Westfield Athenaeum Library
School Vacation Opportunities
Vacation Week Opportunities for Families
The Springfield Science Museum is hosting its Dinosaur Exhibit which has lifelike dinosaurs that stomp, swim and soar. There is a life-sized replica of Tyrannosaurus rex, the 20-foot-tall meat eater who lived 65 million years ago, and a full-sized replica of a Stegosaurus skeleton. In addition, there is a replica of Coelophysis, an early dinosaur which lived in the Connecticut River Valley approximately 200 million years ago. Visitors will also encounter Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops with two young, Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Tenontosaurus with three Deinonychus, and Corythosaurus with a nest of hatchlings. The giant marine reptiles are Mosasaurus and Elasmosaurus, and a flying Pteranodon soars above its fellow creatures. The Museum of Fine Art is showing an exhibit of Currier and Ives lithography which provided the American public with visual references about newsworthy events. From images of the Civil War to fires in major American cities to notions about traditional home life, Currier and Ives became the "photojournalists" of the 19th century. Hours for the Springfield Science Museum are Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm and Sunday: 11am – 5pm. The Museum of Fine Arts, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum are open Tuesday – Sunday: 11am – 4pm.
Florence Griswold Museum is sponsoring Winter Wonderment 2008, three days of fun Museum activities for the whole family during the school winter break. The gallery will present the Pumpernickel Puppets on Tuesday, for children ages 4 to 9, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m; tickets are $3 and must be purchased in advance. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., "Playtivity" artists will host a 45-minute interactive storytelling event based on the villages of Africa; $3 tickets must be purchased in advance. Thursday's event is a painting workshop, open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and free with museum admission, which is $5 for adults and free for children accompanied by adults during Winter Wonderment. There will also be a daily "Can you find me" game, in which participants attempt to match details of paintings and objects to the real works of art in the galleries and the Griswold House. The museum is at 96 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Information: FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or 860-434-5542.Creative gallery activities geared toward younger audiences are featured along with special performances, workshops, and hands-on art. Admission is $5 per adult and FREE to children accompanied by an adult.
The New England Air Museum's vacation week family activities begin on Sunday with the annual open cockpit event. Pilots and veterans will share their stories and present their airplanes, re-enactors will portray classic airmen, and children can build and fly model planes. On Monday there will be a scavenger hunt with prizes, and the two-person Ercoupe full motion simulator will be open to the public. "Future of Flight," a LEGO contest, will run throughout the day on Tuesday, with judging at 4 p.m. Modeling workshops begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday; participants will spend approximately two hours building and flying a balsa and tissue paper AMA Cub; admission is an extra $5. Thursday will feature an open cockpit event with helicopters, vintage planes, and World War II aircraft; additionally, the Boeing 707 cockpit simulator will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be several orientation tours of no extra-cost on Friday. General admission is $9.50 for adults, $6 for children, $8.50 for seniors, and free for youths under 5. The New England Air Museum is at Bradley International Airport, 36 Perimeter Rd., Windsor Locks. Information: neam.org or 860-623-3305.
There will be children's activities at the Windsor Historical Society Monday through next Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children can take part in various craft projects and activities in the society's Hands-On-History Learning Center. Children are encouraged to dress for messy play and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, free for children under 12 and members. The Windsor Historical Society is at 96 Palisado Ave. Information: 860-688-3813 or windsorhistoricalsociety.org.
The Basketball Hall of Fame is having Six Flags Looney Tunes Characters
February 18 and 22 - 12:30pm Bugs Bunny and his friends will be on hand to meet you on Center Court. Don’t forget to bring your camera so you can take plenty of pictures! FREE with your admission to the Basketball Hall of Fame. On Tuesday, visitors can Meet the Critters of the Forest Park Zoo February 19 - 1pm when staff from the zoo will share information about the different animals and give guests the chance to meet them up close. Thursday is Celtics Mascot Lucky's Slam Dunk Show February 21 – 1pm when kids of all ages can enjoy the antics of Boston Celtics Mascot Lucky the Leprechaun as he performs an unbelievable slam dunk show on Center Court. Lucky will do flips, jumps and dunks like you’ve never seen before! Following his performance, Lucky will sign autographs in the Theater. Wear your favorite Celtics or other team gear, bring the coupon available on their website and save on admission. http://www.hoophall.com.
Old Sturbridge Village is holding a week of themed events beginning Saturday with a 19th century hairdressing presentation and the annual Washington's Birthday Ball. Interpreters will present "Hairdressing 1830s Style: Her Crowning Glory" at 1:30 p.m., demonstrating how women of the day would style their hair and with what products, such as bear grease and rum; the ball will follow the show. The rest of the week will feature activities such as songs and stories, scavenger hunts, crafts, magic shows, cooking and puppet shows. Old Sturbridge Village is on Route 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., just south of the I-84 connection with the Mass Pike. Admission is $20, $18 for seniors, $6 for children 3 to 17, and free for children under 3. Information: www.osv.org, or 800-SEE-1830.
Mystic Seaport will celebrate winter vacation with "Fish Tales" presentations daily from 11 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 2 p.m. Monday through next Friday. Children can learn about the Gulf Stream, hear nautical stories, examine shark's teeth and make fish puppets. General admission is $15, $13 for seniors and $9.50 for children. Mystic Seaport is at 75 Greenmanville Ave. Information: mysticseaport.org or 860-572-5315.
The Springfield Science Museum is hosting its Dinosaur Exhibit which has lifelike dinosaurs that stomp, swim and soar. There is a life-sized replica of Tyrannosaurus rex, the 20-foot-tall meat eater who lived 65 million years ago, and a full-sized replica of a Stegosaurus skeleton. In addition, there is a replica of Coelophysis, an early dinosaur which lived in the Connecticut River Valley approximately 200 million years ago. Visitors will also encounter Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops with two young, Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Tenontosaurus with three Deinonychus, and Corythosaurus with a nest of hatchlings. The giant marine reptiles are Mosasaurus and Elasmosaurus, and a flying Pteranodon soars above its fellow creatures. The Museum of Fine Art is showing an exhibit of Currier and Ives lithography which provided the American public with visual references about newsworthy events. From images of the Civil War to fires in major American cities to notions about traditional home life, Currier and Ives became the "photojournalists" of the 19th century. Hours for the Springfield Science Museum are Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm and Sunday: 11am – 5pm. The Museum of Fine Arts, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum are open Tuesday – Sunday: 11am – 4pm.
Florence Griswold Museum is sponsoring Winter Wonderment 2008, three days of fun Museum activities for the whole family during the school winter break. The gallery will present the Pumpernickel Puppets on Tuesday, for children ages 4 to 9, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m; tickets are $3 and must be purchased in advance. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., "Playtivity" artists will host a 45-minute interactive storytelling event based on the villages of Africa; $3 tickets must be purchased in advance. Thursday's event is a painting workshop, open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and free with museum admission, which is $5 for adults and free for children accompanied by adults during Winter Wonderment. There will also be a daily "Can you find me" game, in which participants attempt to match details of paintings and objects to the real works of art in the galleries and the Griswold House. The museum is at 96 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Information: FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or 860-434-5542.Creative gallery activities geared toward younger audiences are featured along with special performances, workshops, and hands-on art. Admission is $5 per adult and FREE to children accompanied by an adult.
The New England Air Museu
The Springfield Science Museum is hosting its Dinosaur Exhibit which has lifelike dinosaurs that stomp, swim and soar. There is a life-sized replica of Tyrannosaurus rex, the 20-foot-tall meat eater who lived 65 million years ago, and a full-sized replica of a Stegosaurus skeleton. In addition, there is a replica of Coelophysis, an early dinosaur which lived in the Connecticut River Valley approximately 200 million years ago. Visitors will also encounter Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops with two young, Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Tenontosaurus with three Deinonychus, and Corythosaurus with a nest of hatchlings. The giant marine reptiles are Mosasaurus and Elasmosaurus, and a flying Pteranodon soars above its fellow creatures. The Museum of Fine Art is showing an exhibit of Currier and Ives lithography which provided the American public with visual references about newsworthy events. From images of the Civil War to fires in major American cities to notions about traditional home life, Currier and Ives became the "photojournalists" of the 19th century. Hours for the Springfield Science Museum are Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm and Sunday: 11am – 5pm. The Museum of Fine Arts, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum are open Tuesday – Sunday: 11am – 4pm.
Florence Griswold Museum is sponsoring Winter Wonderment 2008, three days of fun Museum activities for the whole family during the school winter break. The gallery will present the Pumpernickel Puppets on Tuesday, for children ages 4 to 9, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m; tickets are $3 and must be purchased in advance. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., "Playtivity" artists will host a 45-minute interactive storytelling event based on the villages of Africa; $3 tickets must be purchased in advance. Thursday's event is a painting workshop, open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and free with museum admission, which is $5 for adults and free for children accompanied by adults during Winter Wonderment. There will also be a daily "Can you find me" game, in which participants attempt to match details of paintings and objects to the real works of art in the galleries and the Griswold House. The museum is at 96 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Information: FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or 860-434-5542.Creative gallery activities geared toward younger audiences are featured along with special performances, workshops, and hands-on art. Admission is $5 per adult and FREE to children accompanied by an adult.
The New England Air Museum's vacation week family activities begin on Sunday with the annual open cockpit event. Pilots and veterans will share their stories and present their airplanes, re-enactors will portray classic airmen, and children can build and fly model planes. On Monday there will be a scavenger hunt with prizes, and the two-person Ercoupe full motion simulator will be open to the public. "Future of Flight," a LEGO contest, will run throughout the day on Tuesday, with judging at 4 p.m. Modeling workshops begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday; participants will spend approximately two hours building and flying a balsa and tissue paper AMA Cub; admission is an extra $5. Thursday will feature an open cockpit event with helicopters, vintage planes, and World War II aircraft; additionally, the Boeing 707 cockpit simulator will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be several orientation tours of no extra-cost on Friday. General admission is $9.50 for adults, $6 for children, $8.50 for
The New England Air Museum's vacation week family activities begin on Sunday with the annual open cockpit event. Pilots and veterans will share their stories and present their airplanes, re-enactors will portray classic airmen, and children can build and fly model planes. On Monday there will be a scavenger hunt with prizes, and the two-person Ercoupe full motion simulator will be open to the public. "Future of Flight," a LEGO contest, will run throughout the day on Tuesday, with judging at 4 p.m. Modeling workshops begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday; participants will spend approximately two hours building and flying a balsa and tissue paper AMA Cub; admission is an extra $5. Thursday will feature an open cockpit event with helicopters, vintage planes, and World War II aircraft; additionally, the Boeing 707 cockpit simulator will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be several orientation tours of no extra-cost on Friday. General admission is $9.50 for adults, $6 for children, $8.50 for
Winter break at the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society will explore the Colonial times with two themed sessions for children 8 to 12. The first session, "A Sampler of Colonial Life," will take place Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. Children can take on Colonial characters by researching real people of the era and then by dressing up in costume. There will be a variety of Colonial activities, including games, chores, storytelling, attending a one-room schoolhouse and preparing Colonial foods. "Colonial Crafts and Trades," the second session, will take place Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can make their own Colonial-style pottery, marbles, plates, wooden frames, paper, books, toys and dolls. There will also be Colonial games. The fee is $115 per child for one session, $100 for members; $215 for both sessions, $185 for members. Fees for additional children in the same family are discounted $15. The Noah Webster House is at 227 S. Main St., West Hartford. Information: 860-521-5362.
The Norman Rockwell Museum is holding school Vacation Workshops: Comics and Cartooning where children can create their own comics with talented author and illustrator Marek Bennett. Lively, engaging art activities and gallery experiences will inspire experimentation with the language of comics through the introduction of the use of character, plot, and setting; task sequencing; comic dialogue; book building, and much more. An elementary educator and comics artist, Marek Bennett is the creator of Mimi’s Doughnuts Zine, an all ages comic series. Take one fun-filled class or take them all! Classes are designed for children age eight and up. Individual classes: $6, $5 members. All five classes: $25, $20 members. Monday through Friday February 18 – 22 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Thought Bubbles: Make Your Graphic Novel POP! April 21 – 25 Blend the art of writing, drawing, and storyboarding in this exciting workshop for teens exploring the process of creating a graphic novel. Educator and gifted graphic novelist, Tim Callahan, will guide young cartoonists through the process of moving an idea from first frame to finished comic book. Tim Callahan is the author and illustrator of Teenagers from the Future and other stories. Classes are designed for ages 13 and up. Individual classes: $6, $5 members. All five classes: $25, $20 members. Monday through Friday April 21 – 25 1 to 4 p.m. The Norman Rockwell Museum is located at 9 Glendale Road, Route 183, Stockbridge, MA 01262. Phone =413.298.4100 or on the web at http://www.nrm.org/
Old Sturbridge Village is holding a week of themed events beginning Saturday with a 19th century hairdressing presentation and the annual Washington's Birthday Ball. Interpreters will present "Hairdressing 1830s Style: Her Crowning Glory" at 1:30 p.m., demonstrating how women of the day would style their hair and with what products, such as bear grease and rum; the ball will follow the show. The rest of the week will feature activities such as songs and stories, scavenger hunts, crafts, magic shows, cooking and puppet shows. Old Sturbridge Village is on Route 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., just south of the I-84 connection with the Mass Pike. Admission is $20, $18 for seniors, $6 for children 3 to 17, and free for children under 3. Information: www.osv.org, or 800-SEE-1830.
Mystic Seaport will celebrate winter vacation with "Fish Tales" presentations daily from 11 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 2 p.m. Monday through next Friday. Children can learn about the Gulf Stream, hear nautical stories, examine shark's teeth and make fish puppets. General admission is $15, $13 for seniors and $9.50 for children. Mystic Seaport is at 75 Greenmanville Ave. Information: mysticseaport.org or 860-572-5315.
Hancock Shaker Village offers daily tours during school vacation at 11 am and 1 pm where you will go through the gardens, pastures and farm yard as your guide discusses Shaker agriculture, including the seasonal nature of farming and how the Shakers handled the sometimes harsh New England winters. As you marvel at the simple elegance of the 1830 Brick Dwelling, your guide will share insights into Shaker daily life, how their religious beliefs affected the architecture of the building, and much more. In the Laundry/Machine Shop, you will learn about the Shaker division of labor and their innovative technologies. And, as the cathedral-like beauty of the 1826 Round Stone Barn inspires you, learn about progressive Shaker agricultural techniques. XC Skiing and Snowshoeing is available. More information is available at (413) 443-0188 or (800) 817-1137. The Village is located at 1843 W. Housatonic St. Pittsfield, MA 01201.
Information: 860-688-3813 or windsorhistoricalsociety.org.
There will be children's activities at the Windsor Historical Society Monday through next Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children can take part in various craft projects and activities in the society's Hands-On-History Learning Center. Children are encouraged to dress for messy play and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, free for children under 12 and members. The Windsor Historical Society is at 96 Palisado Ave.
The Basketball Hall of Fame is having Six Flags Looney Tunes Characters February 18 and 22 - 12:30pm Bugs Bunny and his friends will be on hand to meet you on Center Court. Don't forget to bring your camera so you can take plenty of pictures! FREE with your admission to the Basketball Hall of Fame. On Tuesday, visitors can Meet the Critters of the Forest Park Zoo February 19 - 1pm when staff from the zoo will share information about the different animals and give guests the chance to meet them up close. Thursday is Celtics Mascot Lucky's Slam Dunk Show February 21 at 1pm when kids of all ages can enjoy the antics of Boston Celtics Mascot Lucky the Leprechaun as he performs an unbelievable slam dunk show on Center Court. Lucky will do flips, jumps and dunks like you've never seen before! Following his performance, Lucky will sign autographs in the Theater. Wear your favorite Celtics or other team gear, bring the coupon available on their website and save on admission. http://www.hoophall.com.
