Schools Out & Museums In!

Schools Out & Museums In! December 14, 2007 Media Contact: Beth Manwaring 607.974.4254 manwaringb@rockwellmuseum.org Schools Out & Museums In! Holiday Recess Activities at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art CORNING, NY - It's school vacation time. Parents are busy looking for activities that will appeal to the entire family - something out of the ordinary, something enriching, and something fun. Hmmm. What to do? What about taking a trip through the West? Through the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, that is. It's close to home, kids 17 & under are FREE and don't forget about the hands-on activities just for kids. Now through May 18, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art is featuring a special Southwestern Pottery exhibition, along with pottery-inspired hands-on art making activities and discovery projects. Families are encouraged to explore and learn about Southwestern pottery while taking part in several different daily interactive activities. Kids 17 & under are always free. Local residents with zip codes beginning with 148, 149, or 169, pay only a $3 admission fee. There is no additional fee for the following interactive pottery-inspired activities: NEW! 'Design Your Own' Pottery - As inspired by the current special exhibition, "Crafted to Perfection: The Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery, all Museum visitors have the opportunity to design their own pottery! The Rockwell Museum of Western Art has installed a "Design Your Own!" gallery where the young and young-at-heart can sit down to design, color and take their own piece of pottery. This is a free program and is located in the Education Center and Student Gallery now through May 18, 2008. As always, Kids 17 & Under are admitted free of charge. Kids West Play Area - Kids West play area ignites the imagination through make believe! Dress up in old-time costumes, learn about a Trading Post in a miniature Trading Post, play in the child-size tee-pee or read a story of yesteryear! Found on the second floor near the Education Center, Kids West play area is a place to laugh, play and learn! As the 'End of the Trail' to the ArtPack program, Kids West play area offers something for everyone and is a place that brings the West to life! NEW! 'Art Hunt' - Young visitors match artist rendered drawings to images found in paintings and objects from the Museum's visiting exhibitions and permanent collection. All participants win a prize upon the completion of the Art Hunt. There are two hunts offered - one for younger and one for older children. The Art Hunt is designed to offer very young children, who cannot read, the opportunity to engage in a gallery activity by using pictorial clues. Older students can learn new vocabulary and art terms in a fun and gallery focused activity. The winter vacation hunt features pieces from the Crafted to Perfection collection of Southwestern Pottery. Look for the "shark man" and the climbing spider. It's a show not to be missed. Art Pack Activity - The Art Pack - backpacks filled with interesting information, creative activities, puzzles and games - are a young trailblazer's guide to the Museum. They approach the Museum's collection through four of the most enduring and appealing subjects of Western art: cowboys, Native Americans, wilderness and new to the series - horse! Best of all, they're fun, and yes parents, educational too. About the Rockwell Museum of Western Art To round out the Western experience, visitors to the Museum can visit the adjacent Cantina for southwestern-style meals, snacks, and special kids' meals. For those who'd like a memento of their visit to the Rockwell, the Museum Trading Post is the place to shop for Western-themed items to suit all ages, all occasions, and all wallets. Reproductions from the Museum's collection; books about the West, Native Americans, and art, and original Native American jewelry, pottery, blankets, and weavings are all available. For youngsters, there are toys, books, and a huggable collection of western stuffed animals. There is no admission fee to visit the Trading Post, and every month, special discounts are available on selected items. Members, of course, enjoy discounts on all merchandise all year round. The Rockwell Museum of Western Art is located at 111 Cedar Street in Corning, steps from Market Street. The Museum is open seven days a week. Visitors are welcome daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum extends the hours until 8 p.m. daily between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. Further information and directions are available by contacting the Museum at 607-937-5386 or at http://www.rockwellmuseum.org/.