State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces June Programming

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced programming features for the month of June:

Saturday, June 18: Art of the State Exhibition Opening

Art of the State, a special annual exhibition at The State Museum, is recognized as the official, statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. The finest current works of established and emerging artists are selected by a distinguished panel of jurors. This year's show includes 135 pieces from 133 artists. The exhibit opens at 6:30 p.m. on June 18 with an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. followed by a reception. The event is free to the public. Art of the State is presented by the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council and the State Museum. The exhibit runs through September 11, coinciding with Harrisburg's Gallery Walk.

Tuesday, June 21: Signature Series Lecture, PA Heritage Society

Yale University's Dr. Jon Butler will present "Religion and Politics in the American Experience."  The lecture, which is open to the public, is a program of the Teaching American History professional development institute for teachers held at The State Museum and Pennsylvania State Archives in partnership with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit. Admission to the lecture and a dessert reception is $12 for Pennsylvania Heritage Society and State Museum Affiliate Members; $17 for non-members. RSVP to 717-787-2407 or e-mail [email protected]. The lecture is supported by a Teaching American History grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Through June 19: The DOSHI Gallery at The State Museum of Pennsylvania

While the Susquehanna Art Museum of Harrisburg is undergoing a transition to a new facility, the State Museum is loaning special exhibition space to house the DOSHI Gallery in 2011. The current show features 38 juried art works by more than 35 artists and runs through Sunday, June 19. Admission is free to members of The State Museum of Pennsylvania and The Susquehanna Art Museum.

Through June 19:  National History Day in Pennsylvania Exhibit

The State Museum is displaying winning student entries from the 2010 statewide competition of National History Day, or NHD, in Pennsylvania.  NHD is a year-long educational program that engages students in grades 6–12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Students produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries, websites and research papers based on research related to an annual theme. These projects are then evaluated at local, state, and national competitions. The exhibit is presented in cooperation with the U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation in Carlisle.

Featured Planetarium Shows:

Through June 12:  Astronaut (grade 3 and up) explores the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. Hours: Saturday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.

Through June 12:  Ice Worlds (grade 4 and up) travels to the Arctic and Antarctic regions of our planet, examining the ecosystems that live and thrive there and show how their survival is connected with our own. Hours: Saturday, noon and 2 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

Opening June 18: 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.

Opening June 18: 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, 1 p.m.  

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

Free Day: Saturday, June 18 – The State Museum offers free admission the third Saturday of each month.  

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 commonwealth'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