The State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces April 2013 Highlights

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its program schedule for April 2013:

New Civil War Exhibit and Opening:  "Objects of Valor: Commemorating the Civil War in Pennsylvania" is a new exhibit created to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.  The exhibition showcases treasured State Museum artifacts that reflect a century and a half of collecting, preserving and interpreting the commonwealth's Civil War experience. The exhibit opens Friday, April 19, with a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m., sponsored in part by the Friends of the State Museum and in conjunction with 3^rd in the Burg, a monthly celebration of Harrisburg's arts and entertainment.

Special Hannah Penn Exhibit:  In honor of William Penn's second wife Hannah Callowhill Penn, The State Museum presents an exhibit entitled "Hannah Penn: blest with a strong judgment and excellent good sense."  The exhibit features a selection of rare objects, artifacts and documents associated with Hannah and William Penn from several collections including The State Museum, Pennsylvania State Archives, State Library of Pennsylvania, Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia History Museum. The exhibit continues through Sunday, April 28.

Student Art Exhibit: The South Central Pennsylvania Arts and Writing Awards presents "Personal Perspectives," award-winning artwork by students in grades 7–12 from Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, York, and Dauphin counties from March 9 to April 28.  The exhibit is sponsored by Commonwealth Connections Academy.

DOSHI Gallery Exhibit:  The Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) presents an exhibit in its DOSHI Gallery at The State Museum entitled "Course and Discourse." The exhibit pairs works by students and their professors from central Pennsylvania colleges and universities, including Franklin and Marshall College, Millersville University, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College, Elizabethtown College and Wilson College. "Course and Discourse" will be on display through May 6. In conjunction with the exhibit, SAM is hosting a free Capital Region Young Artist Symposium and College Fair at The State Museum on Sunday, April 14, from noon to 4 p.m.

National History Day in Pennsylvania exhibits:  2012 award-winning History Day displays and projects will be on view at The State Museum through June 23.  National History Day in Pennsylvania is a project of the U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation, Carlisle.

"Where There is Light":  A multi-disciplinary exhibit featuring photographs by Kevyn Bashore, sculpture and painting by Freiman Stoltzfus and glass sculptures by Through the Fire Glass Studio, Aspen Glass Studio and Katherman Glass Studio. The exhibit will be on display through April 28.

The State Planetarium: Bigger, Brighter, Bolder! The State Museum presents its newly-upgraded Planetarium XD, featuring the latest state-of-the-art technology.  Shows offered through May 26 include:

"Astronaut" (grade 3 and up)
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.  Narrated by Ewan McGregor.  Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sundays, 1 p.m.

"BIG" (grade 6 and up)
An imaginative look at the size and scale of our universe. Explore the universe beginning with space probes reaching out to our Solar System, then telescopes collecting the light from the stars. With a lighthearted storytelling style and unique characters, "BIG" brings a really big subject down to earth.  Narrated by Sir Richard Attenborough. Saturdays, noon and 2 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.

Planetarium shows are $2 per person, in addition to general admission; free to State Museum Affiliate Members.

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 era, 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