Category Archives: Museum

June’s 2nd Friday Art Night

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As Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote, “June is bustin’ out all over.”  Tonight, art is bustin’ out all over downtown with the monthly 2nd Friday Art Night.

Among the many stops are:

Quapaw Quarter Association at Curran Hall, 615 East Capitol Avenue.  The artists Dixie Rogers and David Bud Bell will have art on display throughout the period rooms in Little Rock’s official visitors center.

Butler Center Galleries, 401 President Clinton Avenue. Pattern in Perspective: Recent Work by Carly Dahl and Dustyn Bork. Carly Dahl and Dustyn Bork are an artist couple who both work in painting, printmaking, and installation.

Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 East Third Street.  Recent Acquistions; A Collection Vision, 2008-2012.  A look at artwork acquired by HAM over the past four years.  In addition there will be live music by Blue-Collared Greens and a beer tasting with our local brewery, Diamond Bear.

Christ Episcopal Church, 509 Scott Street.  Art Musings.  Work by clients of the Creative Expressions Program of the Arkansas State Hospital.

Arkansas Arts Center a Blue Star Museum

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The Arkansas Arts Center is a proud participant in the Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day 2012. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“Through Blue Star Museums, the arts community is extending a special invitation to military families to enjoy over 1,500 museums this summer,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “This is both an opportunity to thank military families for their service and sacrifice, as well as a chance to create connections between museums and these families that will continue throughout the year. Especially for families with limited time together, those on a limited budget, and ones that have to relocate frequently, Blue Star Museums offers an opportunity to enjoy one another and become more fully integrated into a community.”

“As we enter the third consecutive year of the Blue Star Museums program, we are happy provide an opportunity for our nation’s service members and their families to connect with our national treasures,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,500 museums across the United States, military families have an unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”

This year, more than 1,500 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 300 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved the partnership efforts of the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 70 children’s museums. Among this year’s new participants are the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, Virginia, the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, NM, the Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland, Ohio, the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, California, the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, and the World Figure Skating Museum & Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Memorial Day — Remembering Arkansas’ Fallen Military Heroes

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Though it is not open today, Memorial Day is a good time to be reminded of one of Little Rock’s museum treasures.  Located in the historic Arsenal Tower in MacArthur Park, the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History honors the Arkansans who have served in the armed forces.  Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items that vividly portray Arkansas’s military history at home and abroad.

The exhibits include “Through the Camera’s Eye: The Allison Collection of World War II Photographs,” “Alger Cade Gun,” “By the President in the Name of Congress: Arkansas’ Medal of Honor Recipients,” “Camden Expedition,” “Conflict and Crisis: The MacArthur-Truman Controversy,” “David Owen Dodd,” “In Search of Pancho Villa: the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916,” “The Forgotten War: Arkansas and the Korean War,” “From Turbulence to Tranquility: The Little Rock Arsenal,” “The Sun Never Sets on the Mighty Jeep: The Jeep During World War II,” “War and Remembrance: The 1911 United Confederate Veterans Reunion, “The War to End All Wars: Arkansas Fights World War I.”

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is a museum of the City of Little Rock.  It is led by executive director Stephan McAteer who works with the MacArthur Military History Museum Commission.  The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.

Museum of Discovery offers free admission to active military

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Earlier this month, the Museum of Discovery announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from May 29 through Labor Day 2012. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“As a Blue Star Museum member, we have the opportunity to honor our active military families this summer with free admission,” said Nan Selz, executive director for the Museum of Discovery. “We welcome many military personnel and their children to our science center each year. In an effort to show our gratitude for their service, we’re able to offer them a unique and fun family experience.” NOTE: While the museum will be closed May 25-28 for Riverfest, its recognition program will begin Tuesday, May 29 and run through Labor Day, September 3.

“Through Blue Star Museums, the arts community is extending a special invitation to military families to enjoy over 1,500 museums this summer,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “This is both an opportunity to thank military families for their service and sacrifice, as well as a chance to create connections between museums and these families that will continue throughout the year. Especially for families with limited time together, those on a limited budget, and ones that have to relocate frequently, Blue Star Museums offers an opportunity to enjoy one another and become more fully integrated into a community.”

“As we enter the third consecutive year of the Blue Star Museums program, we are happy provide an opportunity for our nation’s service members and their families to connect with our national treasures,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,500 museums across the United States, military families have an unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”

This year, more than 1,500 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 300 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved the partnership efforts of the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 70 children’s museums. Among this year’s new participants are the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, Virginia, the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, NM, the Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland, Ohio, the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, California, the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, and the World Figure Skating Museum & Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

About Blue Star Museums

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums across America. The program runs from Memorial Day, May 28, 2012 through Labor Day, September 3, 2012. The free admission program is available to active-duty military and their family members (military ID holder and up to five family members). Active duty military include Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active duty National Guard and active duty Reserve members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning. Museums that wish to participate in Blue Star Museums may contact bluestarmuseums@arts.gov, or Wendy Clark at 202-682-5451.

 

About the Museum of Discovery

Established in 1927, the Museum of Discovery is Little Rock’s oldest museum. Following its closing and a 10-month renovation, the Museum of Discovery re-opened in January 2012. It is central Arkansas’s leading informal educational resource in areas of science, technology, math and engineering. The museum’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.

Scenes from 2012 DinoDash

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Last Saturday the Museum of Discovery hosted Dino Dash and Discovery Fest in the River Market district.  Here are a few scenes from the event which drew families from all over Central Arkansas.

13th Annual Dino Dash this weekend

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This Saturday, the 13th annual Museum of Discovery Dino Dash & Discovery Fest, will take place in Little Rock’s River Market District. Dino Dash is a 5K walk/run for ages 5 years and older, and a 1K Family Fun Run for all ages. All proceeds benefit the Museum of Discovery’s many educational programs.

Dino Dash participants can register online at www.museumofdiscovery.org . Fees are $25/individual or $20/team member until May 18, and $30 on race day. Race registration includes a fully supported race with police coverage and a safe route, a 2012 Dino Dash t-shirt and goody bag (while supplies last), and free admission to the Museum on race day, a street festival with games, entertainment, exhibits and refreshments. The 5K begins at 8:00 a.m. and the1K begins at 9:00 a.m. Both races begin and end in the River Market District near the Museum of Discovery at 3rd and Sherman. Prizes are awarded to top three finishers in 5K age groups and all 1K participants age 1-10 receive a medal and a dinosaur prize.

“We’re looking forward to showing off the museum this year, since we were closed in 2011. It will allow Dino Dash participants the opportunity to visit our newly renovated science center,” said Nan Selz, executive director for the museum.

For those who don’t race, the museum’s Discovery Fest is free and open to the public. It will be held from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. in front of the museum, and will feature hands-on science activities, refreshments and entertainment.

Also returning are the prizes, which will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each 5K division courtesy in part by Go! Running. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 boy and the top 3 girl finishers in the 1K courtesy of the Sachar Family. All 1K finishers ages 1-10 will receive a medal and dino prize. The largest school team wins a pizza party at the Museum. The largest non-school team wins a free Museum rental (for up to 2 hours). Prizes will be awarded to the top two pushers in the three-wheeled stroller division. Stroller Division entrants are not eligible for division awards.

2012 Dino Dash sponsors include: Bancorp South; Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield; Arkansas Children’s Hospital; Janet and Glenn Davis; Melody and Chris Piazza; Legacy Termite and Pest Control; Arkansas Pediatric Clinic; First Security Bank; Go! Running; Little Rock Athletic Club; Allied Technologies Group LLC; New York Life/Chad and Missy Franks; Notre Dame Alumni Group; the Shue Family; the Sachar Family; Premier Refreshment Services; Crich Design House; Custom XM; and Coca-Cola.

Established in 1927, the Museum of Discovery is Little Rock’s oldest museum. Following its 2011 closing and a 10-month renovation, the Museum of Discovery re-opened in January 2012. It is central Arkansas’s leading informal educational resource in areas of science, technology, engineering and math. The museum’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.

Books and Hooks – CALS and Game & Fish partner on Fishing Clinic

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One fish, two fish, yellow fish, learn to fish.

The John Gould Fletcher Library and the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AG&FC) will hold a two-part Beginner’s Fishing Clinic on Thursday, May 17, at 6 p.m. at the Fletcher Library, and Saturday, May 19, at 9 a.m. at MacArthur Park pond for children ages 15 years and under.

At the clinic’s first session, an AG&FC biologist will teach participants about gear, bait, rigging, fish handling, and AG&FC pond locations. The first forty children who attend the clinic’s first session will receive a coupon for a free fishing rod and reel, which can be redeemed at the May 19 session. At the clinic’s second session, participants will be able to fish in MacArthur Park pond and receive advice from an AG&FC biologist on fish handling.

To receive the rod and reel, participants must attend both sessions of the clinic.

The John Gould Fletcher Library is located at 823 North Buchanan Street is one of 12 branches operated by the Central Arkansas Library System. All events are free and open to the public. For more information on the fishing event, call Fletcher Library at 663-5457 or visit www.cals.org.