Personal Collections Identified at International Museum Day
On Sunday, May 7, visitors are invited to bring their mystery objects to “Identify This!” as the San Bernardino County Museum celebrates International Museum Day. Museum curators in history, anthropology, geological sciences, and biological sciences will identify artifacts and specimens and provide references and ideas for the best practices in caring for personal collections. Free museum admission on May 7 is sponsored by Lois Lauer Century 21 Realty.
Visitors can bring up to five objects for identification. The objects should be hand-carried; large or fragile items can be represented with photographs. Curators will be on hand to help identify artifacts and specimens from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appraisals or monetary evaluations will be given.
“Boy scouts and girl scouts working on any of the collecting badges will get troves of ideas for starting and keeping collections of all kinds,” said Jolene Redvale, museum curator of education. “And teachers will have a chance to assemble ideas and materials for teaching with collections in the classroom.”
International Museum Day will also feature “Making Tracks,” a Family Fun Day activity with the Museum Youth Club. Families with children ages 3 to 12 can learn how to “collect” animals by identifying and casting their tracks. Everyone will have a chance to make an animal track cast to take home. “Making Tracks” activities are offered free and are scheduled between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Special presentations by Museum Director Robert McKernan and Senior Curator Kathleen Springer are scheduled for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. McKernan and Springer will preview the museum’s planned new Hall of Geological Wonders and discuss the museum’s new vision, “Our southwest: points in time,” along with plans for redesigning all museum exhibit galleries and future expansion. A new exhibit and video presentation related to the Hall of Geological Wonders will be previewed during the day.
Visitors will also see three floors of exhibits on regional cultural and natural history along with several special exhibits: “Hanging with the Staff,” “Salton Sea: lost lakes and salt dreams,” “Head to Toe: hats and shoes in the museum collections,” and “If These Buckets Could Talk: Tales from the Museum Collections.” All exhibits are free.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. Admission, all activities, and parking are free on Sunday, May 7. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org. The San Bernardino County Museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at least three business days prior to your visit. Visitor Services’ telephone number is 909-307-2669 ext. 229 or (TDD) 909-792-1462.
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