Penn Museum Calendar of Events and Special Exhibitions (2018)

September and October 2018

The Penn Museum offers a wide range of programs geared to multiple ages and interests. This fall, several new opportunities—from Conversational Corners and Crafternoons to Crawl Out Thursdays, Coffee with a Keeper, and Museum Mile—invite guests to experience the international museum and galleries in unique and personal ways! Guests can explore the full calendar of events (and sign up in advance where required) at www.penn.museum/calendar.

Tuesday Mornings, 9:00 - 11:00 am
Conversational Corners
New opportunity! Individuals and groups can let the international Museum be an inspiration as they practice second language skills. Conversational Corners are unfacilitated events offered weekly. The Penn Museum provides a topic for discussion and the atmosphere, guests bring the dedication and patience! Museum Café. Information: (215) 898-2680. Enter through the Group Entrance, east side of building. Program is free; optional admission to the galleries is additional.

Wednesdays, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
DIY in the Museum
Crafternoons
New opportunity! Crafters looking for inspiration for their latest project—perhaps a cross-stitch of a cuneiform tablet or a headdress that looks like Queen Puabi's—can find it Wednesday afternoons as the Museum opens its doors to crafting groups and individual crafters alike. Free admission.

September and October:

September 5: Knitting Groups welcome in the Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq exhibition, 3rd Floor
September 12: Scrapbooking Groups welcome in the Museum Café
September 19: Cross Stitching Groups welcome in the Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq exhibition, 3rd Floor
September 26: Jewelry Making Groups welcome in the Museum Café
October 3: Knitting Groups welcome in the China Gallery, 3rd Floor
October 10: Scrapbooking Groups welcome in the Museum Café
October 17: Cross Stitching Groups welcome in the China Gallery, 3rd Floor
October 24: Jewelry Making Groups welcome in the Museum Café
October 31: Knitting Groups welcome in the Egypt (Mummies) Gallery, 3rd Floor

Thursdays, September 13 and October 11, 8:30 - 9:30 am
Morning Exercise
Museum Mile
New! Walking is one of the simplest ways to get and stay active. Visitors are invited to walk the world on the Museum Mile with a Museum staff member! The Museum has mapped out a one-mile indoor walking workout, available for early birds before the Museum officially opens—no matter what the weather outside. Walkers get in 2,000 steps as they journey past massive stone pharaohs of Egypt, Buddhist sculptures of China, and Etruscan battle armor. Enter through the Group Entrance, east side of the Museum. Free admission.

Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Homeschool Day
Archaeological Adventures: Myths around the World
Groups and families use the international collection to spark their students’ learning. The flexible format of hands-on workshops, guided tours, interactions with conservators, and more allows guests to shape a customized experience around homeschool or cyber school curricula. On September 12, guests discover tales about gods and mythical creatures, more familiar than one might think, from across the globe. Guests explore artifacts representing mythological stories in the galleries, write their own myths, and take part in interactive workshops that investigate the ritual of votive offerings or the tradition of storytelling. Admission and program costs: $12 per child/adult. One adult per family is free and children 3 and under are free. Advance reservations are required. Reserve tickets on our website or call 215.746.6774 for more information.

Friday, September 14, 9:30 - 11:00 am
Morning Conversation
Coffee with a Keeper
New! Visitors can enjoy their morning coffee in the company of a Penn Museum expert. Second Fridays every month, a collections keeper, conservator, educator, exhibition designer, or other Museum staff member takes a long coffee break to discuss their work, offering guests an insider’s perspective on the Museum from those who know it best! The series kicks off with Janet Monge, Associate Curator-in-Charge and Keeper, Physical Anthropology Section. Museum Café (enter at the Group Entrance, east side of the building). Admission: $5; free for members (guests may bring their own mug for $1 coffee).

NEW for teens and high school age students!
Friday, September 14, 2018, 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Homeschool Day: Teen Edition
Exploring the Past
Join the expedition to further discover archaeology at the Penn Museum! Homeschool and cyber school students hear from Museum experts, explore the galleries, and discover history through hands-on workshops. Program and pricing details are online at www.penn.museum/homeschool.

Saturday, September 15, 3:30 pm
Afternoon Lecture
The Mystery of the “White Walls”: The New Discoveries of Memphis
Since 2002, a Russian team has been working at Kom Tuman, near the Djoser Pyramid complex, and the ancient site of Memphis. Excavations below and around the Persian era palace of Apries have revealed other palaces, fortresses, and temples dating almost continuously back to the Old Kingdom. Dr. Galina Belova, Director of the Russian Egyptological Institute, Cairo, and Academic Advisor, Centre for Egyptological Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences, presents the most recent results of the Russian team’s excavations and what it suggests about the use of the Memphite area over time. This talk is presented by the American Research Center in Egypt Philadelphia Chapter (ARCE-PA). Admission: $10, general public, $7, Penn Museum members and Penn faculty and staff, $5, students with ID, and FREE for ARCE-PA members and children under 12.

Friday, September 21, 2:30 pm
Peace Day Philly and Welcoming Week Event
Global Guides: Friday Edition
In honor of Peace Day Philly (September 17-21) and national Welcoming Week celebrating (September 14-23) immigrants and the contributions they make, the Penn Museum offers a special Global Guide tour of the new Middle East Galleries. Penn Museum’s Global Guides—recent immigrants from Iraq or Syria—provide tours of the new Galleries, combining archaeological and historical information about the materials with their own personal stories. Visitors can also experience Global Guide public tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 pm. The tours are free with Museum admission.

Saturday, September 22, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day
The Penn Museum is pleased to be part of Museum Day—an annual, nationwide celebration of boundless curiosity, and museums’ extraordinary offerings, hosted by Smithsonian magazine. A Museum Day ticket, downloadable from the Smithsonian magazine website (after August 15), provides free admission for two people. Museum opens at 10:00; the new Middle East Galleries open at 11:00 am. Come out and explore!

Saturday, September 22, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Program for Teens and Young Adults with Special Needs!
Archaeology in the A.M.
Designed for teens and young adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities, Archaeology in the A.M. pairs exploring the lives of the ancients with making new friends through interactive drop-in activities. Guests can explore the new Middle East Galleries, craft their own cylinder seals, play an ancient board game with a new pal, pose at a photobooth in the fashions of the ancients, and take part in a multisensory gallery tour. The second hour of the program features an art-making workshop, in addition to a social networking space for parents and family friends. A designated quiet space with dimmed lighting and fidget toys is accessible throughout the event, and a limited number of noise-reducing headphones are available to borrow. Free with Museum admission, with special discounts available: ACCESS cardholders receive a discounted admission price of $2.00 per person for up to four visitors. Guests who register in advance for Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day beginning August 15 get free admission! RSVPs toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. are strongly encouraged. Archaeology in the A.M. is made possible by the Philadelphia Autism Project. To learn more visit www.phillyautismproject.org.

Sunday, September 23, 2:00 pm
Afternoon Lecture
The Digital Restoration Initiative: Reading the Invisible Library
Damaged artifacts that contain text make up an “invisible library” of written material that is incredibly difficult to read. Progress over the past decade using new computer techniques for the digitization and analysis of text found in cultural objects like inscriptions, manuscripts, and scrolls, has led to workable, non-invasive methods for reading this invisible library. Dr. W. Brent Seales, Professor and Chairman, Computer Science, University of Kentucky, shares results collected over the past two decades from digital restoration projects on Homeric manuscripts, Herculaneum material, and Dead Sea scrolls, culminating in the reading of the text from within a damaged scroll unearthed at Ein-Gedi—hailed as one of the most significant biblical archaeology discoveries of the past decade. This lecture is presented by the Archaeological Institute of America Philadelphia Society. Free.

Wednesdays, September 26 through October 31, 10:30 - 11:30 am
New! Morning Non-Credit Course
Ancient Spices and Modern Kitchens
The spices housed in most kitchen cabinets have ancient roots and are infused with centuries of varied uses—from culinary to medicinal. In this six-week course, clinical herbalist Kelly McCarthy teaches students about contemporary and historic uses of herbs with Middle Eastern roots, including turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. The class takes an in-depth look at which medicinal components are at play, and creates concoctions to take home for use in the kitchen or medicine cabinet. This course, designed for anyone with an interest in cooking, gardening, or herbalism, is designed to engage beginners as well as seasoned plant lovers. Class cost: $250; Members, $225. Advance online registration required.

Thursday, September 27, 12:30 pm
Brown Bag Lecture
Memory at “The Mine of Death”: Cultural Landscapes of Andean Mercury Mining
Dr. Douglas K. Smit, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, considers the divergent historical narratives at the Huancavelica mercury mining complex in the Peruvian Andes, at this Penn Cultural Heritage Center-sponsored lunchtime talk. For Spanish colonial administrators, Huancavelica was the “crown jewel” of the empire due to lucrative mercury mining and technological advances in metallurgy. For indigenous Andean peoples forced to labor underground, the danger of mercury poisoning became so extreme that Huancavelica became known as “the mine of death.” Drawing from archaeological fieldwork and oral histories collected since 2013, Dr. Smit explores how the people of Santa Bárbara negotiate the development of cultural heritage in their community in concert with and sometimes counter to the narratives of government officials, outside consultants, and North American archaeologists. Brown bag lunches are welcome. Free.

Tuesday, October 2, 10:30 am
Museum Playdates
Enchanting Egypt
Presented the first Tuesday morning of the month, October through April (no January program), Museum Playdates are designed to ignite a young child’s imagination. Geared for families with children ages 3 to 6, Museum Playdates feature illustrated stories told in Museum galleries, hands-on reproduction artifacts, and make-and-take art activities—plus a snack! During Enchanting Egypt, children discover The Little Hippo: A Children’s Book Inspired by Egyptian Art by Geraldine Eischner and Anja Klauss, and explore the Egypt (Mummies) Gallery. General admission: $10 for one adult and one child. Members: $5 for one adult and one child. Additional children, $2 each. Series subscription: $55; $25 for Members. Space is limited; advance online registration is recommended.

First Thursdays, starting October 4, 5:00 - 10:00 pm
NEW! Evening Events
Crawl Out Thursdays
Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. - Zora Neale Hurston
The Penn Museum’s new Crawl Out Thursdays invite guests to a socially-aware, and fun, evening dance party! Rent parties were developed during the Harlem Renaissance as a means for Black tenants, often targets of discriminatory rent pricing, to make ends meet. Inspired by that collaborative tradition, these co-sponsored happy hours offer a chance to sip, dance, and turn up for the benefit and love of dedicated, Philadelphia-based community organizations. Guests are invited to come out, listen to some great music, meet friends old and new, and get down in support of good work! Check the Museum website for the latest updates. The monthly series continues: November 1, December 6, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6. Admission: $15.

Monday, October 8, 6:00 pm
Science on Tap Ancient Egypt and Nubia with Conservator Molly Gleason
Eat. Drink. Science! Local scientists share their work with the public over a pint at Science on Tap! This monthly gathering features public discussion on engaging science topics. Held in a relaxed bar setting on the second Monday of every month, Science on Tap features a brief, informal presentation by a scientist or other expert followed by lively conversation. The Penn Museum co-hosts the event in October. Monumental architecture from Ancient Egypt has been on display for nearly a century in the Penn Museum’s Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery. In preparation for gallery renovations, these pieces are being conserved and looked at more closely than ever before. Project Conservator Molly Gleeson discusses the ongoing work and research to prepare these objects for display in the Museum’s future Ancient Egypt & Nubia Galleries. Free (guests must be 21+). Visit https://scienceontapphilly.com for more information. NOTE: Science on Tap takes place at National Mechanics (22 South Third St,. Philadelphia 19106)

Wednesday, October 10, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Homeschool Day
Archaeological Adventures: Egypt All the Time
Groups and families use the international collection to spark their students’ learning. The flexible format of hands-on workshops, guided tours, interactions with conservators, and more allows guests to shape a customized experience around homeschool or cyber school curricula. Students and families learn about mummies, daily life, and more during the time of the ancient Egyptians. They explore the collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt through gallery tours and interactive workshops, and join a training class to learn the rituals behind embalming and becoming a Mummy Maker. They see artifacts up close that feature gods, goddesses, and hieroglyphs. Guests are invited to post a message for the Museum’s Sphinx, who is currently on “staycation.” Admission and program costs: $12 per child/adult. One adult per family is free and children 3 and under are free. Advance reservations are required. Reserve tickets on the website or call 215.746.6774 for more information.

Friday, October 12, 9:30 - 11:00 am
Morning Conversation
Coffee with a Keeper
New! Visitors can enjoy their morning coffee in the company of a Penn Museum staff member. Second Fridays every month, a collections keeper, conservator, educator, exhibition designer, or other Museum staff member takes a long coffee break to discuss their work, offering guests an insider’s perspective on the Museum from those who know it best! In October, join William Wierzbowski, long-time Keeper of the American Section. Museum Café (enter at the Group Entrance, east side of the building). Information: 215.898.4890. Admission: $5; free for members (guests may bring their own mug for $1 coffee).

Saturday, October 13, 11:00 - 4:00 pm
Family Second Saturdays
Fantastic Folklore
On the second Saturday of every month, October through April, family and friends are invited to discover the Penn Museum’s rich collections through diverse activities around different themes; October considers Fantastic Folklore. Guests may explore the Museum on an interactive, family-friendly themed tour and follow it up with make-and-take art activities. All drop-in activities are free with Museum admission.

Sunday, October 14, 2:00 pm
Second Sunday Culture Film Series
“Random Acts of Legacy” (USA/Canada, 2016)
The Penn Museum’s annual Second Sunday Culture Film Series, offered October through March (no December program), is held in collaboration with the Wolf Humanities Center’s 2018–2019 Forum on Stuff. This year the series celebrates creative use of archival film elements (actualities) to tell rich cultural stories born before the digital age. In a brilliant case of detective work, director Ali Kazimi traced a box of home movies back to its original family, the Fungs of Chicago. The found films follow an unconventional Chinese American family on their intrepid voyage into a white, middle-class suburb. Rob Buscher, Festival Director, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, and Kate Pourshariati, Film Archivist, Penn Museum, facilitate the discussion which follows. Sponsors: Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and Cinema Studies, University of Pennsylvania Library, and the Wolf Humanities Center. Free with Museum admission.

Thursdays, October 18­­–November 29 (no Nov. 8 or 22), 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Evening Classes: The Public Classroom at the Penn Museum
Focus: Migration
Following the successful fall 2017 Public Classroom on Science and Race: History, Use and Abuse, the Penn Museum offers a new, free evening series of classes, this time with a focus on migration—the movement of people from one place to another. People choose to migrate for economic, social, political, and environmental reasons. Migration impacts both the place left behind and the place where migrants settle. In classes at the Public Classroom, guests can engage with leading experts in panel discussions and Q&A time, supplemented with suggested readings, exploring contemporary migration patterns in the Middle East, Africa, and Central America to learn more about migration patterns as well as the human circumstances that propel movement. Details to come on the Museum’s website. Information: 216.898.2680. Free.

Saturday, October 20, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
International Archaeology Day
Open House: Archaeology
Penn Museum celebrates International Archaeology Day with activities for aspiring explorers of all ages. Museum archaeologists, conservators, curators, and collections staff join together to offer a behind-the-scenes look into Museum excavation sites and current research at this special day, co-sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America Philadelphia Chapter. Guests meet experts working in North America, Egypt, the Near East, and right here in Philadelphia. Dr. George Leader, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, offers the day’s keynote lecture, speaking about the 2017 excavations which uncovered early African American burials at the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia's cemetery, located on Arch Street. Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, October 21, 3:30 pm
Afternoon Lecture
Ancient Egyptian Furniture: From the Earliest Examples to Those “Wonderful Things” of the New Kingdom
Examples of ancient Egyptian furniture exist from the earliest periods of its history to the end of the Pharaonic Period, and beyond. This talk explores how the ancient Egyptian woodworker honed his craft over time to produce some of the most beautiful furniture ever created—from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Dr. Geoffrey Killen, Independent Scholar of Ancient Egyptian Wood Technology and Furniture, speaks in this lecture, presented by the American Research Center in Egypt Philadelphia Chapter (ARCE-PA). Admission: $10, general public, $7, Penn Museum members and Penn faculty and staff, $5, students with ID, and FREE for ARCE-PA members and children under 12.

Thursday October 25, 12:30 pm
Brown Bag Lecture
New Research in Mexico: Heritage Work of Two Graduate Students
Firsthand accounts of recent research in Mexico are shared at this lunchtime lecture—including “Members Only? Common Assumptions, Recognition, and Defining Communities in Engaged Heritage Practice” by Tiffany C. Cain, and “Defense, Resilience, and Refuge on the Frontier of a Classic Period Maya Kingdom” by Whitaker Schroder, both Ph.D. Candidates in Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. The talks are presented by the Penn Cultural Heritage Center. Brown bag lunches are welcome. Free.

Saturday, October 27
Family Activities 1:00 - 5:00 pm;
Outdoor Evening Festival 5:00 - 8:00 pm
CultureFest!
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival
The Penn Museum’s popular annual World Cultures series returns this year, with a new name and a fun new twist. Each CultureFest! features an eclectic mix of activities, including performance, art-making, storytelling, tours, demonstrations, workshops, film screenings, and more! New this year is an evening social experience. The Museum celebrates Día de los Muertos honoring departed ones through music, dance, and art. The centerpiece of the afternoon is a traditional ofrenda (altar) created for the celebration. After 5:00 pm, the festival continues outdoors with entertainment, cash bar, dancing, and more! Family-friendly activities (1:00 - 5:00 pm) are free with Museum admission (and free to Members). Evening festival activities (5:00 - 8:00 pm) are $15; $10, Members.

Ongoing Activities at the Penn Museum:

Select Tuesdays through Fridays, 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Cartifacts!
Cartifact facilitators answer questions and provide opportunities to handle touchable reproductions of artifacts from Ancient Egypt and Rome in this hands-on experience for visitors of all ages. Cartifact activities are available most days; check the calendar of events on the Museum website for updated schedule. Free with Museum admission.

Tuesdays through Fridays, 11:00 - 11:30 am and 1:30 - 2:00 pm
Weekends, 12:00 - 12:30 and 3:00 - 3:30 pm
The Artifact Lab: Conservation in Action
Lab conservators answer questions about their current conservation projects—anything from studying, documenting, cleaning, or mending an elegant Middle Eastern pot to restoring an ancient Egyptian coffin lid or other artifacts from the Museum's collections. Free with Museum admission.

Saturdays and Sundays, 1:30 pm
Gallery Tours
Join docents for hour-long guided tours of the signature galleries or special exhibitions. Tours depart from Pepper Hall. Topics vary. Check the Museum’s web calendar for current schedule: www.penn.museum/calendar Free with Museum admission.

Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30 pm
Global Guides Tours of the Middle East Galleries
Guests can join one of four Global Guides—immigrants from Iraq or Syria—as they provide tours of the new Middle East Galleries, combining archaeological and historical information about the materials with their own personal stories from the region. Free with Museum admission.

Special Exhibitions: All free with Museum admission

Cultures in the Crossfire: Stories from Syria and Iraq
Now through November 26, 2018
Created in conjunction with the Penn Cultural Heritage Center, this powerful exhibition sheds light on the ongoing destruction of cultural heritage in the Middle East by showing what’s at stake—the rich history of the region and the diversity of its people—and what’s being done to prevent the loss of this history and cultural identity. Fascinating ancient art and artifacts from the Penn Museum’s extensive collections tell stories of the cultures of Syria and Iraq through time. Contemporary artwork from Issam Kourbaj, a Syrian artist based in Cambridge, UK, provides an art intervention—a modern-day response to the artifacts and themes. The exhibition features the work being done by the University of Pennsylvania and Smithsonian Institution in conjunction with individuals and groups in the Middle East to help combat the loss of irreplaceable cultural heritage. Special Exhibitions Gallery, Third Floor.

Moundbuilders: Ancient Architects of North America
Now through December 1, 2019
You might be familiar with the some of the more famous prehistoric monuments around the globe—the Great Pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge in England, and Macchu Picchu in Peru. But did you know we have our own impressive monuments right here in the United States? Some even older than the pyramids, these spectacular earthworks give us glimpses into more than 5,000 years of Native North American prehistory. Moundbuilders explores the fascinating history of Native American moundbuilding through a variety of photographs, artifacts, archival materials, and excavation records. Merle-Smith Gallery East, First Floor.

Bearing Witness: Four Days in West Kingston
Now through December 1, 2019.
In May 2010, the “Tivoli Incursion,” a standoff between Jamaican security forces and a local gang leader wanted for extradition by the United States government, resulted in the death of at least 75 civilians in West Kingston on the island of Jamaica. This new exhibition—part art installation, part memorial, and part call to action—sheds light on those events through compelling video and audio footage featuring firsthand accounts of people directly impacted by the violence. The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Deborah Thomas, the R. Jean Brownlee Term Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, Junior “Gabu” Wedderburn of AV Productions and Dr. Deanne M. Bell, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, University of East London. Merle-Smith Gallery West, First Floor.

And So the Story Goes… Innovations in Storytelling
Now through March 17, 2019
Telling stories is a fundamental aspect of all human societies, but how have different cultures taken on communicating narratives? And what happens when the ways stories are told change? This special small exhibition, developed by Penn student curators Branden Cordivari, Fiona Jensen-Hitch, and Linda Lin for Penn’s Year of Innovation, explores how storytelling has changed with cultural innovations. Fifteen objects—including a Javanese Shadow puppet, a Native American story knife from Alaska, and a Neoclassical period cameo—drawn from the Penn Museum’s international collections, help to tell the tale. First Floor Elevator Lobby.

The Penn Museum (the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the Museum has sent more than 300 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind's collective heritage.

The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn's campus, across from Franklin Field). Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA's Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and first Wednesdays of each month until 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered. Closed Mondays and holidays. Museum admission is $15 for adults; $13 for senior citizens (65 and above); $10 for children (6 to 17) and full-time students with ID; $2 ACCESS and Museums for All cardholders (up to four family members per card); free for active U.S. Military, free for STAMP cardholders; free to Penn Museum Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger.

Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Café; the Museum Shop offers a wide selection of gifts, books, games, clothing and jewelry. Penn Museum can be found on the web at www.penn.museum. For general information call 215.898.4000. For group tour information call 215.746.8183.