Curiosity Connection and the Planetarium remain closed. Masks are recommended to be worn indoors while visiting.
The Military History collection of the State Museum of Pennsylvania is home to a memento that marks the launching of the USS Cassin and USS Shaw at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on October 28, 1935 . A small celluloid and metal button commemorates the day in the appropriate colors of navy blue and gold. The …
Continue reading ‘South Philadelphia sisters battle back after Pearl Harbor’ »
The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is a large and majestic inhabitant of the freshwater and saltwater wetlands of Canada and southward to the northern edges of South America. Standing up to 4 1/2 feet tall with a wingspan of nearly 7 feet wide, this generally solitary hunter is a striking sight as it stalks …
Continue reading ‘Mercer County artist finds local inspiration in great blue heron painting’ »
Native American culture groups remain an important component in the development of our commonwealth. This week’s Pennsylvania Treasure, now on exhibit in Pennsylvania Icons at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, features the significant archaeological recovery of a native-made clay storage vessel. Archaeologists have developed a strategy for dating sites, based in part on the artifacts recovered. …
Continue reading ‘Native American pottery vessel tells story of winter survival’ »
On Sunday, Nov. 8, The State Museum of Pennsylvania will open to the public Pennsylvania Icons, a landmark exhibit showcasing nearly 400 artifacts, many of which have not been displayed in decades, that tells the story of the commonwealth, its people and the role they played in shaping the nation. In the past, only a …
Continue reading ‘Pennsylvania Icons: Your top 5 treasures’ »
Violet Oakley was a painter, stained-glass artist and illustrator. She is best known for her murals currently on display inside the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Those paintings represent the largest public work ever to be completed by a woman. This week’s Pennsylvania Treasure, an oil-on-canvas entitled Red Rose Studio, depicts the Red Rose Inn, Oakley’s home …
Continue reading ‘Red Rose Studio: Love and camaraderie expressed on canvas’ »
Stove plates are notable for their artistic depictions of biblical stories and Germanic text. This stove plate dates to 1753/1763 and is the only satirical plate known to survive today. The image features a Hessian rider astride an animal, possibly a goat or a horse. Another figure blocks the road and holds a sword …
The State Museum of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Archives were physically joined in a new, modern architectural complex 50 years ago. Designed by the Harrisburg-based architectural firm of Lawrie and Green, the complex opened in 1964 and was dedicated in October 1965. First known as the William Penn Memorial Museum and State Archives, …
Continue reading ‘50 Years of History: The State Museum and Archives Complex’ »