June 26, 2009

Museum offers free programs for families

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- On those days when the heat index is completely hot and the children are completely in need of something to do, area residents can check out the Completely Free Programs for Families at University Museum at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The programs cater to youngsters ages 7-14. Each program focuses on an exhibit or feature at the museum and expands it to help young people understand how art and culture can be relevant to their lives and interests.

Participants must pre-register by calling 618/453-5388. Call early to register because courses without a sufficient number of participants two days before the day of the program may be cancelled. Most programs are a single day, but some programs span two program days.

These programs are on the calendar:

• Summer Plantquest Book, July 1 and July 8, 10-11:30 a.m.

The first session sees participants making plant journals and collecting plants on campus. During the second session, participants visit University Museum to begin an art portfolio based on their collections.

• Just Plane Art, July 15, 10-11:30 a.m.

Participants make planes (and a helicopter) and in the process learn about shape, line and color.

• Our Town, July 22 and July 29, 10-11:30 a.m.

In the first session, participants visit the communities shown in the Pioneer Dioramas to learn what makes a working community. The next step that day is to make things for a community out of air-dry clay. In the second session, participants decorate the items they made and create a town.

• A Little Bit of Everything, Aug. 5, 10-11:30 a.m.

Participants will build a river, choose their favorite on-campus sculpture and create a fossil.