joyous reception by the French before resuming their attack on the retreating German army. This program is included with general admission.
2019 Workshops in Archaeology, Saturday, November 9, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The museum's Archaeology Section will present the 2019 Workshops in Archaeology with a panel of experts sharing their knowledge and research on the theme Defining Monongahela: Western Pennsylvania's Archaeological Mystery. The Monongahela were the dominant Indian culture in southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio and northern West Virginia around 1000 AD, but by 1635 they vanished from the archaeological record. This workshop will explore the mystery surrounding their disappearance and discuss topics concerning the events that led to their demise. Registration fees apply. Visit statemuseumpa.org for information on the program and fees.
Exhibit Opening: Picturing a More Perfect Union: Violet Oakley's Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber, 1911-1919, November 22, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
The new exhibit in the State Museum's 1st Floor Gallery will feature more than 50 of Violet Oakley's original sketches for the Pennsylvania State Capitol Senate Chamber murals from the collections of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Refreshments will be served starting at 5:00 PM. The exhibit will run through April 26, 2020.
Holiday Marketplace Thursday, November 21, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, and Friday, November 22, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission will host the Holiday Marketplace in the Village Square of The State Museum, featuring booths with Pennsylvania-themed gifts for sale from many of PHMC's historic sites and museums, including: Daniel Boone Homestead, Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Somerset Historical Center and The State Museum. The museum's Plaza doors will be open during the event offering direct access to the Marketplace.
Nature Lab: Wild Canines of Pennsylvania, Thursday, November 21, 11:30 AM
Museum educators will discuss Pennsylvania's "dogs in the wild," past and present, including the red fox, the gray fox, coyotes and wolves, in the museum's Nature Lab. Visitors will learn about these unique predators and how they have adapted to their environment throughout their long history in Pennsylvania with hands-on skulls, footprints and pelts. This program is included with general admission.
November Museum Closures
The State Museum and Planetarium will be closed Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania: The planetarium is offering two shows through December 1.
Star Stories of the Native Americans (Grade 2 and up)
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11:00 AM; Saturday, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; and Sunday, 1:00 PM
This traditionally styled show explores the night sky legends of the Native Americans, including the great sky bear, the frog sisters, and the pathway of souls, with up-close views of these amazing celestial sights and an exploration of the modern astronomy behind the legends. The show is an original production of The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania.
From Earth to the Universe (Grade 6 and up)
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 1:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM; and Sunday, 2:00 PM
This stunning voyage through time and space conveys, through an arresting combination of sights and sounds, the Universe revealed by science. A production of the ESO Supernova Planetarium, the show goes from the heart of the Solar System to the furthest reaches of time and space.
Planetarium shows are $3 per person in addition to general admission. Members of the State Museum Affiliate and the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation are admitted free. Planetarium shows are subject to change without prior notification. Please check the events calendar at www.statemuseumpa.org for the latest show dates and times.
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 & 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.
Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday, 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Admission is $7 for adults (ages 12-64), $6 for senior citizens (ages 65 and up), and $5 for children (ages 1-11).
The State Museum has joined other museums across the country in Museums for All. This program enables low-income families to visit participating museums for a nominal fee of $2 per person with the presentation of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and identification. This offer is for general admission only and excludes special programs or events.
For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639