Published: July 19, 2008 01:53 am            

Carnegie Center hosts Day at the Museum event

Maverick Belden, 4, is all boy.

While his sister was busy molding a pretty clay pot outside the Carnegie Center for Art & History on Friday, Belden was shaping something a little more slithery.

“It’s a snake,” he proclaimed while holding the 2-foot-long mock reptile above his head.

His grandmother, New Albany resident Vicky Stone, stood back and smiled. She brought four grandchildren to the first Day at the Museum event, hosted by the center, in hopes they could have fun and learn something, too.

“It’s great that they are doing this for the kids,” Stone said.

Throughout the day, children took part in free activities ranging from face painting to creating their own design on a tie-dyed T-shirt.

“We wanted to draw people to the Carnegie Center to show we’re not just a place of art, but also a place of fun,” said Delesha Thomas, public relations associate for the center.

Thomas is credited with coming up with the idea for a family fun day, and the community response was overwhelming.

Museum Curator Karen Gillenwater said they had received reservations for 125 kids for the event, and that’s not counting the adults and children who showed up without prior notice.

“We’ve had a fabulous turnout,” Gillenwater said, adding they only began publicizing the event a week ago.

Several volunteers helped grill hot dogs, make popcorn and supervise the children. There was storytelling with former children’s librarian Ruth Houghton — who worked for the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library — and reading activities sponsored by Community Alliances to Promote Education.

At the end of the afternoon, kids were able to get a laugh while watching the comedy film “Night at the Museum.”

Thomas said the event was an extension of the center’s family-geared Saturday program, which occurs the second Saturday of each month.

“It’s just about family and fun and keeping people busing during summer vacation,” she said.

Thomas kept busy by putting her artistic abilities to work in painting eight kids faces within the first 15 minutes of the day, she said.

Gillenwater — who was hired as curator in May — said the museum would be a prime place to host more events that combine education and enjoyment.

“We want to let them in to have fun, but it’s also a great way for them to look at art,” she said.

The next family fun workshop is scheduled for Aug. 9. For a complete listing of events at the museum, visit the Web site www.carnegiecenter.org.

        

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