Archive

For those of you who have missed our bi-monthly newsletter, Friends, please be patient. Our newly redesigned, quarterly publication, Museum Road is soon on it's way! The debut issue will "hit the streets" in April, and will be published on a quarterly basis.

We've noticed that a number of our e-mail newsletters are being "bounced." If you think are on our mailing list, and are not receiving e-mail announcements, please take the time to adjust your Spam or Junk Mail filters, as well as your e-mail address book, to allow mail from Reading Public Museum and/or rpm@rpm.pmailus.com. And, we encourage you to update your profile by clicking on the envelope icon to the left, "Stay Informed."

You have been placed on that special e-mailing list either because you've "opted in" via the web, or have become a new member. At any time, if you no longer wish to receive these notices, there is an "opt out" option on each mailing.

Thanks!

In order to provide a better, safer environment for our art collection storage, we have temporarily closed certain Galleries during renovations. Those areas affected are: 20th Century Gallery (2nd Floor); Pennsylvania German Gallery (2nd Floor); and approximately 2/3 of the Pacific Islands Gallery (First Floor).

April 27-May 3, 2009 - Help celebrate the Philadelphia region's wide and rich selection of museums, gardens and historic sites by participating in Museum Week! Starting April 27, dozens of local and regional museums and attractions will offer special discounts and incentives for visitors. Check our Museum's special Adult Admission discount offer info at  www.phillyfunguide.com/MuseumWeek

The tradition continues! Bring your family and enjoy a stroll in the Arboretum, an egg hunt (with prizes) for the kids, photos with the Easter Bunny, and more! Click here for more details on this FREE day at the Museum.

Invitations for this year's Annual Gala, Octopus Garden, held on Saturday, April 25 from 6 p.m. until midnight, have been mailed out. If you haven't received yours, click here for info including a list of auction items. There's still time to get tickets, so don't miss the event of the season, inspired by the exhibition Dinosaurs of the Deep: Savage Ancient Seas.

The Reading Public Museum has been awarded accredited status by the American Association of Museums. In December, 2007, the Accreditation Committee had decided to table its decision to renew the Museum's accredited status, and listed their concerns in a detailed letter. These concerns were successfully addressed by a task force of Museum Staff and Board members within the required one-year period.

Ronald C. Roth, Director and CEO of the Reading Public Museum said, "This represents an outstanding achievement for the Museum staff and members of our Foundation Board, the Governor, members of our Berks legislation delegation, and the Friends of the Reading Museum, all of whom played key roles in the hard work necessary to address AAM concerns."

In his letter to the Museum, James Welu, Chair of the Accreditation Commission stated, "In granting accreditation, we applaud the Museum's outstanding response to our concerns. We are pleased to see how you really took advantage of the tabling period to improve operations."
 
Founded in 1906, the American Association of Museums (AAM) is dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum community. Through advocacy, professional education, accreditation and guidance on how to achieve current professional standards of performance, AAM helps museum staffs, boards and volunteers across the country serve the public. The Accreditation Committee is an independent and autonomous body, responsible for the ongoing administration of the association’s accreditation program and for rendering all decisions regarding accredited status.

In June, 1971, 16 museums became the first institutions to be granted accreditation by the AAM. The Reading Public Museum was one of the earliest to be accredited, and has continued to maintain that status, even as criteria became more stringent, reflecting the evolving nature of the museum field. Accredited museums are reviewed at least every ten years, and participation is entirely voluntary.

Today, just over 750 museums are accredited. For these museums, accredited status:
    • indicates the museum meets the program eligibility criteria and the Characteristics of and Accreditable Museum as set forth by the Accreditation Commission
    • demonstrates the museum has undergone a rigorous process of self-assessment and review by its peers
    • signifies that the museum fulfills its obligations to the public as set forth in its mission
    • recognizes the museum's commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement

Two core questions guide every accreditation review: 1) How well does the museum achieve its stated mission and goals?  2) How well does the museum's performance meet standards and best practices as they are generally understood in the field, as appropriate to its circumstances? A museum is evaluated against its own mission and the goals it has established in its institutional plan. This evaluation takes into account the museum’s resources for achieving its mission and goals.

Roth summed up the process and results by stating, "As a result of this process, we are a better Museum today than we were a year ago."

To see an article that appeared in the April 7, 2009 edition of the Reading Eagle, click here.

The weather was beautiful (if a bit chilly), the Arboretum was in full bloom and over 1,300 people of all ages experienced Easter at the Museum. Families enjoyed egg hunts with prizes, a visit with the Easter Bunny, free admission to the Galleries, hand-on activities for kids, a special gallery talk by Ron Roth, refreshments and more!

If you had your children's photos taken with the Easter Bunny by local photographer James Cucinotta, and would like to see/purchase the results, please log onto http://www.collages.net/store/guest_login.asp?eventcode=440891 . This link is valid for 90 days from 4/13/09.

We'd like to thank the following for all their help in continuing this wonderful tradition:
Our volunteers, the Museum Staff and security personnel, Rock Hits Y-102 (a gallant last-minute rescue), Cucinotta Images, Wolverton's Bike Shop, Boscov's, R. M. Palmer Confectionary, Reading Express, R/C Reading Movies 11 and IMAX, The Museum Shop, Stewart's Root Beer, and The Easter Bunny, himself!

And many thanks to this year's winner of our "Easter Memories at the Museum" photo contest, Linda A. Laumeister, of Wernersville, PA. You can see her winning entries by clicking here.

The lucky winner of the raffle prize of a week at the Museum Discovery Camp 2009 will be announced shortly.

Thanks to everyone for coming and making this a family tradition worth continuing!

The Reading Garden Club is thinking spring and well into the planning for their third biennial garden tour. This year “Gardens on Parade” will be held on June 13, 2009.

The gardens open at 10:00 AM and close at 3:00 PM. All proceeds from the tour and open air market sale are used amongst other endeavors, to maintain the Reading Museum Perennial Garden, make an annual contribution to Habitat for Humanity, the Berks Encore-Reading Windowsill Gardeners, which is a monthly program for senior citizens to keep them active and involved in the garden. As well, we contribute to other charities that are concerned with education and conservation issues such as Pennsylvania Resources Council, Berks County Conservancy and the Schuylkill River Greenway Association. The Reading Garden Club is an active participant in Wyomissing Earth Day.

The tour offers a great diversity of gardens ranging from a sumptuous, artisans perennial paradise to a fairyland designed for a very special little girl. In between you’ll loose yourself in a country French hideaway on the banks of the Tulpehocken and again in a simple, snug garden set amidst open meadows and a beautiful creek in the Wyomissing park lands that will leave you in awe. And who says you can’t garden in a retirement community. The residents of The Highlands at Wyomissing would say “come and see what we’ve done”. Several of the residents at The Highlands have their own vegetable and flower gardens that are truly delightful. While at The Highlands, enjoy refreshments that they will provide for their guests.

The gardens maintained by the Reading Garden Club at the Reading Public Museum will be highlighted as well. At the Museum, we will again have an open-air market, where you’ll find plants and other surprises for your home gardens. Also at the Museum, scheduled tours will be conducted through the beautiful Arboretum by the chairperson of the Landscape Committee, Gerry Gobright.

The Reading Public Museum Arboretum Assistants will be selling high-quality gardening books at discount prices at the Open Air Market. Proceeds from the books will be used by them to further enhance the Arboretum.

All home garden tours will be self-guided and tickets will be available at the homes where the gardens are located as well as in the museum open-air market. Advance tickets will be available at The Highlands of Wyomissing, the Wyomissing Library, and The Riverview Nursery. Tickets will be $12.00 each and children under 12 are free. Advance tickets will be available early in May or can also be purchased by contacting Jill Bertolet via e-mail at jbertolet@tapestrypressinc.com. You are cordially invited and we can only say “COME”!!!! and think Spring... it is just around the corner.

The Reading Public Museum is! On Wednesday, April 22, 2009 the Reading Public Museum received Berks County’s People’s Choice Award in the Art Gallery or Museum category.

2009 marks the county’s 12th annual People’s Choice Awards and the first year for the Art Gallery or Museum category. Berks County Living magazine and the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry head the event. Polk-Lepson Research Group collected the data for the awards through phone surveys with Berks County residents.

In conjunction with the Reading Musical Foundation, this year's concert features talented local vocalist, Maria Damore. The concert starts at 3 p.m. and is FREE!

Join us at noon this Tuesday, May 5, for Every Day Beauty: Pleasures of the Still Life Painting. Bring your lunch and feed your imagination!

The Museum's special exhibition Old Works in a New Light: Favorites from the Permanent Collection will reacquaint visitors with some of the gems of the Reading Public Museum's collection. Still life is one of the most interesting genres in the exhibition. Join Museum Director and CEO Ronald C. Roth for a Gallery Talk through the exhibition with a special emphasis on still life works.

Cost: Free with Museum admission.

Join us and you friends on Friday, May 15, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. for a fun after-work gathering celebrating the sea and our current exhibition, Dinosaurs of the Deep: Savage Ancient Seas.

Enjoy drinks, hors d'oeuvres, the Caribbean rhythms of Lime Time (featuring steel drums, rhythm guitar, trumpet and vocals), a treasure hunt and more!

Admission to "Jive After Five" is $25 for Non-members and $15 for Members, and includes admission to the galleries in the Museum, light hors d' oeuvres and refreshments.

Special $5 discount to GRYP, G-Clef Generation, and Leadership Berks members -- show your I.D at the front desk!

Title Sponsor: CTCE Federal Credit Union; Food Sponsor: Third & Spruce Café; Series Promotional Sponsor: Y-102 Rock Hits.

For more information, click here.

On Friday, May 29 at 6:00 p.m., investigate the real detective story behind one of the Museum's most popular and controversial paintings. This lecture, by Museum Director and CEO Ronald C. Roth, is in conjunction with the exhibition Old Works in a New Light: Favorites from the Permanent Collection.

A special section of the exhibition explores the mystery surrounding the authenticity of one of the Museum's most important paintings, Cotopaxi – until recent years attributed to America's great 19th century landscape artist, Frederic Edwin Church.

Despite Cotopaxi’s original attribution to artist Frederic Edwin Church, the painting’s authenticity was questioned in the 1990s when the Museum’s collection was assessed. Concerned with the painting's demotion, the Museum asked Gerald Carr, a Church scholar, to assess the painting. Carr determined that Cotopaxi was not painted by Frederic Church, but rather by De Witt Clinton Boutelle, a painter from eastern Pennsylvania. Find out the full story!

Cost: $10 - Members/$15 - Non-members
(registration recommended - call 610-371-5850 x227)

Got vino? On Friday, June 5, join Guest Lecturer: Chadds Ford Wine Educator, Frank Patterson, PhD., for a fascinating discussion on the tradition of wine making during the Roman era and taste samples of wines from the Campagna region in Italy.

Event Time: 6 p.m. Cost: $15 Members/$20 Non-members

Registration Required. Sorry, we are full for this evening's presentation. Thanks for your interest!

It's soon time for this annual two-day event, Tuesday, June 2 and Wednesday, June 3 (rain date Thursday, June 4) held for the third year on the Museum grounds. Click here for more information!

Note: Our parking lot will be unavailable starting Sunday May 31 through that week until June 5.  Museum visitors will please find street parking.

In cooperation with Reading Movies 11 and IMAX, we're celebrating the run of Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian (opening May 22) by making available $3.00 Off discount coupons for this movie during its IMAX engagement. Stop by The Museum Shop and pick them up, and, while you're here, why not spend a day at the Museum!

Plus, there are a limited number of discount coupons for Museum admission available at the IMAX box office (valid through July 17,2009), so be sure to ask when you're there to enjoy the movie. A great movie, a great Museum, and a great deal!!!!

Leesport, PA firm, Artige Design LLC/Bright Sign & Maintenance Co. Inc., recently took first place honors in the "AWNINGS & BANNER - Channel" category of Sign Of The Times magazine's annual International Sign Design Contest. Congratulations!

Their uniquely designed banner frame (17' x 9') allows Museum personnel to easily raise and lower new 12 ft. 10 in. x 7 ft. 9 in. vinyl banners which highlight current exhibitions. Designed by John Thies, this aluminum superstructure utilizes an internal multi-pulley system.

For a photo of the sign and more info, check out  http://signweb.com/index.php/channel/3/id/3785

The Arboretum Assistants will be selling a large selection of GARDEN BOOKS at their new stand at the Reading Hospital Garden Party on Tuesday, June 2nd and Wednesday, June 3rd.

Receive one free canna with each book purchased! Prices range from $12.95 to $59.95.

Friday, June 12 - A Family Evening at the Museum and Planetarium includes special viewing of the Planetarium Show The Enchanted Reef, a tour of the Museum's exhibition Dinosaurs of the Deep: Savage Ancient Seas, a pizza dinner, music by Miss Maggie Sings and hands-on art project.

Cost for Members: $10 per adult/$5 per child/$30 for a family of five; Non-Members: $15 per adult/$10 per child/$50 for a family of five.

Event Time: 5-8 p.m. (4:45 check-in)

Saturday, June 27 - FREE! - Bring the family for an "underwater" adventure in conjunction with the current exhibition Savage Ancient Seas: Dinosaurs of the Deep.

See the distant relatives of the ancient sea creatures in our live reptile demonstration (3 p.m., Auditorium); let the kids participate in a "dino dig"; make your own "sea monster diorama"; enjoy story readings and family tours throughout the day; catch a special performance by the Institute of the Arts theater students (11:30 a.m. & 12:15 p.m., Family Learning Center); and listen to the live music of Hesse's Nasty Nine (1 p.m., outdoors).

Free admission to the Museum on this day!

On Thursday, June 18, join us and your friends on a bus trip to the Allentown Art Museum for the exhibition Fashion in Film: Period Costumes for the Screen and to Muhlenberg College for a visit with their Theatre Department's Costume Designer.

Bus departs Sears Auto parking lot at 8 a.m. and returns at 5:00 p.m.

To register, call our Department of Lifelong Learning at 610-371-5850, ext. 227 or ext. 230. The cost is $65 Members/$75 Non-Members.

Join us this Sunday, June 21 at 3 p.m. "under the Linden Tree" for the annual Father's Day Concert featuring the Reading Pops. It's part of the Museum Concert Series, co-presented by the Reading Musical Foundation, and it's FREE! Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the music.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held at Alvernia College.

On Friday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m., join the Reading Public Museum for a talk by one of the leading experts on astronomy, Dr. Lucy McFadden.

Dr. McFadden will talk about her trip to Antarctica searching for meteorites, and how it relates to NASA’s current “Dawn” mission to asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres.

Dr. McFadden’s current scientific research involves learning as much about Vesta and Ceres as possible to prepare for the Dawn mission’s orbiting of Vesta (2011-2012) and Ceres (2015). To that end, she has acquired multi-color images of Vesta with Hubble Space Telescope to map its surface and to explore what constraints can be placed on its composition. In addition to conducting research, Lucy McFadden has been the Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Director for NASA missions: EPOXI, Deep Impact, and Dawn. Dr. McFadden is a member of the Graduate Faculty of the Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland and was the founding Faculty Director for College Park Scholars Program: Science, Discovery & the Universe. Dr. McFadden is also an editor of the Encyclopedia of the Solar System.

Cost: $15 Non-Members/$5 for Members of Reading Public Museum and Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society.

Pre-registration is recommended: 610-371-5850 ext. 227.

This lecture is generously sponsored by David and Barbara Thun and is offered
in partnership with the Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society.

There are only a few openings left (August 10-14 sessions, for 10 &11 year olds)! Hurry, call 610-371-5850 x227 for more information

This Saturday and Sunday, the Museum will be open noon-4 p.m.

The exhibition opens this Sunday, July 12 at noon. The Opening Reception is from 4-6 p.m., with awards and sponsor purchases announced at 5 p.m. There will be refreshments and music will be provided by Jack Keller, classical pianist (free with regular Museum admission fee).

For details about Berks County's largest juried art exhibition, click here.

Our Annual Gala is our largest single-event fundraiser and we'd like your advice on ways to make it better! Please click here and take a few minutes to fill out the handy online survey.

This Friday, July 24, actors from Genesius Theatre will perform selections from their upcoming (August 14, 15 and 16) Museum concert performances of the musical "Chess." It's in our Atrium from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m., and it's free! Come and hear some of the best voices in Berks.

Regular Museum admission fees apply, if you'd like to visit the rest of our exhibitions, including our newest, From Raw to Refined (Members free). For more info on the August full Concert Performances (plus wine/hors d' oeuvres), and for tickets, visit www.genesiustheatre.org.

Join us on Friday, August 7, as we travel to the newest family destination in the region. The newly expanded museum at Memorial Hall includes such interactive exhibits as City Capers, Flight Fantasy, River Adventures, Wonderland and more. The day’s visit will include an orientation, 90-minute visit through Museum galleries, a ride on the Museum’s carousel and time for lunch. Participants may bring lunch or purchase in the Please Taste Café.

Children must be 4 years of age. Bus departs from Sears Auto at 7:30 a.m.               

Cost: $65 Adult member/$55 Child Member; $70 Adult Non-Member/$60 Child Non-member. Call 610-371-5850 x227 for details.

On August 14, 15 and 16, enjoy a unique experience at the Museum as Genesius Theatre presents special performances of the musical Chess. Check out some of the best voices in Berks as they present this exciting production with lyrics by Tm Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita) and music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA.

Performances will be held in the Atrium on each of these three days. The $50 ticket includes food, a complimentary glass of wine and the performance.

For tickets, times and more information about the show (including special "performance-only" tickets), visit www.genesiustheatre.org or call 610-371-8151.

On Saturday, August 15, Noon-5 p.m., bring your "best friend" and enjoy the festivities at this annual event.

Details are available at www.wrfy.com/pages/dogdays.html.

Tickets go on sale on Monday, August 17, for Alegria from Cirque du Soleil — coming to the Sovereign Center in Reading from October 20-25.



Please visit the link below to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public. (August 12-16 only) This will give you the opportunity to choose any show date and time you desire before the prime seats become unavailable. 

Plus, you save $10 per ticket for Level 1 and 2 seats!

Presale access and information on Alegria is available at the link below:
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/special/alegria/reading.htm

After accessing the link, simply click the Cirque Club Member Exclusive link.

Thank you for your interest in Alegria by Cirque du Soleil and enjoy the show!

On Sunday, September 13, join us for an afternoon outdoors on the beautiful grounds of the Reading Public Museum with musical guests, the Jazz Katz. Meet up with old friends or make new ones while eating, drinking, and networking. Food will not be served so we invite you to bring your own blanket and picnic feast or snack. Become a part of history as John Pankratz photographs attendees for the Faces of Reading project.

The mission of Culture Soup is to work together to develop unique arts programming designed for young professionals in our Greater Reading community. Culture Soup is a collaborative effort between the Reading Public Museum, the Reading Symphony Orchestra, the Berks Arts Council, GoggleWorks, Leadership Berks at Alvernia University, and Greater Reading Young Professionals.

Admission: $7 for adults/Free for children 12 and under. Admission includes two drink vouchers for our wine and beer tasting. Free non-alcoholic beverages will be available.

For more information please call Lauren McCarroll at 610-371-5850 x230 or e-mail her at lauren.mccarroll@readingpublicmuseum.org

On Sunday, September 20, from noon to 4 p.m., the First Annual Berks County Recovery Walk will be held to promote positive awareness of the benefits of recovery from all addictions in the local community and to celebrate National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

Beginning with a walk from Reading Area Community College to the Reading Public Museum, the day continues with food, drinks, music and activities in the Arboretum at the Museum.

Sponsors for the event include Easy Does It, Inc., the Council on Chemical Abuse, and Caron Treatment Centers. All are welcome and the cost is free!

For details, click here.

Tune in WEEU on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 8:07 a.m. to hear Gene London, live in the studio, chatting with Charlie Adams about our current exhibition and... who knows what else? Two of this area's greatest story tellers are guaranteed to brighten your morning!

This Wednesday, September 16, 9:30 - 11 p.m., Gene London will appear live during pledge breaks as WHYY, TV12 in Philadelphia, airs the nostalgic program, "Philly's Favorite Kids Show Hosts."

Don't miss it! Gene will be in the studio adding his own personal comments about those wonderful early days of live television, as well as talking about his upcoming exhibition here at the Museum. And don't forget to call and make your pledge.

Click here for more info.

Sorry, but due to popular demand, the added "Evening with Gene London" show, scheduled for this Friday evening, October 9, has just been sold out!

Thanks for your interest, and keep your eye on our Web site to see if we are able to add other shows.

Join us this Thursday evening, October 1, at 6 p.m. for October for a lecture by George H. Edmonds, author of Dream Gardener: Pioneer Nurseryman Bertrand H. Farr and Wyomissing - An American Dream: Enterprise Shaping Community. He will present a slide show using Farr's historic tinted-glass slides and a talk about Farr's amazing transformation from music-man to world-famous nurseryman; his contributions to American horticulture; the mysteries surrounding his life in Iowa, Boston, and Wyomissing; and his legacy at the Arboretum of the Reading Public Museum.

Sponsored by the Penn State Master Gardeners of Berks County

Cost: $10 Non-Members/$5 Members. Light refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is recommended. For more information, call 610-371-5850 x230.

Friday, Oct 2 from 5:30-8 p.m, make your starring appearance at a special "Red Carpet" Opening Night Reception and Fundraiser, in honor of the dazzling new exhibition, The Magic of Hollywood: The Gene London Costume Collection.

Celebrate the glamour of Hollywood at this exciting sneak preview! Wear your favorite Red Carpet attire and be sure smile for the paparazzi! Meet and greet special guest Gene London; enjoy music, complimentary wine, beer, soft soft drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the Atrium; check out the cigar tent and cash martini bar, and be prepared for a few surprises!

Admission is $50 for Members, $65 for Non-Members. For more information and to R.S.V.P., contact Lauren McCarroll at 610-371-5850 x230 or lauren.mccarroll@readingpublicmuseum.org.

Event sponsored by Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

In-Kind Support provided by:
The Food Muse (www.thefoodmuse.com)
Reading Rentals (www.readingrentals.com)
Kensington Tobacconist (610-373-5001)

Note: The Museum's regular hours will end at 5 p.m. on this day, because of this event.

WOW! What a night, and what a turnout! The "red carpet premiere" and fundraiser on Friday night, October 2, was a great success with hundreds of wonderful fans attending.

Here's a link where you can see and order official paparazzi photos from the event: If you had you your pic taken by the photographer (Richard Entzminger) at our "official premeire backdrop," check www.photosbylightart.com to view and order.

We're working on a way for you to see all of the other shots taken by our staff and members of the Berks Photographic Society! Too many great shots to post here!

Guests included actress Kelly McGillis, actress Lisa Eichhorn (who flew in from London to be here!); Natalie Bubnis, Associate Producer/Talent on "The View," Albert Boscov and, of course Gene London! Many thanks to all of our gracious supporters, sponsors, in-kind donators, Board members and staff for making this truly a night to remember.

Find out this Friday at 6 p.m.! Join Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society Member Ron Kunkel for a discussion on the re-classification of Pluto. He'll discuss the announced discovery of 2005 UB313, aka Planet X, which caused scientists to reevaluate what constitutes a planet. The talk will briefly explore the four inner Solar System planets, the Asteroids in the Asteroid Belt, and our outer Solar System. Find out why Pluto is not like any of the other eight planets, nor are any of the 1100 other rocks out beyond Neptune!

In the Auditorium. Cost: Free for Museum and BCAAS Members; $10 for Non-Members.

Join us on Friday, November 6 at 6 p.m. for the third of this fascinating three-part lecture series.

Coco Chanel once commented that "fashion is architecture." It is true that fashion reflects many of the same cultural forces seen in painting, sculpture and architecture, and can be used as a marker for understanding the psyche of a society. This series will integrate fashion and the other visual arts to give a clearer picture of various aspects of Western civilization.

Final lecture in this series:
"Fashion as the Universal Language"

Cost per lecture: $5 Members/$10 Non-Members. For registration/flier, click here.

Bring the kids this Friday, October 30, 4:45-7 p.m., for a fun-filled night including a Halloween themed Planetarium show, tour of the Museum's spookiest artifacts, dinner, and Halloween craft. Prizes will be given for kids' costumes.

Sorry! As of 10/27/09, we are filled with reservations! Be on the lookout for our next family event on December 5!

Members: $10 per adult, $5 per child or $30 for a family of five/ Non-Members: $15 per adult, $10 per child or $50 for a family of five.

For more info (pdf flier), click here.

On Sunday, November 8, celebrate the collaboration between the Museum and the Berks Arts Council's Greater Reading Film Festival and join us for a fun-filled afternoon and evening of silver screen magic.

View one of Hitchcock's classics, Rear Window (3 p.m. at the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences main Auditorium) and then move on to the Museum for the festival's official Closing Reception in the Atrium (5:30-8 p.m.).

See our dazzling exhibition (including one of the dresses worn by Grace Kelly in the film), and meet and greet Gene London himself! Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served.

For more information on tickets and pricing, visit www.fandango.com or call Berks Arts Council at 610-898-1930.

Saturday. October 31 is your last day to see our exhibition, From Raw to Refined. For details, click here. Don't miss it!

We're looking for members of the community to join in the camaraderie of their annual Arboretum Fall Clean-Up Day. This event, organized by the Arboretum Committee, will be held this Saturday, November 14, 2009, from 9 a.m. until noon. (Rain date: Sunday, November 15).

Last year's event brought dozens of energetic volunteers together to help put the Museum's award-winning grounds "to bed for the winter." The Museum hopes the community will once again pitch-in to assist in this enormous undertaking.Volunteers help groom the grounds (i.e. raking leaves, sweeping, picking up debris, etc.). Individuals, neighborhood and family groups, student groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, garden clubs, and church groups are encouraged to participate. No experience is necessary.

For more info, call 610-371-5850 ext. 239, and leaving your name and phone number. Or, e-mail Karin W. at arborasst@readingpublicmuseum.org.

On Sunday, November 15, at 1 p.m., Ron Roth, Director and CEO of the Reading Public Museum will give a presentation about the Museum, its holdings, and events titled From the Mummy to the Mayans: Rediscovering the Reading Public Museum.

The lecture is at Studio B, a home for art in the historic heart of Boyertown, PA.
It is a community-run art center built in conjunction with the Arts & Activities Alliance of Building A Better Boyertown. The gallery and art studio is located at 39A East Philadelphia Avenue, Boyertown, PA 19512. (coffee and conversation from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the day of the program)

For more info, check www.studiobbb.org

"Jack Frost & the Skies of Winter," a presentation by Planetarium Director Mark Mazurkiewicz, will be the topic of Noontime Knowledge on Tuesday, December 1, in The Planetarium.

Jack Frost teaches the two about the stars of the winter Hexagon, constellation lore, facts about star color and temperature, unique techniques for finding the winter constellations, as well as an open-minded and imaginative approach to better understanding star pictures. Be the first to preview this new Planetarium offering.

Free to Members, cost of admission for Non-Members.

We hope you get a chance to visit the Museum and The Planetarium during the upcoming holiday season. Our regular hours apply, with the following exceptions:

Thursday, December 24, 2009 - Museum open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; offices close at 4 p.m.
Friday, December 25, 2009 - Museum and offices closed
Thursday, December 31, 2009 - Museum open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; offices close at 4 p.m.
Friday, January 1, 2010 - Museum and offices closed

On December 3, join the First Thursday festivities at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington Street in Reading from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. And it's all free!

Listen as GoggleWorks artists talk about their artwork in the 5th Annual GoggleWorks Studio Artist Exhibition; come early to catch a glassblowing demonstration beginning at 5 p.m. and running through 7 p.m.; stay to enjoy live poetry readings by Berks Bards from 6-8 p.m. with featured poet Glenn McLaughlin and open mic to follow; enter a raffle to attend a GoggleWorks Holiday Workshop; explore the five GoggleWorks galleries while sipping on wine and enjoying light hors d'oeuvres.


Culture Soup is a collaborative effort between the Reading Public Museum, the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Greater Reading Young Professionals, Leadership Berks at Alvernia University, GoggleWorks and Berks Arts Council. Its mission is to work together to develop unique arts programming designed to engage young professionals in our Greater Reading Community.

For a flier on this event, click here to download a PDF file.

On Dec. 5, bring the family for a free day of Winter Wonderland fun! Celebrate the winter season with arts, crafts, story readings and performances by the Institute of the Arts Theater students at 12:30 p.m. and Berks Classical Children's Chorus at 2 p.m. (courtesy Reading Musical Foundation). Free, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.!

In case of snow or other weather-related issues, we will post the status of the Museum and its offices right here in this "News" section, as soon as the decision is made.

Information will also be available on WEEU (830 AM in Reading, PA) and through the 69 News Stormcenter on the following media outlets:
• WFMZ  (www.wfmz.com)
• WFMZ-TV Channel 69 (crawl on bottom of screen)
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Ronald C. Roth has elected to step down as Director and CEO of the Reading Public Museum effective December 31, 2009. He has served in these positions since joining the Museum in 2002.

The Foundation for the Reading Public Museum Board of Directors will begin a search for a new director after spending an appropriate amount of time to more fully understand the current and future strategic needs of the Museum, and to accurately define what role the director should play.

To assure a smooth transition for the Museum staff during this period, the Board has appointed Donald C. Bristol to serve as Interim Administrative Director.

During Roth’s tenure, in addition to the many family-oriented science, art and cultural exhibitions and programming offered, the Museum has hosted a variety of outstanding exhibitions, including DINOSAURS!, Dale Chihuly: A Celebration of Glass, Keith Haring: Journey of the Radiant Baby, Degas and the Art of Japan, Born to be Wild: Adventures in the Art of Motorcycle Design  and the very popular The Magic of Hollywood: The Gene London Costume Collection, currently on display.

In an effort to expand the Museum’s presence in the community, Roth actively sought collaborations with local organizations, most recently helping to organize “Culture Soup,” a partnership with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Berks Arts Council, GoggleWorks, Greater Reading Young Professionals and Leadership Berks at Alvernia University. He also established several unique offerings at the Museum such as “Bagels & Bach” and “Jive After Five.” Also, he spearheaded the establishment of the new Works on Paper Gallery, the Family Learning Gallery and the renovation of the Latin American Gallery.

Under Roth’s guidance, the Museum regained accreditation in 2009 by the American Association of Museums. The renovation of The Planetarium at the Reading Public Museum was accomplished during his tenure, as well as the revitalization of the Museum’s noteworthy Arboretum.

We're sorry, but as of 1/11/10, our unveiling of the forensic sculpture of our resident mummy, Nefrina, this Friday evening, January 15, is full, and we are no longer taking reservations.

Please stop by during regular Museum hours beginning January 15, and check out this special focus exhibition, Nefrina's World, and find out what she looked like during her lifetime!

On Friday, January 22, at 6 p.m., artist Steven Siegel will present a free lecture at the Reading Public Museum as part of the exhibition, Wonderful Life.

This collaborative multi-venue exhibition, opening January 18 and continuing through February 26, 2010, will be at the Freyberger Gallery, Penn State Berks; the Freedman Gallery, Albright College; and the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA. The lecture at the Museum will be preceded by a reception at the GoggleWorks from 4-5 p.m. Other opening receptions include one on January 21 from 5-7 p.m. at the Freedman Gallery, and from 6-8 p.m. at the Freyberger Gallery.

Wonderful Life is a collection of 52 sculptural wall pieces made of everyday objects found in hardware or art supply stores. The work reflects the artist's interest in biology and the progression of cellular or biomorphic growth and its cumulative changes over time if left with no forces that intercept or influence it. The exhibition was created over a six-year period, and, according to Siegel, "is about the simple, cumulative changes that generate form, from generation to generation."

Steven Siegel, currently living in upstate New York, has received numerous grants and awards, and has completed site sculptures and installations in the United States and abroad. Marilyn J. Fox, director of the Freyberger Gallery, has coordinated this exhibition to produce a county-wide opportunity for a broader audience to experience its grand scope.

The Penn State Berks campus is currently displaying a recently completed monumental outdoor sculpture, Two of 'em, created by Siegel with the help of campus and community volunteers.

Coming Friday, February 5 to the Schaeffer Auditorium, a "Roaring 20's" dinner with the Mark of Zorro and more!

America's only year-round, professional silent film orchestra, re-creating "America's Original Music" will perform Mortimer Wilson's Spanish-influenced original score with the 1920's movie by Douglas Fairbanks that defined the swashbuckling genre and was the first film version of the legendary character.



For the Reading Public Museum visitors, just bring your recent Museum admissions receipt for a $5 discount.

For more information, click on the link to their Web site http://www.kutztown.edu/activities/kupas/

On Sunday, Valentine's Day, what a great way to start the day — live music and light breakfast in the Museum's beautiful Atrium! For details, click here.

Be sure to check out the new exhibition, "Desolate Places, Crowded Spaces: The Photography of Anne Heimann," opening February 19 and continuing through April 18, 2010. It features a collection of twenty images connecting nature with artificial worlds.

For more info, click here.

The Museum's Arboretum Assistants program is gearing up for the 2010 season, and is currently accepting new volunteers to help in the beautification and upkeep of the Museum's 24 acres.

Volunteers are asked to contribute 14 Wednesday mornings, 9 a.m. until noon, from April through October. New this year, the program is offering monthly Thursday evening volunteer opportunities for those who cannot participate during the day. Educational and social opportunities are provided to volunteers, many who return year after year.

For those who would like to volunteer and/or receive more information, please call Karin Wulkowicz, Arboretum Chair, at 610-775-1485 or leave a message at the Museum at 610-371-5850 x239.

Join us this Thursday, March 18, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. for "Star Light, Star Bright."

Meet under the stars at The Planetarium! Gaze at our latest music and light show under the dome and take in live music in the lobby. This event is in conjunction with the GRYP Third Thursday Museum Event. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.

$5 Members/$10 Non-Members

Promotional Sponsor: Y102     Food Sponsor: 3rd & Spruce Café

This Sunday from 10 a.m. - noon, join us for light breakfast and live music in our beautiful Atrium and enjoy "Genesius Theatre Presents the Music of Hollywood."

In celebration of the current exhibition, The Magic of Hollywood: The Gene London Costume Collection, Genesius Theatre presents a revue featuring music from top movie musicals and Academy Award winning songs! From the early classics to recent favorites, you'll enjoy an entertaining show complete with singers, band and narrator.

Admission to Bagels & Bach is $25 for Non-Members and $15 for Members and includes light breakfast, the concert and admission to the Museum after the show. Reservations suggested (for food count). Call 610-3711-5850 x264.

A Potter's Easter hops back to the Museum this Saturday, March 20 from noon-4p.m. in the Atrium.

Lester Breininger will be on hand to show and sell his newest Easter Egg designs, bunnies and redware pottery. A portion of all sales will benefit The Reading Public Museum. 

Admission is free. Don't miss it!

The current exhibition, "The Magic of Hollywood: The Gene London Costume Collection," will close early due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts. There was concern that the costumes might suffer damage from environmental exposure due to the exhibit's originally planned length of eight months.

This collection of over 130 dazzling costumes from Hollywood's golden era will be on view now through the end of Museum hours on Sunday, April 4, 2010.

Don't miss this dazzling show before it's too late! For more info, click here.

Join your friends at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza Reading and be a part of the world-renowned VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest for a night of music and fun. Saxophonist Mike Eben and his band, "From the HIP," will deliver their own spin on classic and modern jazz, soul, funk and fusion.

Tickets are $10 at the door or available by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3300. GRYP and Leadership Berks Core Class Members and Alumni can stop by the Culture Soup table inside the Jazz Base to pick up a voucher for a free glass of Barefoot wine or beer donated by Eagle Distributing. (Must have valid show ticket for a voucher. One voucher per person. Limited number of vouchers; first come, first served.) Also, while at the Culture Soup table, enter to win a "Basket of Goodies" from participating Culture Soup Organizations.

For a promotional flier, click here.

Culture Soup is a collaborative effort between the Reading Public Museum, the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Greater Reading Young Professionals, Leadership Berks at Alvernia University and Berks Arts Council. The mission of Culture Soup is to work together to develop unique arts programming designed to engage young professionals in our Greater Reading Community.

The 2009 version of our Report to the Community is available now as a PDF file download by clicking www.readingpublicmuseum.org/pdf/rpm_com-rep09_web.pdf. In it, you'll find photos, information about this past year's programs and events, financial and Membership statistics, and more.

A list of our 2009 donors is also available at www.readingpublicmuseum.org/support/donor_list.php. If you are unable to download or view the Report, please contact Megan Kintzer at 610-371-5850 x232 or by e-mail at megan.kintzer@readingpublicmuseum.org.

There will be no mass mailing or distribution of a printed Report this year.

Kids, bring your parents and enjoy a story reading, mini-tour and hands-on activity for ages 4 and 5. Now at both 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Today's story: Hush, Little Digger by Ellen Olson Brown

$5/Participating Child, chaperone free

If you had your photo taken with the Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday at the Museum by photographer Roxanne Richardson, and would like to view/order online, please visit www.collages.net

Enter user name: Easter Bunny Photos and password: 21828

Thanks for helping to make "Easter at the Museum" a fun tradition!

Congratulations to this year's winner, Oriana Brenneman from Bowmansville, Pa. She brought in a photo of her family celebrating Easter at the Museum in 1974. To check out here winning entry and comments, click here.

Many thanks to all who participated. See them all on display next year!

"Architecture: The Art That Surrounds Us" is a series of three lectures by Marlisa Mizerak focusing on architecture as a cultural reflector and a hallmark of humanity's achievements -- from the breathtaking poetry of the Gothic cathedrals to the clean lines of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style homes to the twisting forms of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

The third of the series is "Looking East, Looking West"

The West's ongoing fascination with the East has been an important part of the history of Western art, and Frank Lloyd Wright was not immune to this phenomenon. We will look at some of the important moments in this dialog, not only in Wright's work, but also in the work of modern architects Tadao Ando and I.M. Pei.

Cost is $5 per Member/$10 per Non-Member. For more information and to register, click here or call 610-371-5850 x227.

To those of you who made our annual Gala a success, a huge thanks! Photos taken by our roving photographer are now available for viewing/downloading/ordering prints through our Flickr® account. For a slide show of available photos, log onto http://www.flickr.com/photos/readingpublicmuseum/sets/72157623962082232/show/ or to download/order, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/readingpublicmuseum/sets/72157623962082232/

For a free download, click on the desired photo, then click on the "all sizes" icon above the photo. You'll be able to choose from a variety of file sizes to download.

If you open a free Flickr account, you'll also have an option to order prints via their Snapfish service. The "order prints" icon will then appear above your selected photo.

Join your friends after work (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and celebrate spring! Listen to live music by local favorite Maggie Spike. Watch as "Best of Berks" winner Petals on Penn designer creates a whimsical floral arrangement based on a favorite artwork in the Museum's collection. Enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.  $5 Members/$10 Non-Members

Feed your imagination! "Going Green" with speaker Kevin Murphy, President of the Berks County Community Foundation. Free with Museum admission (Members free). Noon.

Kids, bring your parents and enjoy a story reading, mini-tour and hands-on activity for ages 4 and 5. Now at both 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. This week's story: Imogene's Antlers by David Small

$5/Participating Child, chaperone free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

This Sunday at 3 p.m., enjoy the sounds of "Bob Kreitz & Friends" for the annual Mother's Day concert in our Auditorium. Presented by the Reading Musical Foundation, this concert is free to the public (with limited seating).

Taught by Penn State Master Gardeners, a four-part series of Sunday afternoon classes. (meet at 2 p.m. on the steps of the Museum). Each session includes a presentation of the topic and a stroll to appropriate areas of the Arboretum.

May 16 - Design Concepts - Learn how the application of design elements and principles can provide visual continuity throughout any garden.

MAY 23 - Right Plant, Right Place - Join our experts as we walk the grounds to observe and discuss the successes (and failures) of plantings. Learn why the siting of plants with regard to soil, sun or shade, moisture and hardiness zone is critical to gardening success.

JUNE 6 - Foliage and Texture - How does textural diversity contribute to the visual quality of your garden? Join our presenters in the Arboretum to explore the textures, colors and forms that combine to create an appealing landscape.

June 13 - A Garden for All Seasons - Spring enchantment - Summer bounty - Fall color - Winter interest

Cost: $8 Museum Members/$12 Non-Members per class or $25 Museum Members/$40 Non-Members for class package (all 4 classes). Space is limited.

For more info and a registration flier, click here.

Join us this Saturday, May 22nd, at 10 a.m., as the Arboretum Assistants, with the help of Daisy Troop #189 of Wyomissing, create a Sunflower Tunnel by planting approximately seventy feet of Sunflower seeds. Scarlet Runner Bean and Hyacinth Bean seeds will be interspersed with the sun flowers in two parallel rows. Smaller varieties of sunflowers will be planted alongside the tunnel to provide examples of more suitably sized garden worthy plants.  

This project consisting of all annual plants will be located on the north side of the creek.  

As the sun flowers grow tall, the vines will climb the stalks and eventually cross over on supportive strings to form the "roof" of the tunnel.

Feed your imagination! "Quilts, Samplers and Coverlets, Oh My! PA Dutch Textiles in Daily Life" with speaker Candice Perry, Curator of the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.

Begins at noon. Free with Museum admission (Members free).

Kids, bring your parents and enjoy a story reading, mini-tour and hands-on activity for ages 4 and 5. Now at both 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Today's story: Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens

$5/Participating Child, chaperone free

Kids, bring your parents and enjoy a story reading, mini-tour and hands-on activity for ages 4 and 5. Now at both 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

This week's story: The Totem Pole by Allison Milford

$5/Participating Child, chaperone free

Summer's here, and so is the fun and educational Museum Discovery Camp, starting June 28 for ages four and five. Each week, a separate age group (4 & 5, 6 & 7, 8 & 9, 10 & 11) will enjoy exciting programs in an unmatched environment.

There are still openings in some of the sessions, so check out http://www.readingpublicmuseum.org/education/summer_camp.php for details!

Thanks to all who attended last Friday evening's (June 25) Gallery Talk by Candace Perry, subbing for Louisa Bartlett, and Opening Receptions (for both the Jun Kaneko and Cultural Celebration exhibitions).

The turnout was great, and lecture very informative. be sure to stop in over the summer to check out these exhibitions and more!

For a long while, interest has been brewing in the reopening of our Pennsylvania German Gallery. Now it's crunch time!

In our main parking lot, you'll now see signs saying "PARKING FOR MUSEUM, PLANETARIUM AND ARBORETUM PATRONS ONLY." (see photo) These were installed and will be enforced by the City of Reading Police Department. Please be courteous to our visitors and save yourself a hefty parking fine by heeding these signs. Thanks!

As of August 1, 2010, the Museum is longer open until 8 p.m.on Fridays, except for special events as noted on our Web site. Regular Friday hours will be 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. -- the same as they are for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. On Sundays, we'll continue to be open Noon - 5 p.m.

Laser/Music Shows at The Planetarium will continue on Friday evenings beginning in October.

On Sunday, August 15, West Reading Main Street and Merchants host the "Taste of West Reading," a farm-to-table inspired culinary experience from 4-8 p.m. on the grounds of the Museum. This event will showcase two crown jewels of West Reading; the chefs of West Reading restaurants and the bounty of West Reading Farmer’s Market vendors.

The Farmer’s Market vast array of fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats will give West Reading chefs an opportunity to create their signature dishes using all local food. Guests will dine on several courses, sip local wines and savor the beauty of the Museum’s Arboretum while enjoying live music. A silent and live auction will showcase items from West Reading shops and stores. The event will feature family friendly activities, including Farmer’s Market “Learning Corner” to help show kids where food comes from.

The annual fundraiser supports the West Reading Main Street non-profit program as they look to expand their community activities and events and economic development of Penn Avenue. For more information, www.westreadingmainstreet.org and click on events calendar.

We're happy to announce, that, after being closed for several months, our Oceanic Gallery on the second floor is now open to the public. It had been temporarily closed to help facilitate temporary storage while we renovated other areas to provide better, safer environment for our art collection.

Thanks for your patience! Our 20th Century Gallery is next on the list!