Educational Programming Highlights

by Charlotte M. Patterson, Education Curator

Spring and summer started with the ever-popular Dr. Seuss programs. Every year different books such as There’s a Woket in My Pocket and Fox in Socks are presented and have an activity to complement them. Children come dressed as book characters. This year we had several Cindy Lou Whos and Thing Ones and Thing Twos.

Elements added to this year’s Biscuits, Tractors, and Chickens program were the Teeny Tiny Farm traveling petting zoo and music by the original Out ‘n the Cold band. The line to the Owl Feed Ya food truck was steady, too, and we continued to show films for youth and to have themed Summer Fun Days for the public and day camps.

HISTORICAL REENACTORS

One of several present during Biscuits, Tractors, & Chickens for museum guests to experience.

Courtesy of Museum of the Albemarle

The Junior Docent program had a summer coordinator, Tara Morrison, to help recruit new students and enrich their experiences. A two-day workshop brought 25 students to the group with most of them new to the program. The Junior Docent program began in 2006 and has produced three members who serve on the FOMOA board and two who are employed at the museum. The Junior Docents are also playing an active part in developing props for students, to help them enjoy their visits, learn positive lessons, take photos, and make happy memories about their journeys to the museum.

The opening of the museum’s new exhibit High on the Hog will include a lecture by Marlowe Ivey Vaughan, executive director for Feed the Dialogue NC, and FOMOA members can enjoy a pig-picking - with the pig cooked on museum grounds - and live entertainment by Out ‘n the Cold!

Field trips for the 2019–2020 school year will include High on the Hog and the Harlem Renaissance 100th anniversary during Black History Month. We anticipate record attendance to our holiday program, Christmas at Who-SeumVille

Spotlight tours and CARTifacts gallery carts, both given by volunteers, are developed to give more information about exhibits. A Volunteer Round-up on Saturday, September 7, will introduce volunteer opportunities at the museum. Please contact us if you are interested in being a part of this or any other project.