State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces June Highlights

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its program schedule for June:  

2nd Annual Fatherhood & Family Celebration:  In conjunction with Nate Gadsden's Writer's Wordshop, this free event will feature special guests Kofi Asante, executive director, National Comprehensive Center for Fathers, and Dr. Maurice Henderson, founder of the National Black Authors tour, as well as African dance classes, films, workshops and children's activities.  The program is presented by United Way of the Capital Region and the Tri-County Fatherhood Coalition.  Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.  Free admission day at The State Museum.

Harrisburg's 3rd in the Burg/"Learn at Lunchtime":  The State Museum will inaugurate free-admission summer hours between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. starting Friday, June 15 (3rd in the Burg) and continuing every Friday through Aug. 31. Select free tours by docents will be offered at 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m.

"Art of the State" Exhibition Opening: "Art of the State," a special annual exhibition, is recognized as the official, statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists.  This year's show includes 130 works of art by 117 artists working throughout the state. The exhibit opening is Saturday, June 16. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with an awards ceremony beginning at 7 p.m., followed by a reception which is free to the public. Presented by The Greater Harrisburg Arts Council and The State Museum, "Art of the State" runs through Sept. 9.  Docent-led tours will be offered on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. and Fridays at 12:15 and 1 p.m. throughout the exhibit's run.

Story Time in Curiosity Connection: State Museum volunteers and staff will offer a Wednesday morning children's book reading program from June 20 through Aug. 1.  Featuring a different book each week from the popular "One Book, Every Young Child" series, the readings will start at 10 a.m. and a related activity will follow.  Free with museum admission.

Lecture & Book Signing:  The Pennsylvania Heritage Society will present a free lecture and book signing by Thomas J. McGuire, author of "Stop the Revolution:  America in the Summer of Independence and the Conference of Peace," on Wednesday, June 20, at noon, in the State Museum Store. 

Summer Day Camps: Reservations are still open for two special one-day summer camps in July at The State Museum. Fossil Day Camps will be offered Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, July 18, 19 and 20, for children ages 9 to 12 years old.  Archaeology/Native Americans Camp will be offered Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, July 25, 26 and 27, for children ages 7 to 10 years old. Both camps, which include hands-on activities and are led by State Museum educators, are one-day courses, held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per child or $25 per child for State Museum Affiliate Members.  Reservations may be made by calling 717-772-6997.  Space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

DOSHI Gallery Exhibit: The Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) of Harrisburg presents "Art is an Entree, Not a Dessert," a juried group exhibition, on view at The State Museum through July 15.

Featured Planetarium Shows in June:

• "Dark Star Adventure" (pre-K to grade 2). This unforgettable voyage of discovery includes a supernova, a gaseous nebula, exotic pulsars, and black holes. Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sundays, 1 p.m.

• "Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity" (grade 6 and up).  Narrated by actor Liam Neeson, "Black Holes" explores the early universe, star births and deaths, the collision of giant galaxies, and the super massive black hole at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.  Saturdays, noon and 2 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. 

The State Museum Store: The State Museum Store is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Purchases support the ongoing educational mission of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. 

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 25 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 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