State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces August Highlights

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Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its program schedule for August 2018:

StoryTime: Art by Patrick McDonnell, Friday, August 3, 10:00 AM

The children’s book Art, by Patrick McDonnell, will be read in the Art of the State gallery for StoryTime, our popular reading series for children aged 3 to 5. Each reading is held in one of our galleries and is followed by a related play activity or exploration of related hands-on artifacts. StoryTime is included with general admission.

Artist Conversations, Sunday, August 5, 2:00 PM

Fine Arts Curator Amy Hammond and artist Jo Margolis will lead a casual tour of Art of the State, sharing their insights on the show. Margolis’ work on paper Things Embedded is part of the exhibit. Art of the State is recognized as the official statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. Jurors selected artwork from five categories: Craft, Painting, Photography, Sculpture and Work on Paper. The exhibit includes 103 works by 99 artists from 27 counties and runs through September 9. This program is included with general admission.

Pay as You Wish Summer Fridays

This summer, The State Museum is inviting visitors to pay what they wish for general admission on all Fridays through August 24. Fees for the Planetarium and other special programs will still apply. Curiosity Connection will distribute free timed tickets for entry throughout the day.

Learn at Lunchtime

Learn at Lunchtime is a program featuring a variety of captivating lectures and presentations. This summer Learn at Lunchtime will be presented every Friday at 12:15 PM through August 24. Learn at Lunchtime is included with general admission.

Friday, August 3

Historic Pennsylvania Films with the Pennsylvania State Archives

Friday, August 10

Pennsylvania Turnpike Tunnels with Senior Curator Dr. Curt Miner

Friday, August 17

How the Counties Got Their Shapes with State Museum Education Department

Friday, August 24

Archaeology at Fort Hunter with Curator Janet Johnson

Nature Lab/Meet the Experts

The State Museum of Pennsylvania will offer visitors the opportunity to engage with museum curators and representatives of various Pennsylvania state agencies through its Summer 2018 Nature Lab/Meet the Experts series. This program will be presented every Wednesday and Thursday at 11:30 AM through August 16 and is included with general admission.

Wednesday, August 1 and 8

Pennsylvania Wildlife with Senior Curator of Zoology and Botany Dr. Walter Meshaka

Thursday, August 2

Librarians and the Lovely Lava with the STEM Librarians from the Pennsylvania State Library

Thursday, August 9

Preserving Our Past: Archaeology Lab with The State Museum’s Archaeology Section

Wednesday, August 15

Simple Machines with The State Museum’s Education Department

Thursday, August 16

History of Digging Fort Hunter with the State Museum’s Archaeology Section

Curiosity Kids

Curiosity Kids bridges the fun of Curiosity Connection with the wonders of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Museum educators will guide you and your children, ages 3 to 6, on fascinating trips through history. Hands-on experiments in science and art will offer enlightening views of the world. Curiosity Kids programs are included with general admission.

Wednesday, August 22, 11:30 AM

Color

Thursday, August 23, 11:30 AM

Bubbles

3rd in the Burg: Great Summer Switch, Friday, August 17, 5:30–8:30 PM

At the second annual Great Summer Switch, Tina Sell, director of education at the Susquehanna Art Museum, will conduct a tour at 6 PM of Art of the State at The State Museum. Afterward, visitors can walk up the street to the Susquehanna Art Museum for a guided tour at 7:30 PM by PHMC commissioner and artist Ophelia Chambliss of Romare Bearden: Vision & Activism. The State Museum building will open at 5:30 PM and close at 7:30 PM. This event is free as part of the 3rd in the Burg.

Art of the State is recognized as the official statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. Jurors selected artwork from five categories: Craft, Painting, Photography, Sculpture and Work on Paper. The exhibit includes 103 works by 99 artists from 27 counties and runs through September 9. Art of the State is presented by Jump Street and The State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Summer Reciprocal Membership with Susquehanna Art Museum, now through September 9

Members of the Susquehanna Art Museum and The State Museum of Pennsylvania will receive free reciprocal general admission to the two museums through September 9, 2018.

The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania: The planetarium is offering three shows from July 1 through September 2:

Earth, Moon and Sun (Grades 1 through 5), Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 11:00 AM; Saturday, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; Sunday, 1:00 PM

Coyote has razor-sharp wit, but he’s a little confused about what he’s seeing in the sky. This production tackles many concepts associated with the Earth-Moon-Sun system, including eclipses, lunar phases, seasonal changes, and the physical nature of the Sun and the Moon.

Compass, Calendar and Clock (Grade 6 and up), Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 1:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 Noon and 2:00 PM; Sunday, 2:00 PM

Understanding how the planet is aligned with the distant stars allows anyone to use the sky as a compass, a calendar, and a clock. This traditional show asks How can you use the Moon tell time? and How does the Sun help us find directions? See how humankind has used the sky to tell time, track yearly cycles, and find direction.

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.

ABOUT THE STATE MUSEUM OF PENNSYLVANIA

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 & 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).

The State Museum has joined other museums across the country in Museums for All. This program enables low-income families to visit participating museums for a nominal fee of $2 per person with the presentation of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and identification. This offer is for general admission only and excludes special programs or events.