Soon the last days of summer will be upon us, and before we look to our autumn calendars, why not enjoy the cool of the AC in Downtown Raleigh at the Museum of History this August? On your way through the Bicentennial Mall, be sure to check out what the museum’s garden has grown, including native sunflowers and medicinal plants. If joining us virtually, don’t miss the museum’s virtual programs this month, which are focused on women’s stories. The museum and Museum Shop are open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free!
Top Five Things to Do This Month
- Honor Women’s Equality Day with the executive director of the North Carolina Council for Women and Youth Involvement.
- Join us every Wednesday afternoon for a short virtual storytime! Perfect for young children!
- Grab your morning beverage, and learn how some women’s stories are shared through the power of fabric and thread.
- Enjoy the outdoors while following an informal tour of the museum’s History of the Harvest exhibit.
- Take history home! If visiting the museum with children, be sure to pick up one of our interactive craft kits and Skip the Screen activities throughout the state.
Read on for a current listing of August events, and follow us on social media for updates and additional programming. You can also stay up to date on all events and exhibits at the museum website: ncmuseumofhistory.org. Programs are FREE unless otherwise noted. Advance registration, at ncmuseumofhistory.org/events, is generally required to receive a confirmation email with information about joining online presentations.
Did you miss a previous program? Many of the museum’s programs are being archived to enjoy any time on the museum’s YouTube channel.
*Events with asterisks indicate family and kid-friendly programming.
*Summer Tar Heel Tales: Players in Pigtails
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1–1:30 p.m. via Demio
Ages 5 and up; parents are encouraged to participate with their children.
Stories don’t go away during summer! Join us virtually—for a reading of Players in Pigtails, written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon, and a bit of North Carolina history.
*Summer Tar Heel Tales: The Pottery Place
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1–1:30 p.m. via Demio
Ages 5 and up; parents are encouraged to participate with their children.
Stories don’t go away during summer! Join us virtually—for a reading of The Pottery Place, by Gail Gibbons, and a bit of North Carolina history.
*Take-It, Make-It Kit: Bead Basketball and Cup
Saturday, Aug. 14, 1–3 p.m. in person in the museum
Kits are designed for families with elementary-age children. While supplies last; one kit per family.
Celebrate summer with safe (and free) hands-on crafts! Visit the museum to pick up a craft bag—with complete supplies and instructions—and tour the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame exhibit using the included self-guided gallery hunt. Then take the bag home to share the craft, extra activities, and North Carolina history tidbits with family and friends!
History at High Noon: Women Empowering Women
Wednesday, Aug. 18, noon–1 p.m. via Zoom
Join us for a special History at High Noon honoring Women’s Equality Day, with Danielle M. Carman, Esq., executive director of the North Carolina Council for Women and Youth Involvement at the Department of Administration. She will share what the council does and how it is working to help women around our state.
*Summer Tar Heel Tales: Wind Flyers
Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1–1:30 p.m. via Demio
Ages 5 and up; parents are encouraged to participate with their children.
Stories don’t go away during summer! Join us virtually—for a reading of Wind Flyers, written by Angela Johnson and illustrated by Loren Long, and a bit of North Carolina history.
Saturday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m. in person
What’s growing in the garden? Enjoy a FREE informal tour of the museum’s History of the Harvest exhibit along Bicentennial Plaza. Tour group limited in size—preregistration is required.
Coffee with a Curator: Quilt Stories
Tuesday, Aug. 24, 10–1:30 a.m. via Zoom
Ann Knox mourned her dead children. Patience White learned to read. Emily Maxwell had a vision from God. They each turned their experiences into quilts. Go on a storytelling journey with Diana Bell-Kite, curator of cultural history, through a selection of quilts from the museum’s collection to learn about the North Carolina women who made them.
*Summer Tar Heel Tales: The Pig Who Went Home on Sunday: An Appalachian Folktale
Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1–1:30 p.m. via Demio
Ages 5 and up; parents are encouraged to participate with their children.
Stories don’t go away during summer! Join us virtually—for a reading of The Pig Who Went Home on Sunday: An Appalachian Folktale, written by Donald Davis and illustrated by Jennifer Mazzucco, and a bit of North Carolina history.
History + Highballs: Theodosia Burr and the Nags Head Portrait
Thursday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m. via Zoom
Join us for a special evening as we dive into the life of Theodosia Burr with Robin Salmon, vice president of Art and Historical Collections and curator of Sculpture, Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina. Then learn about the mystery surrounding Theodosia’s disappearance and the origins of the Nags Head Portrait with Marjorie Berry, historian for Pasquotank County.
*Take-It, Make-It Kit: Paper Canoe and Glider
Saturday, Aug. 28, 1–3 p.m. in person in the museum
Kits are designed for families with elementary-age children. While supplies last; one kit per family.
Celebrate summer with safe (and free) hands-on crafts! Visit the museum to pick up a craft bag—with complete supplies and instructions—and tour the exhibit The Story of North Carolina with the included self-guided gallery hunt. Then take the bag home to share the craft, extra activities, and North Carolina history tidbits with family and friends!
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