Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its program schedule for June 2017:
StoryTime: Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer, Friday, June 2, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Gather with us outside under the trees (weather permitting) to celebrate this year’s PA One Book, Every Young Child featured selection: Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer. StoryTime is our popular read-aloud series for children 3-5 years. Each read-aloud is held in a gallery or in Curiosity Connection, and is followed by a related play activity or hands-on exploration of artifacts. StoryTime is included with general admission.
Exhibit Opening: Art of the State, Sunday, June 11 at 1:30 PM
Art of the State is an annual juried exhibition that has been showcasing the work of Pennsylvania’s artists at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1968. The body of art that has been exhibited reflects half a century of creative endeavor in the Keystone State. Through the years, exhibitors have shared their ideas and engaged viewers in the categories of painting, photography, craft, sculpture, and work on paper.
The 50th annual exhibit opens to the public on Sunday, June 11, with an awards ceremony at 1:30 PM and an opening reception immediately following. Admission to The State Museum will be free that day.
The exhibit runs from June 11 through September 10 and includes 130 works of art by 119 artists from 28 counties. This year’s exhibit attracted nearly 2,200 entries from 845 artists.
Art of the State is co-presented by The State Museum and Jump Street. WITF Public Media and Higher Information Group are exhibit sponsors.
Free Summer Fridays featuring Learn at Lunchtime
Fridays this summer at The State Museum will be free from June 16 through August 25. This program gives our guests free general admission to the museum for the day and features Learn at Lunchtime programs from 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM highlighting a variety of engaging discussions and presentations.
Join us for the following programs:
Friday, June 16
Explore the 50th Anniversary Art of the State exhibit with The State Museum Art Docents
Friday, June 23
Explore Mammal Hall Conservation Project with Beth Hager, Director of The State Museum
Friday, June 30
Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction Program with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Curiosity Connection will be free, with limited timed-tickets available for 45 minutes of play per hour from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Art Docents will be offering tours of Art of the State from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Regular Planetarium admission rates apply during Free Summer Fridays.
3rd in the Burg: Mammal Hall, Friday, June 16, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Join us to kick off a special summer series of 3rd in the Burg gatherings at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Enjoy refreshments and a behind-the-scenes tour of the exciting restoration of Mammal Hall, our famous dioramas of Pennsylvania nature scenes. The State Museum is free during the hours of the event. 3rd in the Burg is Harrisburg’s monthly arts and entertainment celebration. This event is generously sponsored by the Friends of the State Museum.
Victorian Dance Ensemble, Sunday, June 18, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
In honor of the Civil War Days in Harrisburg, join us for demonstrations of Victorian dance by The Victorian Dance Ensemble, the performing troupe of the Civil War Dance Foundation. Stop by Memorial Hall to explore period costumes, artifacts and dance! Dance demonstrations will occur in Memorial Hall at 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM. General admission to The State Museum is free for the day.
June 2017 Nature Lab
This summer, discover Nature Lab, an interactive, hands-on learning experience guided by specialists in fields ranging from archaeology to environmental protection. Museum curators and representatives of various Pennsylvania state agencies will engage in live educational presentations as they lead visitors of all ages through the rich natural world of Pennsylvania. This program runs on Wednesday and Thursdays, June 21 through August 24 at 11:30 AM.
Wednesday, June 21
Pennsylvania Wildlife with Dr. Walter Meshaka, Curator State Museum
Thursday, June 22
Flintknapping with Dr. Kurt Carr, Curator State Museum’s Archaeology Section
Wednesday, June 28
Pennsylvania Wildlife with Dr. Walter Meshaka, Curator State Museum
Thursday, June 29
Pots of Clay and What They Say with the State Museum’s Archaeology Section
The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania:
The planetarium is offering three shows from June 10 through August 27:
Astronaut (3rd Grade and up), Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 11:00 AM; Saturday 11:00 AM & 1:30 PM; and Sunday 1:30 PM
The exploration of space is the greatest endeavor undertaken by humankind. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut? Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Discover the perils that lurk in space in this show narrated by Ewan McGregor
Constellations (4th Grade and up), Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 1:00 PM; Saturday 11:30 AM & 2:00; and Sunday 2:00 PM
What are constellations? How were they created? These are just two of the questions answered about these images in the night sky. See what images we find around the globe. Explore each season and find out the basic constellations you can find in the Pennsylvania night sky.
Dark Star Adventure (Pre-K to 2nd Grade), Friday 10:30 AM
This animated, adventure lets us join Subrah and her friends as they take an unforgettable voyage of discovery. While finding their way home, you will witness the power of a supernova, explore the heart of a gaseous nebula, visit exotic pulsars, and learn about black holes.
Planetarium shows are $3 per person in addition to general admission. Planetarium admission is free to members of the State Museum Affiliate and the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation.
Weekend Closure: The State Museum of Pennsylvania will be closed for electrical work Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25.
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.
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).
For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.