ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY ////
Reading Public Museum 100 years
of learning and culture
What We Do Thanks to Levi Mengel, RPM’s founder and first director, for his strong beliefs on education, a one-floor museum turned into a place for all students and families to make their own discoveries. RPM dedicates each and every day to educating, enlightening, and engaging current and future generations through the collection, preservation and interpretation of objects of art, science and civilization. To continue this mission, RPM hosts various exhibitions, family and adult programming, and events for the community.
Exhibits & Galleries The Museum displays its own collection through permanent galleries; items often on display include an ancient mummy, dinosaur bones that existed millions of years ago, and even a van Gogh. Aside from displaying its own collection, The Museum hosts temporary traveling exhibitions that come from all over the country for the community to experience. Past traveling exhibits include Secrets of the Mona Lisa, Backstage Pass: Baron Wolman and the Early Years of Rolling Stone, and interactive hands-on learning children’s exhibits featuring popular television characters such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dora the Explorer, and Curious George. This year, RPM’s most anticipated exhibition is Dinosaurs Around the World: Passport to Pangea, will run May 2 through October 2, 2016. This exhibition brings dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago, back to life! 34
Avenues Spring 2016
In the exhibit, visitors will be taken back in time — a time before the continents, as we know, existed — and venture through another world known as Pangea to discover how plate tectonics, land bridges, and volcanic activity allowed the dinosaurs to disperse all corners of the globe. Dinosaurs featured in the exhibit are the gigantic Spinosaurus, which during its lifetime grew over 50 ft long and weighed over 8 tons, the Velociraptor, one the most intelligent dinosaur breeds, and many more! Other exhibitions on view this year include Eat Well, Play Well, Brainteasers2, Chihuly Venetians, and more. To read more on our current and upcoming exhibitions, visit RPM’s Web site.
Educational Programming & Events Increasing the educational mission, RPM holds educational events that appeal to all ages. Programs include Senior Series, Uncorked Creativity, Kids’ Night Out, and many more! The Museum’s popular creative education event, Uncorked Creativity, allows friends to come to The Museum along with a bottle of wine to enjoy a night of socializing and painting! Since this program is for adults 21 and over, RPM decided to start a family painting program called Young At Art. Parents can bring their children to enjoy an afternoon filled with painting, creativity, and cupcakes. There is no experience necessary for any of these events.