The State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces July Programming

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced programming features for the month of July:

June 19 – Sept. 11: Art of the State Exhibition

Art of the State, a special annual exhibition at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, is recognized as the official, statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists.  The finest works of established and emerging artists are selected by a distinguished panel of jurors.  This year's show includes 135 pieces from 133 artists working throughout the state. Art of the State is presented by The Greater Harrisburg Arts Council and The State Museum. The exhibit runs through Sept. 11, the date of Harrisburg's annual Gallery Walk.

Sunday, July 17, 2 p.m.:  Artists Conversations, a Special Gallery Tour

Sculptor Alan Paulson of Gettysburg, a featured artist in the 2011 Art of the State exhibition, and Robert Stadnycki, executive director of The Greater Harrisburg Arts Council, will collaborate on Sunday, July 17, at 2 pm to provide an insightful insiders' tour of the exhibition. Additional Artists Conversations will be held on Sunday, Aug. 14 (featuring artist Robert Stickloon, Pottsville, and juror Maxine Gaiber) and Sunday, Sept. 11 (with photographer Lydia Panas, Kutztown, and exhibit juror Ricardo Viera). Free with museum admission.

July 13 – Dec. 30: The DOSHI Gallery at The State Museum of Pennsylvania

While the Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) of Harrisburg is undergoing a transition to a new facility, The State Museum of Pennsylvania is loaning special exhibition space to house the DOSHI Gallery in 2011. SAM will open a new juried show on Wednesday, July 13, entitled "Latent Images," featuring approximately 36 works of art created by emerging and established Pennsylvania artists. SAM will host a reception highlighting the exhibit on Sunday, Sept. 11 in conjunction with Harrisburg's Gallery Walk.

Wednesdays, July 6, 13, 20 and 27:  Fossil Day Camp

Fossil Day Camp for children ages 9 to 11 will highlight The State Museum's exciting new paleontology exhibit, "Life through Time," which features the museum's recently restored Marshalls Creek mastodon. Led by museum educators, day campers will explore the adjacent Dino Lab and learn about fossils and how paleontologists perform their scientific work. Fossil Day Camp will take place on Wednesday mornings, July 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost for this one-day course is $25 per child, or $20 per child for State Museum Affiliate Members. To register, call 717-772-6997. Space is limited.

Saturdays and Sundays, July 9 – Sept. 11; 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.:  IdeaZone:  Experience the Arts

The State Museum's IdeaZone: Experience the Arts, in conjunction with the Art of the State exhibit, offers an interactive, hands-on learning room for all ages to explore the diverse artistic endeavors that nurture creativity and community in Pennsylvania. Visitors will discover more about theater, dance, music, media, architecture and fine arts and will also create pieces for a community art wall that will be installed as a mosaic mural at The State Museum. Free with admission.

Featured Planetarium Shows:

Zula Patrol – Under the Weather (pre-K–grade 1). Geared toward younger visitors, the Zula Patrollers are on an expedition to study the weather in our solar system.  Faced with peril, they must solve a riddle along the way. Extended summer hours: Thursday and Friday, noon; Saturday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.

Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope (grade 3 and up). Two teenagers learn how the telescope has helped us understand our place in space. Discover the history of the telescope and explore the mysteries of the universe.  Extended summer hours: Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m.; Saturday, noon and 2 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

Planetarium shows are $2 per person in addition to general admission; free to museum members.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North Street, is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History®. It is the state's official museum, holding 4.5 million objects in its collections. The museum's permanent and temporary exhibits cover 100,000 square feet and feature Pennsylvania's social, industrial and economic history, decorative, fine and industrial arts, and archaeology, zoology and paleontology.

Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and senior citizens. For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

Media contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639

SOURCE Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission