StoryTime: What a Treasure! by Jane and Will Hillenbrand, Friday, June 7 at 10:30 AM - The children’s book What a Treasure! by Jane and Will Hillenbrand will be read in Curiosity Connection with an activity following the reading. The story is about what Mole discovers when he uses his new shovel to dig for treasure. StoryTime is the museum’s popular reading series for children aged 3 to 5 and is included with general admission.
Pay As You Wish Summer Fridays The State Museum is inviting visitors to pay what they wish for general admission on Fridays beginning on Friday, June 21, and continuing through Friday, August 23. Fees for the Planetarium and other special programs will still apply. Curiosity Connection will distribute free, limited, 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, June 21 through August 23, at 12:15 PM. Learn at Lunchtime is included with Pay As You Wish admission.
- Friday, June 21 - Wild Bird Adaptations Wildlife Education Specialist Dan Lynch from the Pennsylvania Game Commission will discuss how birds fly, eat and digest their food.
- Friday, June 28 Art of the State/Artists Conversations Explore the 2019 Art of the State exhibit.
Exhibit Opening: Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2019, Sunday, June 23 at 1:30 PM The annual Art of the State is recognized as the official, statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. Jurors select artwork from five categories: craft, painting, photography, sculpture and work on paper. The opening ceremony starts at 1:30 PM, followed immediately by the gallery opening and refreshments. All events are open to the public. General admission to the museum is free for Art of the State opening events. The exhibit runs from June 23 through September 8, 2018.
Art of State is presented by The State Museum of Pennsylvania in association with the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. The media sponsor is WITF Public Media.
Artist Conversations, Friday, June 28, 12:15 PM - Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf will join a featured artist from Art of the State in leading a casual tour of the exhibition and sharing insights on the show. As part of Summer Fridays, general admission is Pay As You Wish.
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 2019 Meet the Experts in Nature Lab series. This program will be presented every Wednesday and Thursday, June 26 through August 15, at 11:30 AM, and is included with general admission.
- Wednesday, June 26 - Leaf Identification of Common Trees of Pennsylvania with Natural Resource Specialist Ryan Reed of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
- Thursday, June 27 - Dinosaurs in Pennsylvania with Curator of Paleontology and Geology Steven Jasinski of The State Museum of Pennsylvania
The Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania: The planetarium is offering two shows from June 1 through September 1.
- Who Am I? (Pre-K to Grade 2), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11:00 AM; Saturday, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; Sunday, 1:00 PM It has many names, can be mysterious, and always looks right at us but doesn’t always show its face. It’s the moon, and life would be very different without it. This show, designed for young children by the Planetarium at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, is all about the moon.
- Apollo 11: Man’s First Step Onto The Moon (Grade 4 and up), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 1:00 PM; Saturday, 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM; Sunday, 2:00 PM The Apollo 11 moon landing was one of the most momentous times in history. This show, produced by Jenks Planetarium, follows the small steps and giant leaps made by the astronauts as they land on the moon’s surface for the first time.''
- 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 event calendar at www.statemuseumpa.org 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 or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
