Shorts

Philadelphia’s recently renovated Woodmere Art Museum is featuring two exhibits through January 1988. More than three hundred original prints and drawings by Philadelphia artist Herbert Pullinger – documentations of views of Philadelphia – have been presented to the mu­seum. The second exhibit, the Ella May Fell Collection fea­tures such artists as Renoir, Rodin, Daumier and Wilson. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Sunday, 2 to 5 P.M. Admission is free. For more information, write: The Wood­mere Art Museum, 9201 Ger­mantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118; or telephone (215) 247-0476.

The Institute of Museum Services (IMS), an indepen­dent federal agency that offers grant programs to all types and sizes of museums, is cur­rently accepting applications for its various programs. Mu­seums eligible for IMS grants include art, children’s, history, general, natural history, as well as arboretums, aquari­ums, botanical gardens, his­toric houses and sites, nature centers, planetariums, science and technology centers, and zoos. University and college museums are also eligible. For information regarding pro­gram areas and deadlines, write: Institute of Museum Services, Suite 501, 1100 Penn­sylvania Ave., N.W., Washing­ton, D.C. 20506; or telephone (202) 786-0536.

During the weekend of January 16-18, 1988, a special program will be offered by The Franklin Institute called “Super-Cold Weekend.” It is Ben Franklin’s birthday week­end and the event provides the perfect backdrop for lectures and demonstrations on super­conductors, liquid-air shows, ice sculptures and more. Ad­mission is charged. The Insti­tute is open Monday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Sunday, Noon to 5 P.M., but will be closed December 25 and January 1. For additional information, write: The Frank­lin Institute, Twentieth and the Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103; or telephone (215) 448-1200.

The Please Touch Museum for Children has recently created a new area on its third floor called the Show and Tell Gallery. It is a place where all kinds of materials about child­hood will be exhibited in a way that is both instructive and entertaining. Adult visitors now have the chance to peruse a wealth of fascinating histori­cal materials, while a selection of related “quiet” activities are available to entertain their children. Also on display will be vintage playthings, and audio-tapes will be available to listen to people share their experiences of growing up in different Philadelphia neigh­borhoods. Another feature is a study-storage area displaying the museum’s Contemporary Toy Collection. These modern artifacts dearly show relation­ships to contemporary issues such as changing attitudes about trends in education and ethnic representation. Related to collecting twentieth cen­tury playthings, the museum is also interested in the eco­nomics of toy production, their promotion and even their merchandising and wrapping – all as a historical record. For more information, write: Please Touch Museum for Children, 210 North Twenty-First St., Philadelphia, PA 19103; or telephone (215) 963-0667. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Admission is charged.

The Brandywine River Museum is sponsoring a Bran­dywine Christmas until Janu­ary 3, 1988. The museum is decorated with its famous ornaments created from natu­ral materials. Children will be delighted by working O-gauge model trains in the second floor gallery. The special exhi­bition for 1987, “Ornaments of Christmas Past: German and American Traditions,” will feature antique Christmas ornaments fabricated from glass, gold and silver paper, silk, painted wood and metals. Also on exhibit is jewelry in­spired by subjects in paintings and drawings by Andrew Wyeth. Made by craftsman Donald Pywell for Wyeth’s wife, Carolyn, the unusual collection includes necklaces, pins and bracelets in gold.

Designs are based on shells, oars, ears of corn, lobster buoys and many other pri­mary features of famous paint­ings. Admission is charged. The museum is open daily, except on Christmas Day, from 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. To ob­tain additional information, write: Brandywine River Mu­seum, P. O. Box 141, Chadds Ford, PA 19317; or telephone (215) 388-7601.

Old Economy Village in Ambridge will host its Nine­teenth Century Candlelight Christmas program Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12 [1987], from 5 to 9 P. M. The village will be illuminated by candles and trimmed with natural greens and decorations. Visi­tors have the opportunity to stroll through the village at their leisure. The Ambridge Interfaith Choir will present a choral concert at St. John’s Lutheran Church both eve­nings at 8:30. Admission is charged. For further informa­tion, write: Harmonie Associ­ates, Great House Square, Old Economy, Ambridge, PA 15003; or telephone ( 412) 266-1803.

Fine antique furniture, silver and porcelain, once belonging to Stephen Girard, famous Philadelphia mer­chant, banker, philanthropist and founder of Girard College in Philadelphia, is on exhibit in Founder’s Hall of the college. Founder’s Hall is a beautiful Greek Revival style building, designed by Thomas U. Wal­ter, who planned the wings and dome of the U.S. Capitol. The Girard collection is one of the largest and best­-documented exhibits of the personal effects of an early American entrepreneur. Ad­mission is free, and the collec­tion may be viewed on Thursdays, from 2 to 4 P.M. Additional information may be obtained by writing: Girard College, Girard and Corin­thian Aves., Philadelphia, PA 19121; or by telephoning (215) 787-2600.

Basket making classes and cross country skiing will be sponsored by Pennypacker Mills this winter. On January 16 and February 13, 1988, bas­ket making classes will be held from 9:30 A.M. to 2 P.M. Egg and shaker type baskets will be made; reservations are required for the classes. Dur­ing the month of January and February, snow permitting, cross country skiing will be offered. Visiting hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.; Sunday, 1 to 4 P.M. To obtain additional infor­mation, write: Pennypacker Mills, Rt. 73 and Haldeman Rd., Schwenksville, PA 19473; or telephone (215) 287-9349.

Demonstrations of how to create typical Victorian and Pennsylvania German holiday ornaments will be offered at the Hershey Museum of American Life. The demon­strations will be held on Wednesdays, December 2, 9, and 16 [1987]. One ornament will be featured each day. The demon­stration is free with the general museum admission, and will be held 3 to 5 P.M. To obtain more information, write: Hershey Museum of American Life, P.O. Box 170, Hershey, PA 17033; or telephone (717) 534-3439.

A Victorian Christmas will be held in Bellefonte during December. The opening cere­monies begin at 7 P.M. on Friday, December 11 [1987] on the Centre County Courthouse steps. Open houses will be hosted at downtown busi­nesses by merchants and townspeople, who will wear Victorian garb. Arts and crafts of the period, performances by local musicians, train excur­sions, carriage rides and walk­ing tours will also be offered. On Sunday, December 20, restored Victorian residences will be opened to a limited number of visitors. The Grand Ball on Thursday, December 31, in the Bush House Hotel will conclude the Victorian Christmas by welcoming in the New Year. Additional informa­tion may be obtained by writ­ing: Bellefonte Victorian Christmas, P.O. Box 925, Belle­fonte, PA 16823.

Boal Mansion’s Christmas Season, which includes festive decorations, guided tours by specially trained docents and musical events, will be cele­brated at the Centre County historic-house museum on Saturdays and Sundays in December [1987] before Christmas. The Boal Mansion was the Boal family home for nine generations and contains the original furnishings and the Columbus Chapel, an authen­tic sixteenth century Spanish chapel which belonged to the family of Christopher Colum­bus in Spain. It was inherited and brought to Boalsburg in 1909 by relatives of the Boal family. Tours are held from 1:30 to 5 P.M. On Saturday, December 19, at 8 P.M., a gala Christmas musicale will be offered. Admission will be charged for the tours and the musicale. For additional infor­mation, write: Boal Mansion, Boalsburg, PA 16827; or tele­phone (814) 466-6210.

“Made in Philadelphia 7”, the seventh in the Institute of Contemporary Art’s series of exhibits designed to showcase works of the Philadelphia area’s strong and vital artists’ community, will run December 11, 1987, to January 26, 1988. A lecture by Richard Armstrong, a curator for the Whitney Mu­seum of American Art, New York, and workshops for chil­dren are scheduled. The CIA is open 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. each day, with the hours extended to 8 P.M. on Wednesday and Friday. Admission is free. More information is available by writing: Institute of Con­temporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Meyerson Hall, Thirty-Fourth and Walnut Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19104; or by telephoning (215) 898-7108.

A Christmas exhibit, featur­ing a large and outstanding antique toy collection, an American and European model train display, a Victorian era toy house and decorated trees, will be on view at the Westmoreland Museum of Art through January 3, 1988. The exhibit is open free to the public. Visiting hours are Tues­day through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.; Sunday, 1 to 5 P.M. For more information, write: Westmoreland Museum of Art, 221 North Main St., Greens­burg, PA 15601-1898; or tele­phone (412) 837-1500.

On Saturday, January 30, 1988, the Chester County Historical Society will present its new exhibit, “Chester Countian Horace Pippin: The Artist and His Times.” The exhibit is a historical view of this black Chester County artist as seen through his paintings and contemporary articles. The exhibit celebrates the one hundredth anniver­sary of Pippin’s birth and February’s observance as Black History Month. The exhibit continues through June 12, 1988. Admission is charged. The museum of the Chester County Historical Society is open Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.; Wednesday, 1 to 8 P.M.; and Sunday, Noon to 4 P.M. The museum is closed holi­days. More information may be obtained by writing: Ches­ter County Historical Society, 225 North High St., West Chester, PA 19380-2691; or by telephoning (215) 692-4800.

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania continues its centennial cele­bration with a lecture series and indoor exhibit. The lecture series, “Garden Vistas,” exam­ines the ideas and innovations which created the rich garden world of Victorian America. A lecture will be offered twice on the third Wednesday of each month until April [1988]; one lecture will be offered in the afternoon at the Arboretum and the other in the evening at the University of Pennsylvania, Harrison Auditorium, Univer­sity Museum. The dates of the lectures are January 20, Febru­ary 17, March 16, and April 13, 1988. The indoor exhibit, “From Victorian Estate to Uni­versity Arboretum;’ illustrates the one hundred year history of one of the nation’s finest Victorian landscapes and pre­mier university gardens. Addi­tional information may be obtained by writing: Morris Arboretum, 9414 Meadow­brook Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118; or by telephoning (215) 247-5777.

Eckley Miners’ Village will host “Christmas in Eckley,” focusing on the rich variety of ethnic holiday customs prac­ticed by immigrant mining families during the nineteenth century, during the weekend of December 5-6 [1987]. Admission will be charged. To obtain additional information, write: Eckley Miners’ Village, Box 236, R. R. 2, Weatherly, PA 18255; or telephone (717) 636-2070.

“Landscapes from the Soci­ety’s Collections” includes forty paintings, water colors, drawings and prints of the earliest landscape views in the Historical Society of Pennsyl­vania’s collections to twentieth century landscapes on view for the first time. The exhibit will be on display until February 2, 1988. Admission is free. For more information, write: the Historical Society of Pennsyl­vania, 1300 Locust St., Phila­delphia, PA 19107; or telephone (215) 732-6201.

Three dozen dolls from France, Germany and the United States, most dating to the nineteenth century and made of wood or bisque, are part of a Doll’s Victorian Christmas exhibit at the Annie S. Kemerer Museum in Bethle­hem. The exhibit runs from Saturday, December 5 [1987], to Wednesday, December 30 [1987]. Visiting hours are Tuesday through Friday, and Sunday, 1 to 4 P.M.; Saturday, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Admission is not charged but donations are welcomed. The museum will be closed December 24 and 25 [1987]. For additional information, write: Annie S. Kemerer Mu­seum, 427 North New St., Bethlehem, PA 18018; or tele­phone (215) 868-6868.

Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences is hosting a national traveling exhibit, “Anglers All: 500 Years of Fly Fishing,” which celebrates the sport, art and science of fly fishing. The exhibit includes rods, reels and lures, and memorabilia from famous fly fishing fans, and specimens from the Academy’s fish and insect collections complement the exhibit. January 25, 1988, is the closing date of the exhibit. The Academy is open 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday, and 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is charged. For more information, write: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Nineteenth and the Parkway, Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103; or telephone (215) 299-1000.

Opening February 12, 1988, at the Rosenbach Museum and Library, Philadelphia, is an exhibit tracing the brilliant exploits of rare-book dealer and collector, Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach (see “The Man Who Bought Alice in Wonder­land” by Linda Kowall in the winter 1988 issue). Rosenbach’s many “finds” eventually made their way to the world’s most presti­gious public and private collec­tions. The exhibit, entitled “Rosenbach Abroad: In Pur­suit of Books in Private Collec­tions,” follows the Philadel­phian on buying trips through the London auction houses, as well as the stately homes of England. The exhibit con­tinues through the month of May. For additional informa­tion, write: Rosenbach Mu­seum and Library, 2010 Delancey Pl., Philadelphia, PA 19103; or telephone (215) 732-1600.

Two public lectures, spon­sored by the Dauphin County Historical Society, Harrisburg, will be open free of charge to the public. On Monday, Janu­ary 18, 1988, Linda Ries of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will present a slide lecture on the best of the Harrisburg photog­raphers. The slide lecture will draw from the collections of both The State Museum of Pennsylvania and the histori­cal society. On Monday, Febru­ary 15, 1988, Ernie Morrison, a local author, will present a program relating to local Har­risburg composers, high­lighted by a sampling of some locally written works. Both presentations begin at 8 P.M. For additional information, write: Dauphin County Histor­ical Society, 219 South Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17104; or telephone (717) 233-3462.