September 3, 2010
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will present its “Second Saturday” of museum activities on Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex, in Charleston. The free program is geared for children of all ages. It is recommended that children under the age of 13 be accompanied by an adult.
On Saturday, Sept. 11, kids can enjoy participating in a scavenger hunt while using the Museum Bingo Sheet all day long. They also can take part in the “Make ‘n Take” craft activities in the North Connection Room of the museum from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Participants can color pages with images of the state’s symbols such as the black bear and the cardinal. They also can make a 3-D log cabin out of paper.
At 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon, participants can gather in the North Connection Room to hear a reading of the book M is for Mountain State: A West Virginia Alphabet by Michigan writer Mary Anne McCabe Riehle. The book is part of the Discover America State by State Alphabet Series, and relates facts about West Virginia including the Allegheny Mountain range, Spruce Knob, noteworthy people, and more.
Museum staff will take kids on a mini tour of the museum’s section on “Musical Traditions” during the “Museum Walk ‘n Talk” sessions at 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. They can see artifacts like a Civil War-era drum with the original paint, an Appalachian dulcimer from the 1800s and an ocarina from 1895.
In addition, at 2 p.m., in the Museum Media Education Center, guest presenter Karen Vuranch will portray the pioneer heroine Mary Draper Ingles. Ingles settled in the western frontier of Virginia. In 1755, she was captured by Shawnee Indians who brought her and her children to a Shawnee village near what is now Cincinnati. She escaped and walked more than 500 miles to get home, traveling through the New River Gorge in the months of November and December. Her son, Thomas, also returned to his family, but only after 13 years in captivity. His story represents that of Europeans who acclimated to Indian life, then returned to their families and were torn between the two worlds. Vuranch is a storyteller, actress and writer from Fayetteville who weaves together a love of history, passion for stories and sense of community.
For more information about “Second Saturdays,” contact museum guest services at (304) 558-0220, ext. 111.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
-30-
