FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2007

CONTACT: Katie McElwain/ Marketing Coordinator

(802) 447-1571 Fax (802) 442-8305

A Wealth of Activities for Kids at the Bennington Museum

The Bennington Museum is excited to announce its Summer Workshop Series for 2007. When the dog days of summer hit, and you are looking for something fun for your children, bring them to the Bennington Museum for one of the many workshops offered. The Bennington Museum’s educational workshops are a wonderful way for kids to spend an afternoon and keep there minds active when school’s out. These workshops are perfect for kids ages 7-10 looking for a fun, educational way to spend a summer afternoon.

Each workshop is from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and includes a light snack. Registration is required, so be sure to reserve your space. The cost for each is workshop is $10/ day for members and $15/day for non-members.

The following are available:

Tuesday July 10 Natural Artist

Explore your natural artistic talents using nature itself! Leaf prints, rock mobiles, and other fun and easy-to-do art activities will bring out the natural artist in all of us.

Thursday July 19 Book Making with artist Emily Gold

Learn how to make amazing art books with area artist, Emily Gold

Tuesday July 24 Our Flag

Discover the fascinating past of the Stars and Stripes. See reproduction flags from the very beginning of our country’s history and the two historic flags housed in the Bennington Museum. Create your own flag to take home and wave proudly.

Thursday August 2 Dig Into the Past

What does an archaeologist do? What happens to the artifacts discovered during a dig, and how do they end up in the ground to begin with? Find out through hands-on archaeological exploration.

Tuesday August 7 Exploring Great Art: Meet the Impressionists

Who were the artists called the Impressionists, and what made their paintings different? See original paintings by the Impressionist masters and try your hand at creating an Impressionist-style painting of your own.

Thursday August 16 The Battle of Bennington

Celebrate the 230^th anniversary of the Revolutionary War battle that took place near Bennington. Hear the exciting story of Generals Stark and Burgoyne, try on their uniforms, and make a flag like the one used in the battle.

Family Workshops

In addition to the Summer Workshops, the museum offers Family Workshops throughout the year. These are for children 6 and up and their grown-up friends. These hands-on, educational workshops take place from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoons. Cost is $2/person for members and $8/person for non-members. The following Family Workshops are available this summer

July 14 Arlington Artists- In conjunction with the exhibit “Rockwell Kent to Norman Rockwell: The Arlington Artistic Community, 1920-1960”, this workshop will explore who these artist were and what they were doing in Arlington. See the works of these artists, and learn about Dorothy Canfield Fisher, the woman who brought them all here.

August 11 Vermont’s First Settlers- When did the first settlers come to Vermont and why? Learn about the beginnings of Bennington, including the founding of the Green Mountain Boys. Bring your walking shoes and visit the sites of some of Vermont’s first buildings and other important structures.

Call the programs coordinator at 802-447-1571 to register. Make sure to specify if you are signing up for a Family Workshop or Summer Workshop.

The Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main St. (Route 9) one mile west of the intersection of Routes 7 and 9 in downtown Bennington, Vermont. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. closed Wednesdays. For more information, visit the website at www.benningtonmuseum.org or call 802-447-1571.