State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces October Highlights

StoryTime: I am NOT a Dinosaur, Friday, October 4, 10:30 AM

The children’s book I Am NOT a Dinosaur! by Will Loach will be read in the museum’s Nature Lab. Young visitors will then learn about the characteristics of dinosaurs from the museum’s hands-on collection. StoryTime is the museum’s popular reading series for children aged 3 to 5 and is included with general admission.

Curiosity Kids: Build a Nest, Thursday, October 10, 11:30 AM

Young visitors will learn about birds’ nests and create their own nests with found materials. Curiosity Kids is a program that bridges the fun of Curiosity Connection with the wonders of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Museum educators guide parents and their children, aged 3 to 6, on fascinating trips through history. Hands-on experiments in science and art offer enlightening views of the world.

Learn at Lunchtime: National Fossil Day, Wednesday, October 16, 12:15 PM

In celebration of National Fossil Day, paleontologist Dr. Steven Jasinski will discuss the Pleistocene epoch and Pennsylvania in the museum’s Paleontology Gallery. National Fossil DayOpens In A New Window is hosted by the National Park Service and the American Geosciences Institute during Earth Science Week in October. National Fossil Day is a celebration organized to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value. This event is included with general admission.

Nature Lab: The Carboniferous and Coal Formation, Thursday, October 24, 11:30 AM

Museum educators will discuss the Carboniferous Period and how it played a part in the formation of coal in Pennsylvania. This program is included with general admission.

Great Pumpkin Day, Sunday, October 27, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

This family-friendly Halloween celebration will feature special programming and presentations throughout the museum. Central Pennsylvania’s premier children’s entertainer, Magical Nick, will perform at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Visitors are encouraged to come to the event dressed for the costume contest and parade at 2:45 PM in Memorial Hall. The event includes holiday games and snacks.

Curiosity Connection will have limited timed tickets available for 45 minutes of play per hour starting on the quarter hour from 12:15 PM to 3:15 PM. Limited tickets must be picked up at the main entrance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the special events, the Planetarium will be closed for the day. Admission to the museum for everyone this day will be $5 per person, the children’s rate. Museum members and military discounts will apply.

The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania: The planetarium is offering two shows through December 1.

Star Stories of the Native Americans (Grade 2 and up)

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11:00 AM; Saturday, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; Sunday, 1:00 PM

This traditionally styled show explores the night sky legends of the Native Americans, including the great sky bear, the frog sisters, and the pathway of souls, with up-close views of these amazing celestial sights and an exploration of the modern astronomy behind the legends. The show is an original production of The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania.

From Earth to the Universe (Grade 6 and up)

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 1:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM; Sunday, 2:00 PM

This stunning voyage through time and space conveys, through an arresting combination of sights and sounds, the Universe revealed by science. A production of the ESO Supernova Planetarium, the show goes from the heart of the Solar System to the furthest reaches of time and space.

Planetarium shows are $3 per person in addition to general admission. Members of the State Museum Affiliate and the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation are admitted free. Planetarium shows are subject to change without prior notification. Please check the events calendar at www.statemuseumpa.orgOpens In A New Window for the latest show dates and times.

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.

For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org