The State Museum of Pennsylvania Announces August Programming

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced its programming schedule for August:

"Art of the State" Exhibition:  "Art of the State," a special annual exhibition at The State Museum, is recognized as the official, statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. This year's show includes 129 pieces by 115 artists working throughout the state.  "Art of the State" is presented by The Greater Harrisburg Arts Council and The State Museum of Pennsylvania.  The exhibit runs through Sunday, September 9, 2012, the date of Harrisburg's annual Gallery Walk.  Free guided tours by museum docents are offered on Fridays at 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Artists Conversations, a Special Gallery Tour for Harrisburg's 3^rd in the Burg: 
On Friday, August 17, at 6:30 p.m., York artist Carol Oldenburg and State Museum Director David W. Dunn will team up to give an insightful insiders' tour of "Art of the State." Oldenburg has two paintings in the exhibition, including "Day of Remembrance," a State Museum Purchase Award winner. The event, hosted by the Friends of the State Museum, features a free reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reservations are not required.

IdeaZone: Food in PA From Field to Table: Explore Pennsylvania's diverse foodways, agriculture and industry in IdeaZone, an interactive learning space for kids and families. Through a variety of hands-on activities, visitors to IdeaZone will discover the state's fascinating role as the nation's "breadbasket" from historic times to the present. IdeaZone is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free with museum admission.

Learn at Lunchtime: The State Museum offers free-admission summer hours between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. every Friday through Aug. 31. Select free tours by docents will be offered at 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m.

Featured Planetarium Shows in August:

"Dark Star Adventure" (pre-K to grade 2). This unforgettable voyage of discovery includes a supernova, a gaseous nebula, exotic pulsars and black holes.  Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and Sundays, 1 p.m. 

"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity" (grade 6 and up).  Narrated by actor Liam Neeson, "Black Holes" explores the early universe, star births and deaths, the collision of giant galaxies and the super massive black hole at the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy.  Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 2 p.m.; Saturdays, noon and 2 p.m.; and Sundays, 2 p.m.

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 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 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