EDUCATION

EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

COLORADO HISTORYCOLORADOHISTORY

thissummerinWindsor

Locals canuse amagnifyingglass to check outthe newestexhibit at theArts& History Center.The exhibit,Exquisite Miniatures,featurespaintings by Wesand RachelleSiegrist andisproduced by DavidJ.Wagner, L.L.C. (CourtesyWindsorHistory Museum)

From ‘Little Teaon the Prairie’ to an archeological dig, Windsor museum brings the past to life

WesSiegristpaintsa gold andgrass background.

(CourtesyWindsor History Museum)

BY SARAH HUBER MARKETING FEATURE

The Windsor History Museum and the adjacent Art & Heritage Center are kicking off summer with one of their most popular family events,LittleTea on the Prairie, on June 4 from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests are invited to dress in their “best prairie clothes and come explore our museumbuildings,fromtheoldschoolhousetothefarmhouse, beet shack and train depot, ” said Katherine Mercier,museum education coordinator.The pioneer-themed tea will feature interactive art,including decorating a teacup to bake and dry athome,creatingapaperstarbannerandfashioningaragdoll. ThepaperbannerandtheragdollareinspiredbycraftsLaura Ingalls Wilder makes in her Little House on the Prairie book series.Mercierwillleadchildreningamesfromthe1800s,and families can dance to the music of an old-time-music player. Childrenwillbeabletoparticipateinhands-onactivities,such as learning to write in 1800s-style cursive, in each historic museum building.

“We ’ re excited to make history come alive for people, ” Mercier said. “The really incredible thing about sites like this is that they give you a way to experience history up close and personal. ”Forexample,shecontinued,

At theLittleTea on thePrairie event families canexperiencewhatitwas like to be apioneer. (CourtesyWindsorHistory Museum)

floors that was ever built here inWindsor.You encounter artifacts people used and touched.History is not just a textbook but comes to life in these places. ”

Similarly,in an effort to make history come alive,Mercier and her team are welcoming locals to try their hand at archeology in July.The Halfway Homestead, the site of an 1873 stagecoach stop, is Windsor ’ s most recent historic acquisition and has yet to be excavated. Adults and children alike can help break ground from 10 a.m. to noon on July 23 and perhaps discover historical treasures.Archeologistswillbeonsitetoguidetheexcavationand take questions.

“I’ ve loved history since I was a kid, ” Mercier said. “I love telling stories about the past, and I think that when we know whathappenedinthepast,webetterunderstandtheinfluences on what is happening now and what is going to happen in the future. That’ s our mission at the museum. ” Alongside the five historic buildings at the Windsor Museum,theArt&HeritageCenteracrossthestreetregularly hosts events that enrich the present while reflecting the past. Through Aug. 15, the center is hosting the exhibit Exquisite Miniatures,acollectionof50miniaturepaintingsbyWesand Rachelle Siegrist. Measuring fewer than nine square inches a painting, the miniatures feature a variety of landscapes and animal portraits. “Kids like to use the magnifying glasses and seeawholeworldpackedintoatinyminiaturepainting, ” noted Mercier.

This summer the Windsor Museum will also offer a full scheduleofcampsforpreschoolersthroughage12. “Theseare history-related and nature-based camps, from gardening and canning to how to kayak and make candles, ” Mercier said. At the museum camps, kids will observe ecosystems throughout Windsor, craft homemade books, study interior design or createtinyartinformedbytheArt&HeritageCenter ’ scurrent exhibit.

Littleexplorersmayregisterwithanadultforclassesonboats and water, kites and wind or how plants grow. Families may register for the Little Tea on the Prairie at bit. ly/3vMA3cg. Cost is $18 a person and includes tea, snacks, a teacup to decorate and art and game supplies. Children under two are free. The archeology event is free and does not require reservations; learn more at bit.ly/3FHw2uh. To register for summer camps, visit bit.ly/3lcPLIN.