FOUNDATION FOR THE READING PUBLIC MUSEUM

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS:SENSORY EVENTS - SPECIAL PROGRAMMING, AMONG OTHER SENSORY-INCLUSIVE EVENTS, DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A RANGE OF SENSORY SENSITIVITIES WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY THE MUSEUM. CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND CAREGIVERS CAN ATTEND EVENTS THAT ARE IN A QUIET, UNCROWDED ENVIRONMENT. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O.FAMILY HOLIDAY EVENTS - DESIGNED FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY, THESE EVENTS PROVIDE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE DIFFERENT HOLIDAYS. THERE ARE USUALLY AT LEAST SIX HOLIDAY EVENTS EACH YEAR INCLUDING EASTER AT THE MUSEUM, TRICK OR TREAT AT THE MUSEUM, PICTURES WITH SANTA, AND NOON YEAR'S EVE. THESE PROGRAMS ARE A SAFE SPACE FOR CHILDREN TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS AND RECEIVE TAKE-HOME EDUCATIONAL KITS AND TREATS.SUMMER CAMP - MUSEUM DISCOVERY CAMP OFFERS TEN ONE-WEEK CAMP EXPERIENCES FOCUSING ON A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT EACH WEEK. THE CAMPS KEEP CHILDREN ENGAGED IN LEARNING OVER THE SUMMER BY EXPLORING EACH WEEK'S FOCUS USING THE EXHIBITS AND COLLECTIONS OWNED BY THE MUSEUM AS WELL AS HANDS ON EXPERIMENTS AND CRAFTS. SCOUT WORKSHOPS AND OVERNIGHT STAYS - SCOUT WORKSHOPS AND OVERNIGHTS OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES SET IN A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT. SOME TOPICS INCLUDE SCIENCE, ARBORETUM EXPLORATION, AND SPACE EXPLORATION THROUGH THE PLANETARIUM. IN THE MUSEUM, SCOUTS EXPLORE TOPICS SUCH AS ENGINEERING, ART, AND BOOK-BINDING. THE MUSEUM EVEN OFFERS ITS OWN SCOUT BADGES TO ATTENDEES. HOME SCHOOL DAYS - HOME SCHOOL DAYS ARE OFFERED AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPLEMENT HOME SCHOOL LEARNING BY PROVIDING ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN VARIOUS SUBJECTS THROUGH SPECIAL MUSEUM TOURS AND HANDS-ON PROJECTS. ADULTS AND CHILDREN:EXHIBITION PREVIEWS - PRIOR TO THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF A NEW EXHIBITION, THE MUSEUM HOLDS A MEMBERS' ONLY PREVIEW PRIOR TO THE MUSEUM OPENING THE EXHIBIT. MEMBERS AND CHILDREN GET FIRST ACCESS TO THE NEW EXHIBITION, OFTEN WITH SPECIAL ASSOCIATED PROGRAMMING DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED FOR THAT SPECIFIC EXHIBITION. STEM SUNDAY - STEM SUNDAYS OFFER SCIENCE RELATED THEMES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDES ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THESE PROGRAMS MAY BE OFFERED MULTIPLE TIMES PER YEAR DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY AND INTEREST.ADULT PROGRAMS:SPECIAL EVENTS - THE MUSEUM HOSTS INTERNAL EVENTS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY EVERY YEAR. THREE OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS HAVE BECOME STAPLES IN THE MUSEUM'S CALENDAR AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY: GOLFIN' IN THE GALLERIES, DOGS & BREWS, AND NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. THESE EVENTS RAISE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS FOR THE MUSEUM AND SOLIDIFY THE RELATIONSHIPS THE MUSEUM HAS BUILT WITH OUR LOCAL SUPPORTERS. SENIOR SERIES - THIS MONTHLY EVENT INVITES SENIORS AND ANYONE INTERESTED TO VISIT THE MUSEUM AND LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS. THESE TOPICS TYPICALLY INCLUDE INFORMATION ON CURRENT SPECIAL EXHIBITS, SCREENINGS OF FILMS, LECTURES, AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES GLIMPSES OF THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION. THE EVENT IS FREE WITH PAID MUSEUM ADMISSION OR MEMBERSHIP. ARBORETUM EDUCATION - THIS PROGRAM FEATURES PRESENTATIONS AND LECTURES BY MASTER GARDENERS AND OTHER INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS, UTILIZING THE ARBORETUM AND GREENHOUSE RESOURCES. THEY ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.YOGA UNDER THE STARS - HELD IN THE NEAG PLANETARIUM DOME AND LED BY A CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR, PARTICIPANTS RELAX AND EXERCISE UNDER THE VIEWS OF THE PLANETARIUM. EACH SERIES CONSISTS OF 5-6 WEEKLY SESSIONS. BUS TRIPS - TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALLOW MUSEUM PATRONS TO VISIT OTHER MUSEUMS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND PHILADELPHIA TO EXPERIENCE A SPECIAL EXHIBIT OR JUST A GENERAL VISIT TO EXPERIENCE THAT MUSEUM. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING EACH YEAR WE ALSO OFFER LIMITED OR ONE-OFF PROGRAMS, DESIGNED THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS. PREVIOUS PROGRAMS HAVE INCLUDED THE MEXICAN CHILDREN'S OPERA "THE BEAR PRINCE," CO-ORGANIZED WITH THE BERKS OPERA COMPANY; THE COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM, WHICH TAKES PLACE AT SPECIFIC SCHOOL LOCATIONS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA; AND TEACHER IN-SERVICE & APPRECIATION DAYS WHERE TEACHERS AND OTHER INSTRUCTORS FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ATTEND AN IN-SERVICE AT THE MUSEUM LEARNING ABOUT SPECIFIC TOPICS, EDUCATION TRENDS, AND MUSEUM PROGRAMS.