Tag Archives: State Museum of Pennsylvania

PA State Museum unveils major renovation plan; new observation area planned for former Archives tower

June 25, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Andrea Lowery, executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC), at today’s press conference. (PAcast)

Usually, only state cabinet secretaries high in their office towers get a panoramic view of the Susquehanna River and mountains beyond.

That vista is about to be democratized, with a 16^th-story observation deck added to the Pennsylvania State Archives tower as part of a $55 million transformation of the Pennsylvania State Museum.

“This project really will be providing that backbone and that support for the 21^st century museum experience and creating a canvas wall to update half the exhibits in the museum,” said Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Executive Director Andrea Lowery at a Wednesday press conference announcing the plan.

The sweeping scope of the project – labeled the circa-1964 museum’s first non-incremental renovation – is expected to close the museum from August 2026 until early 2029.

Harrisburg-area officials see the project fitting within a downtown renaissance. For thousands of Capitol visitors streaming across the street to visit a revitalized museum, “what an amazing synergy that will have,” said state Sen. Patty Kim.

State Rep. Nate Davidson shared that his phone background photo shows his daughter mimicking the “rawr” of a museum bear.

“It’s truly a special place for me and my family,” he said.

State government and its host city sometimes diverge in their priorities, Davidson added, but the museum project represents “an important moment” where the two intersect on “a shared dedication to the success of downtown Harrisburg.”

State Museum of PA 3rd Street lobby rendering (PAcast)

The renovation spans exhibits, HVAC, artifact storage, visitor accommodations, and much-needed elevator upgrades for a building that welcomes up to 100,000 visitors a year, about one-third of them school kids.

The plan emerged from the convergence of stakeholder engagement, surveys, a comprehensive plan on better serving the modern public, and a study on opportunities for reusing the vacated Pennsylvania State Archives tower.

Funding comes from a state Department of General Services 20-year bond issue. Previous capital funding was enough to upgrade the building’s envelope, accessibility, and safety code issues, but not the exhibits meant to tell the comprehensive story of Pennsylvania, said Lowery.

The new project upgrades both the museum experience and the building, said DGS Deputy Secretary for Capital Programs Greg Kirk.

“Ultimately, the project is about aligning a historically significant building with modern construction’s best practices, creating a safe, flexible, and efficient space that supports the museum’s mission for years to come,” he said.

State Museum of PA fifth floor terrace with Capitol view rendering (PAcast)

Pennsylvania’s midcentury modern museum has long hosted field trips and families exploring the state’s natural and historical landscape. Nearly half of the museum’s exhibits will be “reimagined” in stories, immersive displays, and interactive experiences, said Lowery.

But, she assured, “Mammal Hall, completely beloved, will remain the same.”

The project, designed by VITETTA, a DRG Architects company, Lemoyne, and Annum Architects, Boston, will include:

Welcome center and free introductory exhibit on Pennsylvania’s regions and identities.
Redesigned Curiosity Corner for children ages infant to 6.
New museum stores, including a “made in PA” shop showcasing Pennsylvania artisans.
Two 15-passenger elevators.
Climate-controlled storage for a growing collection, including space rededicated to sensitive textiles and metal artifacts in the empty Pennsylvania State Archives, vacated after construction of the new archives on Sixth Street, Harrisburg, in 2023. The previous layout crammed documents too close to the ceiling for fire suppression, Lowery said, but the building will now be made suitable for artifacts storage with installation of a fire suppression system, humidity controls, and insulation.
New gallery for traveling exhibits and artifact loans.
Fifth-floor event venue with a terrace overlooking the Capitol grounds, downtown Harrisburg, and the Susquehanna River. Lowery called it “premier event space” that will, in tandem with increased visitation, generate revenue for PHMC.

Contractor bids will be awarded this winter, and the first construction phase is slated to begin in the tower in spring 2026. The museum will remain open through July 2026 for a U.S. sesquicentennial exhibit, including a lock of George Washington’s hair and a covered wagon from the 1976 Bicentennial Wagon Pilgrimage to Pennsylvania.

The “marquee experience” of the tower’s observation floor, with new windows open to all directions, will attract visitors, said Lowery. The view will introduce multidisciplinary educational opportunities, including “the importance of waterways in Pennsylvania, the need to navigate the mountains as they expanded west, looking out to the city to talk about cities and planning within Pennsylvania, and looking back to the Capitol and having conversations about the framework of government and Pennsylvania’s role in developing the national framework of government.”

State Museum of PA and Tower at 3rd and Forster, exterior rendering, showing new observation area in former Archives building

PHMC’s “small but mighty staff” will spend the museum’s two-and-a-half-year closure to rework select exhibits, said Lowery. All elements of the plan are expected to be completed by 2033.

In an age of pushback against diversity and inclusion in history, the museum will keep pursuing its goal “to provide context and to make sure we’re serving all Pennsylvanians, collecting that history and interpreting that history,” she said.

“Our job is to help provide information pertaining to where we are today and where we’ll be tomorrow,” Lowery said. “I think that telling the history of all Pennsylvanians in an inclusive manner is our work that we’re supposed to be doing.”

State Museum of Pennsylvania is located at 300 North St., Harrisburg. “Art of the State 2025” runs through Sept. 14.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 11, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council candidate Lamont Jones spoke to supporters outside the Dauphin County Courthouse following his hearing on Tuesday.

Another week of news in Harrisburg has come to a close, and we have covered it all. In case you missed any of our reporting, look no further. All of our stories are listed and linked, below.

“Battle of the Bands” will bring bands from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus, our online story reported. The event organizer, HBCU Band Program Committee, hopes to inspire students to consider attending an HBCU.

The Broad Street Market received a $10,000 donation from PSECU to support rebuilding efforts, following a fire in July, our online story reported. The funds will also go towards supplies for vendors who plan to move to the city’s temporary market structure, which will likely open in September.

Eniola African Food Store in Harrisburg gave out 100 bags of groceries to local families in need this week, our online story reported. Shop owner Eniola Iruaregbon said that she hoped to assist African families who often have trouble finding foods from their cultures.

Harrisburg City Council voted on Tuesday to proceed with a plan to provide a temporary home for displaced Broad Street Market vendors, our online story reported. Harrisburg can now move forward with renting a temporary structure to be constructed on a lot across the street from the market.

The Harrisburg School District weighed the hiring of several new principals at the high school and elementary school levels during a school board meeting, our online story reported. Among the potential new hires is Laquan Magruder, who would serve as the new principal of Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus.

Home sales in the Harrisburg area decreased, while prices increased slightly, our online story reported. For the three-county region, sales totaled 517 homes compared to 675 sales in July 2022, as the median price rose to $264,900 versus $255,000 last year.

Lamont Jones, a Harrisburg City Council candidate, will stay on the November general election ballot, after a lawsuit attempting to remove him failed, our reporting found. A Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge ruled in Jones’ favor and against the plaintiffs who argued that because of Jones’ past criminal convictions, he should be kicked off the ballot.

Rosemary has a great recipe for you to try this month. In her column, find out how to make sausage stuffed zucchini.

Sara Bozich has a list of weekend activities, including fun for everyone in the family, here.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania has a new executive director, our magazine story reported. Angelica Docog was appointed in March and has plans to transform the museum into a more inclusive and engaging institution.

Trees are vital to Harrisburg and provide numerous benefits to the city, including combating global warming. In our magazine story, learn from local officials about how they are working to increase canopy coverage and how residents can get involved.

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Bob’s Art Blog: It’s Elementary and 3rd in the Burg highlights

March 14, 2022 | by Bob MacGinnes

“The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry,” wrote Scottish poet, Robert Burns, centuries ago.

And such was the case for the “case” ahead. This blog or some variation like it was to run exactly two years ago to the day. It has been changed, updated and is now even more to the point since the pandemic sidelined the original blog on March 13, 2020.

Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co., in her North Street cafe

Elementary Coffee Co. had opened its doors a mere six months before to standing-room-only crowds, and, for 3rd in The Burg Fridays, patrons spilled out onto the city blocks surrounding it. We could not even get close to the “scene.” My trusted friend and constant companion, Dr. Watson (actually my photographer and wife, Jana) and I wanted to track down the mystery and allure of Elementary. All we had to do was follow our noses to 256 and its North Street headquarters. It’s a café that beckons early morning “need my caffeine-ers” until it closes at 3 p.m., all seven days of the week. And that is just one of many reasons why Elementary stands apart from the pack.

When life handed owner Andrea Grove lemons, she felt it was time to expand every aspect of what goes in to brewing a superlative cup of Joe. Having to close its physical building for some time proved to be a challenge. Andrea shared from the heart, “The team was headed home to their own corners of the city, and the key was how to keep that Elementary spirit going.”

Elementary videos provided tutorials on a wide array of coffee-related topics, from home-brewed methods to stove kettle brewing to the variations in grinders. Using those videos as a jumping off point led to options beyond beverages. A new series encompassed interviews with city personalities represented from every field. Even City Council candidates were part of the process. This blog is as much about the human spirit as it is about anything else. It is defined by the perseverance and resilience that one person holds within, demonstrating the wherewithal that Andrea embodies in overcoming obstacles. In other words, there would be no art without the heart at Elementary.

Back in November 2019, when Elementary Coffee opened, art was one of the many components offered, highlighting local artists and their creations. With guest artists changing the scenery within on a regular basis, the art makes for great conversation and is much more than just a pretty face. The art has resurfaced now that the café is back in full swing.

Painting by Michael Julian D’Ambrosio

Recently, Luis Cuevas brought his recycled materials fantasy masks to its walls. Currently, Michael Julian D’Ambrosio, abstract expressionist painter, offers explosions of ideas, ink blots of colors left for exploration, explanation and interpretation. Describing his art, Ambrosio states “working in layers of paint, time and space…in acrylic and ink and water color and ink that speak to nature and the human form. The paintings reflect chaos as well as an organized sense of space with a residue of mark making, serving as a time line and a visual map of memory.”

Looking back to that March two years ago, Andrea learned the importance of taking service to the next level through product innovation and commitment to her customers. Delivery to the customers’ doors may be her best marketing plan yet. It’s a service that is hard to beat. Andrea spoke to its coffee continuum.

“Talking to people over coffee is truly what makes the world go round which gets smaller by the moment,” she said.

As for us, Watson was hankering for a cup of their Teapigs Chi tea, while I recalled a quote from Sherlock Holmes: “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”

Just ask Andrea Grove about the little things; they all add up to success. And she is the first to acknowledge the operation is percolated to perfection due to the team at North Street and The Broad Street Market outpost, brewing on all four burners. After all, it’s Elementary.

Art March Events of Note

Photography by Beth Hager

Arts on the Square at Market Square Presbyterian Church features the work of Beth Hager as one of its 3^rd in the Burg highlights this Friday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and again on Sunday, March 20, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Beth is an accomplished photographer as well as the museum director for the State Museum of Pennsylvania. Works on paper, canvas and glass speak to her diversity-capturing images that “tell a story which allow for an appreciation of the commonplace.” In addition, Kari Hultman, craftswoman extraordinaire, will showcase exquisite examples of woodworking, leather making and miniature houses with her wares. The church provides parking in the Market Square garage by entering the church at 20 S. 2^nd St. from the garage’s first level.

Miniature Grist Mill by Kari Hultman

March Madness at the Art Association of Harrisburg runs through March 31. No basketball but an incredible art show, and you would be mad if you missed it. Probably as mad as a March hare. Artists Pamela J. Black and Jessie Waite bookend their amazing paintings around the potent and powerful photography of Ashley Moog Bowlsbey. Black and Waite manipulate proportion and color in their own stylized manners. Bowlsbey creates a genre by photographing models and friends swathed in used makeup remover pads. The sensation is heightened to a hypnotic state in her visual presentation as the resultant photographs are two-dimensional in scope and scintillation. Bowlsbey’s works prove that true beauty goes well beyond skin deep as the audience peels away the layers in its mind.

Wearin’ O’ the Green through March 26 at 126 East King Street in York. No need to be green with envy, there is still time to catch the HIVE artspace latest exhibit for the month, aptly named “Shades of Green.” Owner Susan Scofield waxed enthusiastically about the pot o’ gold artists represented that include Jen Simon, Mark Broomell, Andrew Smith, Michael Hower, Charlie Hubbard and Kelly Nevin.

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Bob’s Art Blog: According to the Calendar–Art Shows, Tours and Sales

November 3, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

Early November signifies the beginning of all things seasonally nostalgic, including holiday customs with a list of “pre’s”: pre-holiday shopping, pre-setting the oven for baking and, the most important one of all, pre’s bring the pumpkin pie. Actually, November also includes holiday gift open houses, craft studio tours and, within a few days, a firehouse of an art sale.

Part I: Paxtang Art Association Firehouse Special

Wollman Rink, New York, by Vivian Seetoo

Sound the sirens—it’s a four-alarm “doozy” of an art sale at the Paxtang Firehouse for the borough Art Association’s 31st annual three-day sale of paintings.

Taking place Friday through Sunday, Nov. 5 through 7, at 3423 Derry St., the event is touted as the largest sale of art under one roof this side of the Susquehanna. Over 2,000 paintings from 100 artists leave no doubt that the people of Paxtang love their art. The range of works includes mediums across the board, with something for everyone’s taste and pocketbook as the holiday season is just around the corner.

The association is happy to bring back its annual event, as last year was a moot point. Highlights for this art extravaganza include a roster of “local artists with talent to spare,” according to the association’s instructor and front man, Nick Feher. Capably assisted by Vivian Seetoo, they have bragging rights to a corral of creatives who have put their art up for purchase. Wanted posters feature a posse of painters that include the aforementioned Vivian, whose art includes miniature paintings on tea bags as well as familiar scenes from New York City.

Painting by Gary Ditty

In addition, look for Michelle Phillips’ “pop art” everywhere, as she is no longer a Mama and Papa (just kidding), as well as Gary Ditty’s legendary landscapes. If the firehouse gets crowded, just walk across the street to the Tiger Eye Coffee Co. for a break of Hershey’s ice cream, coffee, tea, snacks and a whole gallery full of art from 16 more creatives. Owner Makayla Burton will be happy to serve you scrumptious treats and show you the gallery. So, mark your calendar for this Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Part II: Over the River and to the Woods—The Foothills Artists 14th Annual Studio Tour

November also includes holiday gift open houses and craft studio tours, some of which are well worth a road trip, just an hour from Harrisburg.

A craft consortium of 11 artists nestled in the idyllic beauty of the Fairfield Valley will unveil their art for the 14th annual edition of the Foothills artists on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 20 and 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This special weekend event begins by just crossing over the Mason Dixon Line west of Gettysburg. Comprised of equal parts male and female artists, potters, sculptors and fiber art experts, as well as woodworkers, a veritable variety of artistic approaches include something for all. Road trips are the perfect excuse to get out of town for a change of scenery and a different perspective. It is no wonder that, in this rich valley, craftspeople truly elevate their mediums to new heights.

Kaleidoscop brooch by Joh Ricci

Joh Ricci weaves art through fiber in autumnal colors from a knotted vessel of beauty, a kaleidoscope brooch and a hand-stitched scarf that demonstrates dexterity with tools of the trade—mostly her hands, yarn and a crochet hook. Creating fiber art from the age of 8, shape and design are explored with an endless color spectrum. Schooled in the fine arts, Ricci’s resume lends ed cred to thread cred.

For Rod Stabler, turning wood has not lost its appeal over the 40 years he’s been involved in the art, making vessels, platters and bowls. The artist states, “There is something deeply satisfying about unleashing the beauty of raw wood. Each piece has its own personality and character.”

Ann Rupert creates jewelry, as well as two-dimensional media, that include pastels, oils, watercolors and color pencil. She works in collaboration with Rod to join her mixed-media art with his turned pieces.

Judy Pyle is a sculptress and jewelry maker, employing torch-fired enamels for over 20 years. She makes her fittings from hand-fabricated silver for brooches and rings. Rare metals of gold foil and silver add to the jewelry’s luster.

A pastel by Laurie McKelvie

Laurie McKelvie, guest artist, will be showing pastel paintings of landscapes. “They capture light and color found in the natural world.” Laurie is a realist painter helping to perfect the world through her art.

Geoff Grant is a fine art photographer specializing “in painterly landscapes, candid portraits of people of different cultures and street photography.” He is equally skilled in color and black-and-white formats. His calling card entails atmospheric avenues of departure.

Jack Handshaw is the founding member of the group show. Crafting pottery out of his log home for over 40 years, Jack is an award-winning potter who works in all types of clay. For the tour, he will offer porcelain, redware and raku.

Anne Finucane works in a variety of printmaking. For the tour, she will feature etchings and linocuts. Inspiration comes from nature, mostly plants with mediums changing in an evolutionary process that embraces methodology in a gradual course moving toward the finished goal.

Geoffrey Thulin is a painter of “bold celebration of color and form through animal imagery, landscape and abstraction. I explore rhythm, pattern and energy and their connection to the spiritual in nature,” he said. Watercolor and gouache comprise the mediums of choice that Geoffrey uses to create.

“Horses Three” by Sharon Pierce McCollough

Michael A. McCollough is a “gestural abstract artist” offering stretched and un-stretched canvases. His wife, Sharon Pierce McCollough, is a sculptor, painter, author and, for the weekend tour, will offer concrete sculptures of found objects and metal, as well as children’s books and paintings.

The historic houses are a draw in their own right, as is the generous nature and gratitude shared by the collective group of 11 who express their appreciation to all visitors who venture out for this annual craft tour. The lush background rich in history and culture of the Fairfield Valley provides the setting for all five studios. After viewing all of their work, you’ll feel this was an adventure well worth taking. You may share in the joy of “taking back something worth remembering” as Three Dog Night reflected back in 1970. That thought and sentiment 50 years later are exactly what makes the trip over the river and to the woods all the more relevant today. For tour map, visit www.foothillsartists.net.

Part III: The Adventures of Pamela in the Poconos

Millworks artist Pamela J. Black is known up and down the eastern seaboard for her instantly recognizable paintings. In her latest offering, “Changing Seasons,” the artist unveils a series of 13 stylized works in abstract departures inspired by the seasons. She creates an ever-changing palette of poetry in paint through this dramatic offering.

“The similar thread of nature ties them all together,” the artist shared.

The temporal turn of time translates to a bounty of colors and context now gracing the canvases featured at the Laurel Lane Gallery at Nemacolin Luxury Resorts, nestled in the Poconos, showing through Dec. 30. Pamela’s grouping represents a portion of over 1,000 paintings throughout the resort’s buildings.

Paintings by Pamela J. Black, on display at Laurel Lane Gallery at Nemacolin Luxury Resorts

“Waves of color, pools of paint and controlled mark-making are used to pull intentional color palettes and inspiration from each season,” Pamela revealed.

What better time of year to bid adieu to fall and greet the holiday season full of great promise, providing the perfect opportunity for a getaway gift to drink in the beauty of the seasons as they turn from their golden hue to evergreen.

November Calendar

Paxtang Art Association 31st Annual Art Sale, Nov. 5 to 7, at Paxtang Fire House

The Millworks First Saturday, Nov. 6

State Museum of Pennsylvania 54th edition of “Art of the State” through Jan. 2

Carlisle Arts Learning Center, “A Sense of Place,” through Nov. 27

3rd in the Burg, Nov. 19

Perry County Council of the Arts 7th Annual Juried Exhibition, opening Nov. 19

The Millworks Odd One’s Fall Bizarre indoors Saturday, Nov. 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27. Start your day at the bizarre and then gallery hop to your favorite lair

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Happenings: Our April Calendar of Events

March 31, 2021 | by Missy Smith

Museum & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Look . . . They Gave Me a Map,” an exhibit examining the enduring appeal of free road maps, through April 23

“Minibike Mania,” a display of more than two dozen miniature motorbikes, through April 23

“Yeah, It’s Got a Hemi!” an exhibit focused on Hemi engines, through April 23

“Yes, We Drive These Cars!” is an exhibit of The Horseless Carriage Club of America, with three display cars, early signage and artifacts, and video of the cards on tour, through April 23

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Figuratively Speaking,” annual juried membership show celebrating the human form, with an added theme of coronavirus lock-down/quarantine experience, through May 13

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“Annual Student Show: Honoring Seniors 2021,” through April 10

“Local Light,” paintings and drawings by David Reinbold and Mary Ann Lard This series of paintings and drawings that focus on the beauty of light and shadow in defining forms in landscape and still life, April 16-May 29

“I’m Fine,” a community-engaged exhibit of masks and stories dedicated to sculpting mental health awareness and support, April 16-May 29

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month

Dickinson College
The Trout Gallery
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-254-8159; troutgallery.org

“Imagining the Divine—Religious Mythology and Art,” featuring works from the museum’s permanent collection that considers how artists manifest notions of spirituality in the visual arts, through April 17

“Studio Majors Thesis Exhibition,” featuring projects by senior studio art majors under the direction of Rachel Eng with Todd Arsenault, Anthony Cervino, and Andy Bale, April 30-Sept. 11

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Backstage at the Allen Theater Café, April 1-May 31

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Works by Amie Bantz, Tina Berrier, Pamela Black, Tristan Bond and Tara Chickey, through April 11

New works by Tami Bitner, Kelly Curran, Julie Iaria, and Reina Wooden, April 14-May 16

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“On and Off the Grid,” abstract paintings in grid style by Thom Kulp, inspired by the work of Agnes Martin and serving as metaphors for restrictions people have faced during the covid-19 pandemic, through April 10

“Home Goods Show” of locally made artwork and handmade home goods for spring redecorating or Zoom room makeovers, April 17-June 12

Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Dr., Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

Virtual Student Honors Exhibition, April 21-May 6

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

“Sun + Light,” a collection of works from the series “Everyone Loves the Sunshine” by contemporary artist Charles Edward Williams that highlight his own personal encounters, past and present, with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, through April 11

“The Modernists: Witnesses to the 20th Century,” works by a variety of modern artists, through May 16

“Project Pattern” multimedia display of photography, painting, sculpture, and installation by artists Nate Ethier, Nicole Herbert, and Luke Murphy, through August

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art in the Wild,” exhibit of naturally inspired trailside installations created by artists using mostly natural materials and inspired by the theme “reimagining,” April 10-Sept. 30

Read, Make, Learn

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29” Thursday Art Club (grades 3-5), 3:30-5 p.m.
April 2, 9: Indigo and Shibori, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 14: Creative Collage, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 17, 24: Ceramic Jewelry, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Preschool Storytime on Zoom, 10 a.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 4 p.m.
April 3, 10, 17, 24: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 3 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26 Born to Read (birth-18 months), 9:30 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Virtual Anime Club, 4 p.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Animal Crossing with The Library, 3:30 p.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Virtual Family Storytime, 6 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Virtual Toddler Storytime, 10 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Virtual Create Lab, 4 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Young Adult Book Club on Zoom, 4 p.m.
April 8: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 7 p.m.
April 9: Virtual Device Club, 1 p.m.
April 13: Virtual Reading the Rainbow Book Club, 7 p.m.
April 28: Knit One, Crochet Too! on Zoom, 6 p.m.

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

April 13: Fort Hunter Conservancy Walk, 2-4 p.m.
April 18: Maple Sugar Festival, 12-4 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Zoom Resume Writing Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Zoom Resume Writing Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Virtual Get That Job! Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Virtual Get That Job! Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
April 3-17: Easy Craft Grab and Go Bag (ages 4-7), 1 p.m.
April 5: Zoom—Fredricksen Writes on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Career Exploration Workshop on Zoom, 4:30 p.m.
April 5, 19: Teen Grab and Go Bag, 9 a.m.
April 6: Zoom—Curl up with the Classics on Zoom—“The Hound Of The Baskervilles,” 10-11 a.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Career Exploration Workshop on Zoom, 10:30 a.m.
April 7: Zoom—Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1-2 p.m.
April 9: Philosophers’ Roundtable, 2 p.m.
April 9, 23: Zoom STEM Storytime, 10 a.m.
April 11, 15: Virtual Peaceful Poses Children’s Story Time, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 12: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
April 12, 26: STEM Grab & Go Bag (ages 7-12), 9 a.m.
April 21: Zoom—Write On, 7:30 p.m.

Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta & Delta Research and Education Foundation
[email protected]

April 17: Virtual Party with a Purpose, 7-9 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

April 6-27: Learn Calligraphy, Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m.
April 28-May 19: Plein Air, Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

April 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Facebook Live Storytime, 10 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Facebook Live: Books & Babies, 10 a.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Virtual 1, 2, Whee!, 10 a.m.
April 6, 20, 27: Beginner Calligraphy, 7 p.m.
April 7, 21: Virtual LEGO Club, 3:45 p.m.
April 12: Discovering Your Immigrant Ancestor (Friends Adult Program), 7 p.m.
April 17: Mirrors, Windows, & Sliding Glass Doors Family Book Group: Mommy’s Khimar, 2 p.m.
April 18: State Trivia (Family Program), 2 p.m.
April 20: Community Blood Drive, 1:30 p.m.
April 24: History of Blues in America—Kids Edition (Friends Children’s Program), 10 a.m.
April 24: Kids’ Carry & Craft Seed Bomb Edition, 12 p.m.
April 24: Teen/Adult Carry & Craft—Bird Feeder Edition, 1 p.m.

Historic Harrisburg Resource Center
1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
historicharrisburg.com

April 24: Special How-To Program—Preserving and Restoring Historic Windows, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

April 1: LEGO Club (grades K-5), 6 p.m.
April 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30: Toddler Time (18 months to 3 years), 11:10 a.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Story Time (ages 3-6), 10-10:45 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Rhyme Time (18 months and younger), 10:15 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Story Time on Zoom, 1:30-2 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Zoom Rhyme Time (18 months and younger), 5:15-5:35 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Family Story Time on Zoom, 6:45-7:15 p.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Tea & Stitches on Zoom, 10-11 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Zoom Story Time (ages 3-6), 10-10:45 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Toddler Time on Zoom (18 months to 3 years), 11:10 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Toddler Time on Zoom (18 months to 3 years), 6 p.m.
April 9, 23: Dungeons & Dragons (grades 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
April 13: Tween Scene on Zoom—Get a Clue Mystery Challenge (grades 4-5), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
April 14: Mad About Mysteries on Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
April 17: Kindergarten Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 19: Virtual Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
April 20: Nancy Drew and Her Mysterious History online program, 2-3 p.m.
April 20: Zoom STEM Club, 6-6:45 p.m.
April 24: Trivia at Home—Nancy Drew, 6-8 p.m.

LBGT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

April 3, 10, 17, 24: Virtual Passageways Transgender & Non-binary Group, 2-4 p.m.
April 19: Navigating K-12 Settings for Parents of Transgender & Non-binary Youth, 7-8:30 p.m.

Manada Conservancy
manada.org/events

April 8: Native Plant Initiative program, 7 p.m.

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St., Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

April 1: Virtual and in-person Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Online Science Fiction Book Club
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Star Trek Rewatch online group
April 19: Virtual and in-person Mystery Book Club, 6 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

April 6: An Evening with Julie Metz and Menachem Kaiser, 6-7 p.m.
April 20: Audrey Clare Farley in Conversation with Susannah Cahalan, 7-8 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

April 3: First Saturday Open Studios, 2-5 p.m.
April 17: Fluid Art Class, 12-2:30 p.m.
April 18: Fluid Art Class, 12-2:30 p.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

April 10: “Crossing the Deadline—The Rise of Civil War Prisons as Dark Tourist Destinations,” 1-2 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

April 3, 17: Book Sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
April 13: Book Review, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

April 24: Coffee Painting, 1-3 p.m.
April 24: Spring Bird Walk, 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

April 6, 13, 20, 27: Librarians Around Town Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

April 7-28: A Novel Idea—Crafting a Memoir, 6-8 p.m.
April 10: Rug Hooking for Beginners, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

April 2: Virtual Artists Conversations—Violet Oakley’s William Penn Mural, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
April 9: Virtual Adventures in Nature Lab—Vernal Ponds, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
April 11: Virtual Tonight’s Sky—A Live Chat with the Planetarium Director, 2-3 p.m.
April 16: Virtual Curator’s Choice— Flyover Pennsylvania, T.M. Fowler’s Bird’s-Eye Views of Pennsylvania, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
April 23: Virtual State Museum Perspectives, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
April 30: Virtual Treasures from the Vault—PA’s Last Mountain Lion, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

April 2: Kids Discover—Birds and their Nests (ages 5-10), 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
April 6: Skunk Cabbage Walk 2:30-3:30 p.m.
April 10: Volunteer Work Day—Litter Clean Up, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 11: Art in the Wild—Meet the Artists, 1-3 p.m.
April 13: Fort Hunter Conservancy Hike, 2-4 p.m.
April 15: Kids Discover—Pollywogs (ages 5-10), 2-4 p.m.
April 18: Spring Flower Walk, 1:30-3 p.m.
April 24: Wetlands Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

April 9: Trace Adkins
April 17: Spring Doo Wop Cavalcade
April 24: Mark Lowry
April 30: Justin Willman

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

April 30: Martin Sexton

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

April 8: Drake Bell

The Englewood
1219 Research Blvd. Hummelstown
717-256-9480; englewoodhershey.com

April 4, 11, 18, 25: Jazz Sunday Brunch w/Central PA Friends of Jazz
April 16: Cody Tyler and Gypsy Convoy

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

April 17: Masterworks

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

April 10: Ryan Yingst

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

April 28: Stuart Malina & Friends

Messiah University School of Arts
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

April 6: Jazz Combo
April 13: Symphonic Winds and Brass Choir
April 19: Chamber Ensembles
April 22: Wind Ensemble
April 23: Symphony Orchestra
April 25: United Voices of Praise
April 28: Spring Choral Showcase
April 29: Musica Nova—Student Compositions
April 30: Jazz Ensembles

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

April 27: Stuart Malina & Friends

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

April 3: Tom Paxton and the DonJuans
April 10: Lui Collins
April 17: Bill and the Belles

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

April 6: Tower of Power

The Stage Door

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

April 10, 12: York Symphony Orchestra—Music & Scenes from “Amadeus”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

April 1-3: “Happy Days”
April 15-May 29: “On Your Feet”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

April 9-25: “2 By Strindberg—The Stronger & The Outcast”

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; thehcpac.org

April 23-25: “Manifest the Glory of God”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

April 2, 3: Larry XL and Kate Brindle
April 9, 10: Sean Finnerty and Tom Feeney
April 16, 17: Tennessee Tramp and Amy Dingler
April 23, 24: Rich Vos
April 29, 30: Shane Gillis

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

April 2-18: “Poirot Investigates! The Affair at the Victory Ball” virtual performance

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Bob’s Art Blog: “Art of the State”

October 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

It’s been nearly a month since “Art of the State” award winners were announced. Awards were given in the categories of painting, photography, craft, sculpture and work on paper.

One hundred and nine works are represented from 108 artists across 29 counties. Over 1,900 entries from 680 artists started the field back in February. It is an honor to be selected as a finalist in the 2020 edition of “Art of the State.” Here are 10 local “honorees” in no particular order with the following “snapshots.”

Theodore Prescott’s “Traveler” is a mixed media sculpture formed from mementos one may accumulate at various points on a “dig” found at a 22nd-century outpost. Collectively, they create meaning based on the viewer’s experience.

Andrew Guth’s “Orion” is a triptych painting of male figures in varied states of dress and personas formed around the theme of mutual attraction. Orion, Greek mythology informs, is the most handsome of men and a hunter by trade. Yet there is a poignant sense of loss in that the work’s subtitle, “Tales I Wish He Had Told Me,” conveys a deeper meaning of longing for what was left unsaid in the relationship.

Andrew Guth’s “Orion”

Ryan Spahr’s black and white photo, “Treats,” seems taken from an era of the past undisclosed for interpretation. Yet it evokes an image perhaps from the days of punk rock or of a character from a Lynchian film. The choice is yours to make.

Ryan Spahr’s “Treats”

Marjaneh Talebi’s black and white photograph, entitled “Memory,” is a perfect example of pattern-on-pattern play amplifying the medium to new heights. Subtle yet dramatic, the depth achieved is multi-layered for rumination and reflection.

Marjaneh Talebi’s “Memory”

Marc VanDyke’s color photograph, “Surface-005,” takes the viewer on a journey to a faraway galaxy where the denseness of stars is so thick that one gasps at the enormity of the universe. Putting life in perspective, we are but a speck, and yet that speck makes a world of difference.

Marc VanDyke’s “Surface-005”

Hannah Steele’s “Cavern” turns spelunking on its head. She explores textures in wood by inverting a table in such a manner that the stalactites’ drippings form art of peerless proportion.

Hannah Steele’s “Cavern”

Autumn Wright’s work on paper, “Flight Pattern,” has an old world feel, reminiscent of rare ancient maps and the beginning of cartography. Viewers will see a wide range of images. As for me, I saw specter-like markings, creating a flight of fancy.

Autumn Wright’s “Flight Pattern”

Sanh Tran’s color photograph, “Pretty in Pink, 2,” depicts a model in pink and black dressed to the nines with hat and gloves and, the coup-de-grace, a white plastic grocery bag as the finishing accessory. It represents the perfect marriage of high and low fashion.

The color photograph by Shelby Wormley, “Reflections, Assemblage Series,” is of a young boy astride his father’s shoulders, providing an uplifting moment shared by both. The little boy cradles his father’s face while the elder holds onto his son’s legs with a smile that lights up the frame.

Shelby Wormley’s “Reflections, Assemblage Series”

“La Prenza-Resistencia Ciudadana” from Eddy Lopez is a work on paper announcing a call to arms. A color bleed one sheet from an international newspaper highlights the message, “citing the press, citizen resistance,” albeit the power of the people.

Odd Ones Update: What was an annual event over the Thanksgiving weekend has been moved up a month to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather. Tara Chickey, art director of the Millworks, has moved the date of the Odd Ones Bazaar to Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a rain date (just in case) scheduled for the following Saturday, Oct. 24. With vendors a plenty, Millworks beer will be flowing and chef Pat will be cooking up treats for purchase. The bazaar will be held outside on the grass on the lots at 3rd and Verbeke streets. This is an annual event that the art-going public anticipates with relish—whether you are odd or even. It’s a great gala gathering for friends and neighbors of Midtown and the central PA area, so mark your calendar. Be sure to mask up, after all, Halloween is just two weeks away. Social distance and feel free to be as odd as you can be. I promise you won’t be alone in that. For more information, visit the Millwork’s website.

A special word of thanks to Howard Pollman of the Pennsylvania State Historical Museum Commission for his assistance with “Art of the State.” For more photos, please visit October’s Artist in Focus, “Art of the State,” or the “Art of the State” landing page.

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The Painted Word: On the hunt for art at Gallery Walk

August 31, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

Mars #3 by Bryan Thomas Molloy at Old City Hall

Harrisburg’s annual art showcase, Gallery Walk, is nearly upon on us. The 32nd edition features a number of special treasures, so be sure to check them off the list as you search.

Greeting visitors at the Art Association of Harrisburg is an eight-foot zebra grinning from ear to ear and balanced on one hoof. Made of papier-mâché by Harrisburg artist Charlie Feathers, “Jumper” is the unofficial mascot for Gallery Walk. Meanwhile, good things also come in much smaller packages, like the member’s show at AAH, “La Petite Exhibition.”

Chances are you won’t need roadside assistance from AAA, but it does represent “Art, Artifacts and Architecture” at the Historic Society of Dauphin County at the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion. Up the street, look for a breath of fresh air from Jonathan Frazier’s plein air paintings in the Riverfront Gallery at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Up on Allison Hill, Gloria Merrick, executive director at the Latino Hispanic American Community Center on Derry Street, has assembled a quartet of artists near and far. Legendary Lucy Giboyeaux’s award-winning art is a highlight, as is Peruvian painter Claudia Salazar’s tribute to Frida Kahlo. Raul Cruz’s recycled materials turn into magic. Nora Carreras creates art from found objects and paints with artistic abandon in what may be a one-day show at LHACC.

“Liminality” is the “Twilight Zone” episode you don’t want to miss at Capital Area School for the Arts in Strawberry Square. It is an experimental exhibition and explores transition from “What has Been to What Will Be,” as the liminal space is the crossing-over space. Both students and alumni create this world, which may change your view of the transition from student to graduate. The mood is heightened, as all visitors will be wearing masks.

That exhibit provides the perfect segue to Old City Hall‘s exhibit of stunning proportion from Harrisburg/Boston impressionist painter, Bryan Thomas Molloy, who takes us to Mars in his oil studies. Is there life on Mars? You might find a clue.

Is a church a gallery or a place of worship? In the case of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, it is both. Its magnificent sanctuary with marble carvings is a work of art, as are the stained glass windows from Germany. Look for art from Sylvia Hepler and photography by John Robinson, Barry Ridge and Eric Smith. And, speaking of churches, don’t miss Barbara James’ art, which mixes mediums with manual dexterity at Salem United Church of Christ.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania unveils its annual blockbuster, “Art of the State,” which runs through Jan. 3. Pre-registration is required and free timed tickets will be issued for viewing due to limited access.

Be sure not to “Overlook” the Civic Club of Harrisburg, which dates back to 1898. Within the landmark riverfront mansion, enjoy the art of Dave Lenker and Stacy Brown with multimedia presentations of “Oneness” and “Blue.” Consider it your civic duty to pay a visit to the organization that was founded to benefit those in need.

And you thought City House Bed and Breakfast was just a place to hang your hat? Anything but as the art showcased by art impresario Robert Armetta of New York and Harrisburg is world-class on all levels. If this is your last stop, make reservations to spend the night.

Up on 3rd Street, stop into the magnificent Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, as there is much under one roof. If it’s a resource pertinent to Harrisburg, you’ll find it here. This includes an incredible exhibit, “With Open Heart and Open Arms: LGBTQ Cuban Refugees and the LGBTQ Community’s Response to the Mariel Boatlift.”

Across the street, Vivi on Verbeke is always full of vitality and variety as Vivi Sterste and Jeb Boyd roll out their vision for the upcoming fall season. The new interior layout features amber inlaid candlesticks, floral acrylic paintings and photography highlighting significant Harrisburg architecture.

Around the corner, raise a glass and toast “Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson,” sung by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Today, she may “Graduate” to more meaningful pursuits at Midtown Scholar Bookstore’s Robinson Gallery, where something is “bound” to grab your attention.

The symbiotic relationship between art and music is amplified to perfection in the groundbreaking exhibit, “Creating Joy: Art Inspired by Music,” which may be viewed at the Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty. Right next door, the other standalone gallery in Midtown is turning 1 year old. Join us in wishing Michael Hertrich Fine Art a happy anniversary in his upper-level gallery. Award-winning artist Adelaide LaFond pays tribute in pastel paintings with ethereal scenes of our city.

Finally, this veteran gallery-walker offers some tips for the day. Major museums and galleries may be busier than usual with the day’s special events, so perhaps plan on visiting some of the venues on the roads less traveled. Map out your route and call ahead with a planned time of arrival for optimal viewing. Mask up and maintain that safe space of social distancing. Everyone will appreciate your consideration, and it will make for an all-around positive experience. Art lovers care; it is in our very nature.

The unique umbrella of museums, galleries and merchants participating is a testament to Carrie Wissler-Thomas and her inventiveness. One needs to appreciate the scope and work involved by the AAH CEO. The team of art coordinators, as well as the aggregate artists at each venue, is to be commended. A special thanks to Ted and Linda Walke of Gallery@Second for maps designed and distributed for this event. The Walkes create this annually to guide us safely on the path to great art.

Gallery Walk takes place on Sunday, Sept. 13, noon to 5 p.m., at 17 venues throughout Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com/events.

Charge It! Harrisburg debuts electric vehicle charging stations near state Capitol

February 21, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A Porsche Taycan gets some juice at one of the new electric vehicle charging stations in front of the State Museum.

If you drove past the state Capitol today, you may have been surprised to find several cars that you don’t normally see on the streets of Harrisburg.

A Porsche, an Audi and several other electric vehicles were the guests of honor at a ribbon-cutting to inaugurate the newly installed charging stations in front of the State Museum.

Late last year, Harrisburg made several changes to the 700-block of N. 3^rd Street. This included new angled parking spaces and installation of eight ChargePoint charging stations.

According to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, the reconfigured street and the charging stations fit in with the years-long, nearly complete 3^rd Street corridor project.

“This represents the culmination of a larger 3^rd Street improvement project from one end of the city to the other, which has resulted in new sidewalks, new traffic-calming measures, new green infrastructure, which you’ll see up and down the street,” he said.

Papenfuse said that the charging stations were not originally in the project plan. However, last year, he held a meeting with state officials at the behest of four state legislators who had nowhere to charge their electric vehicles while in Harrisburg.

“They had to park at a dealership and Uber to the Capitol,” Papenfuse said.

Today’s ribbon cutting was attended by city and state officials, including Rep. Patty Kim, Mayor Eric Papenfuse and Sen. John DiSanto.

These aren’t the first electric vehicle charging stations in Harrisburg. About seven years ago, a station was installed near N. 2nd and State streets.

The new stations were funded with a $40,000 state Department of Environmental Protection grant. The state paid for most of the other project costs, including the electrical infrastructure and a new sidewalk, Papenfuse said.

The stations have been active since last month and, over the past week, there have been more than three-dozen chargings, he said.

Before a line of TV news cameras, Papenfuse demonstrated how motorists can use the charging stations with their cell phones and the ChargePoint app.

Users pay just 72 cents an hour to charge their vehicles, and the average charging time is 1 hour and 52 minutes, he said.

The project isn’t quite done. Soon, the city will begin another phase, which will widen the sidewalk on N. 3^rd Street between North and State streets.

Several years ago, the state widened what was a thin strip of concrete around much of the Capitol along Walnut and N. 3^rd streets, but stopped at State Street.

The sidewalk expansion will complete the loop and make the sidewalk ADA-accessible, Papenfuse said. The walkway will remove the parking spaces along that stretch of 3^rd Street. However, overall, the city has gained spaces with the new angled parking in front of the State Museum, he said.

“It never been easier to visit the State Museum,” Papenfuse said. “You don’t even need to parallel park anymore.”

For more information about ChargePoint and the ChargePoint app, visit www.chargepoint.com.

Bob’s Art Blog: SAM’s Surprise & Millworks Saturdays

January 26, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

A big celebration was afoot recently at the Susquehanna Art Museum.

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you are over the age of 5, unless you are my granddaughter, who is precocious. I know what you’re thinking, “She’s your granddaughter.” That aside, someone much bigger, think grand-scale big, just celebrated their birthday.

Founded in 1989 by a group of arts educators, the Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) today provides a perfect anchor to the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street. All the more reason to strike up the band in celebrating SAM’s fifth Midtown birthday, which was on Jan. 23.

There is an old saying from the days of dime novels, “Will it play in Peoria?” That query was code for—will it be well received by mainstream America? For years, Peoria was a test market for you-name-it, due to its representation for middle America.

Having lived most of my life in this area, I can honestly say that central PA is on the cusp of being a metropolitan hub, branding its own taste for culture. This is represented by the handsome addition five years ago of the new Susquehanna Art Museum and its neighbors, such as the Millworks, Midtown Cinema, Midtown Scholar, Elementary Coffee, HMAC’s revitalization and the list goes on.

The growth of SAM under the leadership of Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab and its board of directors has taken what once could have been viewed as a risky venture and turned it into a jewel of the 3rd Street corridor. It links Midtown Harrisburg to downtown through events like its summertime partnership with the State Museum of Pennsylvania. Its educational art mobile, Van Go! On Wheels, reaches 20,000 students annually, and SAM brings major art shows to its grand galleries.

Its biggest asset, consistently on point, is the groundbreaking art exhibits that take center stage. From Romare Bearden to “Picasso: A Life in Print,” there have been an array of outstanding shows in its recent history. In 2020, stay tuned for more.

They say that, in business, the first five years are crucial, and it takes reinvestment to grow. Knowing Alice Anne and her team of Lauren Nye, Tina Sell, Ross Tyger and an outstanding group of volunteers behind the scenes, SAM will continue to give back to Midtown, creating even more avenues for art, and you can take that to the De Soto Vault.

So, to answer the question—will it play in Harrisburg? Most definitely, yes. SAM, besides being open six days a week, offers amenities that major museums in metropolitan areas like New York and Washington, D.C., also offer. These include members-only art salons on summer evenings, special gallery tours by exhibition artists and visits by art aficionados such as John Szoke of his world-famous New York City gallery. Most important of all, SAM is the only dedicated art museum in central PA.

At the birthday bash, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Director Carl Dickson made the opening remarks. Speaking on behalf of the county commissioners, he read from a proclamation declaring Jan. 23, 2020, as Susquehanna Art Museum Day in Dauphin County, commending SAM’s “enduring impact in the region.”

Keynote speaker J. Randall Grespin, chair of SAM’s development committee, then revealed noteworthy news to all, a crowd of over 150 staunch supporters and art patrons who gathered to celebrate. He announced that the successful “Bridge to the Future” capital campaign raised more than $3 million.

“Now we can think about not just surviving but thriving,” Grespin said. “We can explore how to expand our programs’ reach beyond the museum’s walls. We can envision a beautiful art and event space in our adjacent courtyard or a new VANGo! to replace one that has served more than 55,000 children.”

Philanthropist Marty and Tom Philips of Lemoyne (and Naples, Fla.) pledged a total of $2 million over 20 years if the museum could raise $1 million in matching funds by the end of 2019, which they accomplished. In recognition of this generous gift, the museum now is proudly referred to as the Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty and Tom Philips Family Art Center, or in its abbreviated form, SAM at the Marty. Perhaps the most exciting news, beyond the campaign’s success, is the mission going forward for inclusion to go well beyond the city limits and to enlighten every visitor to the wonders of art.

Peoria—that is so 19th century. I have seen the future, and it resides firmly planted at 1401 N. 3rd St. Play it again, SAM.

The Susquehanna Art Museum is located at 1401 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.susquehannaartmuseum.org.

1st Saturdays at the Millworks

The art part of the Millworks, under Director Tara Chickey, is experimenting with expanding opportunities for exposure (to the arts).

In speaking with Chickey, she informed me that the Millworks’ eat+art experience has been well received since the venue opened in 2015, with people patronizing the artists before or after they grab a bite. This innovator, with her hive of artists, now has sweetened the pot, enticing patrons with a window “to dine and mine” the rich treasures found among the artists’ offerings, every first Saturday of the month from 2 to 5 p.m.

It’s hard to believe that January is almost over, which means the next “1st Saturday” is coming up on Feb. 1. Chickey, in consort with the artists, will have the studios open for gazing (and purchasing) before or after grazing. This special window of time affords customers an opportunity to grab a drink, then meet and talk to the artists firsthand, learning about their processes and their works.

It sounds like a perfect pre-Valentine’s date to me—lunch or dinner and a chance to discover that special piece to wear or hang on a wall. And if you are unattached, what better place to meet someone new at the bar or strolling the avenue of art at the Millworks? The perfect icebreaker being, “Would you look at that?”

The Millworks is located at 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.millworksharrisburg.com.

The Week That Was: News and features around Harrisburg

January 24, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Volunteers pose for a picture on cold Patrick Alley in Harrisburg following a cleanup during MLK Day of Service.

The Harrisburg area was caught in the slow melt this week, following last weekend’s snow/sleet/ice storm. This meant a few cold days for our reporters, who were out and about covering important local news stories. In case you missed one, we have all of our coverage warmly recapped below.

Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce & CREDC held its annual House legislators’ forum this past week, with area representatives speaking of Capitol comity, as well as their priorities for the year. Find out what’s on the mind of your statehouse delegate by visiting our news story.

Harrisburg City Council expects to bring up an affordable housing measure later this year, according to the council president. She made that declaration following a hearing on the latest proposal to convert an old office building into downtown apartments.

Harrisburg High School, John Harris Campus, has a new interim principal, the fourth school leader in a year. Our news story offers some background on the new principal, who is slated to remain in place pending a permanent hire.

Michael Hertrich has moved his eponymous gallery from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg, opening in the heart of the Midtown business district. Discover what you’ll find in his unique second-story space by checking out our magazine feature story.

MLK Day of Service was a chilly one, but that didn’t stop volunteers from coming out in droves around central PA. We visited a few sites in Harrisburg to find out what was being raked, shoveled and bagged.

Of Monsters and Men are coming to the Harrisburg riverfront this summer for an outdoor concert, Harrisburg University announced. Read our news story to find out how you can get tickets to see the popular Icelandic alt-rock band.

Riverfront Gallery and Susquehanna Art Museum exhibits caught our reviewer’s eye during last week’s 3rd in the Burg. He had a lot to say about the works on display, conveyed in his latest blog post.

Sara Bozich has put away her snow boots temporarily, as the weather has become more favorable to get out and about. Learn what’s on her long list of fun things to do in her weekly blog.

Skincare is an important part of daily hygiene, especially during the winter. That’s why we asked local estheticians for their tips on maintaining healthy and vibrant skin. Read what they had to say.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School students soon no longer will have access to free breakfasts and lunches. School leaders are trying to find a permanent solution, but, in the meantime, are asking the community for support so that the program can continue. Find out how you can help.

Theatre Harrisburg opened its latest production, “The Scarlet Letter,” and our reviewer attended opening night. Discover what she thought of this unique production, which adds music to the American literary classic.

Violet Oakley is a singular figure in the history of art in Pennsylvania. The State Museum now is displaying studies from some of her famous Capitol murals, a story that we featured in our January magazine.

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