Friday, 28 October 2011 15:42

For the most updated information on programs offered at the Penn Museum, and for online pre-registration (optional or required for some programs) visit the Museum's website: www.penn.museum/calendar.

January 4
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
Great Riddles in Archaeology Lecture Series
El Dorado in the Americas: A Wild Dream or Actual Fact?
Conquistadors, explorers, treasure hunters, and many others have long sought the famed El Dorado or Golden City. Throughout history, elaborate stories and myths have circulated about the existence of such a place and bits of evidence have been assembled to attempt to prove its reality. Dr. Clark Erickson, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, explores the origins of El Dorado, the complex narratives that circulate, and the historical, ethnographic, and archaeological information that may help us understand the popularity of the concept of El Dorado through time. Admission: $10 at the door; $5 with advance registration; free for Penn Museum members with advance registration.

January 8
Sunday, 1:00-4:00 pm
Family Sunday
Grecian Vessels
Families and kids of all ages are invited to explore the Museum's ancient Greece Gallery at this hands-on, drop-in program. Visitors can go on a scavenger hunt through the gallery and discover the different shapes and uses of vases. Then, guests are invited to illustrate their own 2-D Greek pottery shape to take home. 
Free with Museum admission.

January 8
Sunday, 2:00 pm
Culture Change, Image, and Adaptation Film Series
Photo Wallahs (1992)
In India, there are still itinerant portrait photographers who take pictures for people who do not have cameras. How has picture making changed over time? The film focuses on the photographers of Mussoorie, a hill station in the Himalayan foothills of northern India. Their fame has attracted tourists since the 19th century. Dr. Amardeep Singh, Professor of Post-Colonial Literatures, Lehigh University, and Kate Pourshariati, Penn Museum Film Archivist, introduce the program and facilitate the discussion. The Penn Humanities Forum and South Asian Center at the University of Pennsylvania are sponsors. Free with Museum admission.

January 11
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
P.M. @ Penn Museum
2nd Wednesday Quizzo
Penn Museum galleries stay open until 8:00 pm, with a half-hour gallery tour at 5:30 pm. Second Wednesdays only, guests can watch or sign up with a team and compete for prizes at Quizzo with Quiztine at 6:00 pm. The Pepper Mill Café offers happy hour specials and light supper until 7:30 pm. The Museum Shop remains open until 8:00 pm.

January 13
Friday, 6:30 pm
Evening Lecture
From Plunder to Partnership: American Adventures in the Archaeology of Cyprus
In the late 19th century, the notorious American consul in Cyprus assembled a vast collection of antiquities and sold them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today archaeologists are working together to preserve the island's cultural heritage, recognized as centrally important to the ancient Mediterranean world. Dr. Ellen Herscher, Consulting Scholar, Penn Museum, surveys the most significant American contributions to Cypriot archaeology, with a special focus on the Penn Museum's pioneering excavations in the early 20th century. Sponsored by the Cyprus Society of Greater Philadelphia. Admission: Pay-what-you-want.

January 18
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
Secret Cinema Film Series
Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness (1927)
Before they dreamed up that oversized ape, King Kong's creators Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack shot this amazing semi-documentary film, which was an early example of the adventure-exploration movie. Chang is not only the obvious prototype for their later masterpiece, King Kong, but a terrifically entertaining film in its own right. Shot entirely on location and under dangerous conditions in Siam (modern-day Thailand), the film tells the story of a farmer and his family who have settled a small patch of land on the edge of the jungle. Their existence is a constant struggle against the many wild animals around them: bears, tigers, and even changs! Cooper called this work "the best picture I ever made." Free with Museum admission.

January 26
Thursday, 5:00 pm
Penn Cultural Heritage Center Lecture
Saving Haiti's Cultural Heritage After the Earthquake
Dr. Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture at the Smithsonian Institution, discusses his work leading the United States' efforts to rescue and recover Haiti's cultural and artistic heritage following the devastating earthquake in 2010. Admission: Pay-what-you-want.

February 1
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
Great Riddles in Archaeology Lecture Series
Ötzi the Iceman: The Puzzle of a 5,300 Year-Old Alpine Mummy
In 1991, two German tourists discovered a frozen body emerging from the melting ice of a glacier in the Alps along the Italian-Austrian border. Although it was initially believed to be a modern corpse, it quickly became apparent that the body was quite ancient, mummified naturally in the frozen environment. The discovery set off a frenetic regime of examination and testing, as well as a series of disputes about the discovery and ownership of the mummy, and even claims of a "mummy's curse." Nicknamed "Ötzi" after the Ötz Valley in which he was found, the male mummy has been dated to approximately 5,300 years ago. Dr. Thomas Tartaron, Assistant Professor of Classical Studies, University of Pennsylvania, recounts the story of Ötzi's discovery and subsequent investigation, separating fact from fiction. Admission: $10 at the door; $5 with advance registration; free for Penn Museum members with advance registration.

February 4
Saturday, 11:00 am-4:00 pm
World Culture Day
Chinese New Year Celebration
Ring in the Year of the Dragon at the 31st annual, daylong extravaganza celebration. Penn Museum invites the whole family to celebrate the New Year with a wide variety of music and dance performances, children's activities, storytelling, arts and crafts, and martial and healing arts workshops. The day ends with a drum roll, a roar, and the popular Lion Dance parade. Free with Museum admission.

February 5
Sunday, 2:00 pm
Culture Change, Image, and Adaptation Film Series
Men of Words (2009)
In Yemen, where the tradition of poetry and rhetoric have taken form in the late 20th century as political discourse, audio cassette distributors sell dubs containing "throw-downs," that is, poetic challenges and replies by famed poets. For people in small towns without newspapers, this has become the virtual op-ed section. Dr. Steve Caton, Harvard University, introduces the program and facilitates discussion. Sponsored by the Penn Humanities Forum and the Middle East Center, University of Pennsylvania. Free with Museum admission.

February 8
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
P.M. @ Penn Museum
2nd Wednesday Quizzo
Penn Museum galleries stay open until 8:00 pm, with a half-hour gallery tour at 5:30 pm. Second Wednesdays only, guests can watch or sign up with a team and compete for prizes at Quizzo with Quiztine at 6:00 pm. The Pepper Mill Café offers happy hour specials and light supper until 7:30 pm. The Museum Shop remains open until 8:00 pm.

February 9
Thursday, 6:15 pm
Annual Young Friends Valentine's Event
Love Hurts
Valentine's Day is usually about the sweet and romantic side of love, but love is not always candy and roses. At this annual event, scholars of the Penn Museum explore the harsher side of love and relationships with salacious tales of romance in the ancient world. To sweeten the night, the Young Friends of the Penn Museum host a cocktail reception after the program. Cash bar. Admission: $5 Penn Museum Members and full-time students with ID; $10 General Admission. Information: www.penn.museum/youngfriends

February 12
Sunday, 1:00-4:00 pm
Family Sunday
Egyptian Afterlife
Families are invited to explore the Afterlife as the ancient Egyptians imagined it with kid-friendly, hands-on activities. Visitors can see real artifacts and touch reproductions associated with ancient Egyptian mummification. Then guests have an opportunity to work with clay to sculpt a shabti—a figurine placed in tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife—to take home. Free with Museum admission.

February 13
Monday, 10:30 am
Beauty through the Ages
Lecture and Luncheon Program
Dr. Janet Monge, Associate Curator and Keeper, Physical Anthropology Section, Penn Museum, and Barbara Eberlein of Eberlein Design Consultants, Ltd., speak at this, the second of a three-part lecture series presented by the Museum's Women's Committee to benefit the Penn Museum. Incorporating items from the Museum’s collections with design principles, Dr. Monge and Ms. Eberlein demonstrate how home design has long reflected status and distinction. Tickets to “Home Décor: Cave to Castle”: Aphrodite $100; Diana $85. Price includes lecture and luncheon, a raffle auction, shopping, and valet parking. For more information or to register: www.wcpennmuseum.com, phone 215.898.9202, or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

February 18
Saturday, 1:00-4:00 pm
Imagine Africa Community Afternoon
Penn Museum invites visitors to explore the vast continent of Africa through an afternoon of traditional and modern music, dance, and storytelling with local artists. Adventurers can go on a scavenger hunt around the Museum and discover new ways to connect with ancient artifacts. For a full list of events visit www.penn.museum. Free admission!

February 18
Saturday, 3:30 pm
American Research Center in Egypt-Pennsylvania Chapter Lecture
The Economy of the Old Kingdom
The economy influences our daily lives, in everything from job creation to tax policy. The same was true in Old Kingdom Egypt (ca. 2600-2200 BCE), which serves as an example of how an early state met economic challenges and influenced its populace. Though the pyramids might seem to suggest that the royal house completely dominated the country's wealth, a closer look shows us the limitations of the royal house and the vibrancy of the private economic sphere. Dr. Leslie Anne Warden, Assistant Professor of History, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, demonstrates what an ancient economy looked like and the diversity apparent within the Old Kingdom. Admission: $5 general admission; $3 Penn Museum members; free for ARCE-PA members.

February 22
Wednesday, 6:00 pm
Imagine Africa Evening Event
Voices of Africa Concert and Workshop
Penn Museum presents an evening of music featuring Voices of Africa, curated by Gina Renzi, Director of The Rotunda (therotunda.org). This internationally acclaimed ensemble offers a complete and unique experience of a cappella harmonies and traditional West African percussive rhythms. Voices of Africa share music that spans the African Diaspora, with traditional African and African-American songs, message music, gospel, and inspirational percussive rhythms. Free with Museum admission.

February 28
Tuesday, 6:00 pm
Imagine Africa Lecture Series
Contemporary South African Performance
Dr. Carol Muller, Professor of Ethnomusicology, University of Pennsylvania, discusses South African performing arts as experienced through the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. The Imagine Africa gallery remains open from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Admission: Pay-what-you-want.

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 400 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.

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 12, 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Wednesday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered select Wednesdays. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission donation is $10 for adults; $7 for senior citizens (65 and above); $6 children (6 to 17) and full-time students with ID; free to Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger; "pay-what-you-want" the last hour before closing. Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Café; the Museum Shop and Pyramid Shop for Children offer 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.

Photo captions (listed top to bottom): Amphora (ancient Greek jar) featuring a mythological battle between Herakles and two Amazons, in Penn Museum Collection; image credit: Penn Museum. Movie still from Photo Wallahs; credit: David MacDougall and Judith MacDougall, copyright 1992. Traditional Chinese lion dancer from Cheung's Academy chases away evil and ushers in good luck; image credit: Penn Museum. Movie still from Men of Words; credit: Johanne Haaber Ihle, copyright 2009. Voices of Africa; image credit: Voices of Africa.