Children's Museum at Holyoke

Wearing of the Green

2011-03-10T14:49:00.002-05:00

St.Patrick's Day in Holyoke extends through the weekend! Run in the Road Race on Saturday, March 19 & then watch the famous St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday. The whole city turns out for this parade, as well as friends & families from Pioneer Valley & beyond. The Museum will be closed Sunday, March 20. Enjoy the parade!

Mardi Gras!

2011-03-05T11:57:00.007-05:00

Laissez les bon temps rouler!
You know that the good times are always rolling
in the Children's Museum,
but add to the fun this weekend,
March 5th and 6th, by making a Mardi Gras mask!

"à bientôt"... see you soon!

Museum Open During School Break Feb 21-25

2011-02-16T15:43:00.002-05:00

Are your kids tired of making snowmen? Do you dread a week of indoor activities, in your house? The Children’s Museum at Holyoke is the perfect place for discovery, exploration, and imaginative play and will be open during school break, Feb.21-25.

Let your imagination guide you in a role as a doctor, veterinarian, dentist, or patient in the health area. “Drive” our ambulance or experience what is like to use a wheelchair or walker; don some scrubs and check out an x-ray of human bones or reptiles on our x-ray viewing machines. Blow an enormous bubble in the bubble area, dress up in the theater and put on a show in the Sit-Around-Theater, and create a masterpiece in Creation Station. Our water table is more than a splash, it offers the chance to manipulate the waterways, or float a boat. See what you look like on television in our TV studio, create pathways with the marble works components, then capture your shadow or “draw” with light. The Tot Lot is for our youngest visitors under age 2 and offers a safe place for exploration and discovery.

Visit one of the Cityscape establishments and take on the role of mail carrier, short order cook or diner, grocery clerk or shopper, librarian or patron, then climb into Observation Station and look for the hidden objects. Don’t forget to crawl through the Curvy Crawler’s dark and twisty tunnel, then enter Thomas Luckey’s sculptural creation, the Curvy Climber, to climb three levels of curved platforms that reach up two stories, giving you a bird’s eye view of all the activity below.

An upstairs eating area has vending machines with snacks and drinks, and picnic table seating. Bring your lunch so that you can spend the whole day!

For Love of Stories: A Family Story Valentine

2011-02-10T19:02:00.001-05:00

Join us Saturday February 12 from 5-8 p.m. for a fundraiser benefitting the the Friends of the Holyoke Public Library and Children’s Museum at Holyoke at the Children’s Museum at Holyoke.

Check out the exciting lineup and list of activities!

5-6 pm: Shuffles the Clown will greet you and make you a balloon sculpture

5-8: Visit with master storyteller Tom McCabe and share your stories!

5-5:30: Pet an instrument and hear its story told by our friends from Holyoke Civic Symphony

5:30-6: Musical performance by Holyoke Civic Symphony

6-6:30: Hear some tales from storyteller Tom McCabe

6:30-7:30: Songs and singing games with Roger Tincknell

7:30-8: Music and fun with The Expandable Brass Band

Ongoing activities:

Listen to story time with Mr. Tim and friends
Write your family’s story and illustrate it
Make a puppet and put on a show
Fashion a mask
Paint your face
Act out a story
Add to our story wall
Enjoy kid friendly food (hot dogs!)

$10 per person (free for children under 12 months)

$1 off for Museum members or Holyoke Public Library card holders

$9 per person advance purchase at Children’s Museum

If you cannot attend, please consider making a donation!
Call us for more information: 413-536-KIDS (5437)

Recyclo-rama!

2011-01-20T17:42:00.000-05:00

Saturday, January 22 is all about recycling at the Children's Museum at Holyoke, thanks to the efforts of Girl Scout Allison Lapointe who is working on her Gold Award. Children will learn the importance of recycling through games (who can sort the trash the fastest?), and fun projects. Water bottles will be turned into flowers to create a garden for the dinosaur sculptures, bottle tops will create designs, cereal boxes become collages. Answer the questions and earn a sticker! Help our planet and community, and support this Girl Scout's efforts during the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

2011-01-08T13:24:00.005-05:00

The Museum will be open on Monday, January 17 on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Join us as we celebrate this extraordinary individual with special activities and stories.

14th Annual First Night Jr.!

2010-12-30T15:13:00.002-05:00

On Dec. 31st join the Children's Museum and Merry-Go-Round for First Night Jr. 2010 in Holyoke Heritage State Park, the 14th annual family fun celebration of the New Year, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how other countries celebrate saying goodbye to the old year, and the welcoming of the new. Join in the dragon dance, write your resolutions, watch Ed Popielarzcyk perform magic, listen to Roger Tincknell’s music and stories, check out Mike Rondeau’s ice sculpture creation, visit with the Cat in the Hat, get your face painted or a balloon sculpture, get unlimited rides on the Merry-Go-Round, and admission to the Children’s Museum, and all for just $6 per person! ($5 in advance at the Merry-Go-Round or Children’s Museum). Culinary students from Dean Tech will sell kid friendly food at wallet friendly prices! Holyoke Mayor Elaine Pluta will lead the countdown for the ball drop at 3:45 in front of Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor Center for a noisy end to a fun celebration! Call 413-536-7048 for ticket information. (Sorry, no coupons, library passes accepted; museum members pay ticket price as this event is a collaborative fundraiser).

Schedule:
Visitor Center:
10:30-11:15 Ed Popielarczyk's Magic Show
11:30-12:15 Ed Popielarczyk's Magic Show
1:30-2:30 Roger Tincknell's Stories and Music
10:30-2:30 Face painting
10:30-3:00 Shred Your Regret and Write a Resolution: Peace Makers' Initiative of the Mayor's Office
3:35: Drawing for Disney On Ice tickets: "Princess Classics"
3:30-3:45 Grand Finale officiated by Mayor Elaine Pluta; Holyoke High School Marching Band parade

Children's Museum at Holyoke:
10-4 Museum open for play! (visitors will be directed to visitor center at 3:30)
10-3:30 Explore multicultural new year customs through crafts
12:30, 2:30, 3:30: Join the Dragon Dance
11:30-1:30 Watch Mike Rondeau carve an ice sculpture (outdoor balcony)
11-1 Make a new year crown with Macaroni Kids
Visit by Sparky the Fire Engine

Holyoke Merry-Go-Round
10-3:50 Carousel Rides
10-2:30 Balloon sculpting by Mr. K and Jim
10:30-3:00 Visit the information booth hosted by the Brain InjuryAssoc.
10-3:30 Visit by Cat in the Hat

Let it snow!

2010-12-27T07:32:00.007-05:00

The Museum will be closed all day, Monday December 27, 2010. Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency because of the weather conditions. Stay warm!

Holiday Hours and Holiday Fun

2010-12-16T16:21:00.002-05:00

The Children’s Museum at Holyoke will be the fun – and warm! – place to be over the holidays. The museum will be closed Dec. 24 and 25th for the Christmas holiday, but will reopen Sunday Dec. 26th at noon and be open until 4 p.m. The museum will be open for school break, Monday through Friday, Dec. 27-31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but will be closed New Year’s Day. The Museum will resume regular operating hours on Sunday Jan. 2.

There will be special arts and crafts all week, so our kids on school break will never have a chance to get bored! Treat your kids- and yourself – to the week of fun activities in the museum, then on Dec. 31st join us for First Night Jr. 2010, the 14th annual family fun celebration of the New Year, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how other countries celebrate saying goodbye to the old year, and the welcoming of the new. Join in the dragon dance, write your resolutions, watch Ed Popielarzcyk perform magic, listen to Roger Tincknell’s music and stories, check out Mike Rondeau’s ice sculpture creation, visit with the Cat in the Hat, get your face painted or a balloon sculpture, get unlimited rides on the Merry-Go-Round, and admission to the Children’s Museum, and all for just $6 per person! ($5 in advance at he Merry-Go-Round or Children’s Museum) Holyoke Mayor Elaine Pluta will lead the countdown for the ball drop at 3:45 in front of Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor Center for a noisy end to a fun celebration! Call 413-536-7048 for ticket information. This event is supported in part by a grant from the Holyoke Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; and by our friends at PeoplesBank.

Just to recap:
Closed Dec. 24, 25 Merry Christmas!
Open Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 Join us for First Night Jr., Dec. 31
Closed January 1, 2011 Happy New Year!

2010-11-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Greetings!

We want to express our thanks to each of you - our visitors, our sponsors, our Board of Directors - for your wonderful support of our Museum and our work.

The Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will reopen Friday at 10 a.m. and resume normal hours. Please note that there is no preschool program on Friday the 26th.

May you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

2010-11-09T11:26:00.000-05:00

The temperatures are dropping, the wind is showing who's boss, and the kids are filled with candy and ready for the next holiday...

which is Veterans' Day on Thursday, November 11, when we will be open our regular hours, 10-4, and ready to welcome you!

We are serving as a collection spot for Valley Opportunity Council's "Operation Gratitude" campaign. They are putting together "care packages" for our troops overseas so please consider helping with donations, such as blank holiday cards, disposable cameras, travel sized personal care items, prepaid phone cards, stamps, white socks, knitted hats and scarves, or food items (beef jerky, energy bars, powdered packets of hot/cold drinks, nuts, sunflower seed, trail mix).

Children can make cards that we will include with the donations. Help us show our troops that they are in our thoughts...

Halloween fun!

2010-10-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

Halloween fun is in appearance this week at the Children's Museum... follow the recipes in the Witch's house (make sure you put on the hat or cape!), and cook up a delightful concoction in our cauldron. On Saturday, October 30, join the other ghosts and goblins in the Park from 1-4 pm for the annual Spooktacular hosted by Holyoke Parks and Rec Dept. $1 entry fee for the Spooky Scavenger Hunt and goody bag! If your child is in costume, rides are half price at the Merry-Go-Round as is admission to our museum!

And don't forget the littlest ghouls: Miss Beth's "Ready to Grow" preschool program on Friday morning (Oct.29) at 9:30 is definitely a must! Silly skeletons abound! And just $6 for a family of goblins who flutter in by 9:30 (regular admission fees apply for late arrivals).

2010-10-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

Tag Sale!

Is your idea of a good time looking through stacks of miscellaneous items in search of a bargain?

If so, join us on Saturday, October 16, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. and peruse the piles of perfectly priced paraphenalia... and support your children's museum!

The sale will be held in the upper level of the museum's building at 444 Dwight Street in Heritage State Park in the room opposite the public picnic area. Cash only, please.

2010-10-07T18:48:00.000-04:00

You don't need to sail across the ocean to find new worlds...

Sail into our Museum on Columbus Day.. we will be open from 10-4 and ready to help you

EXPLORE ... DISCOVER .... IMAGINE .... CREATE

museum play

2010-09-29T11:01:00.000-04:00

museum play

How about an indoor space, with colorful large blocks and shapes and tubes and whatevers that kids can manipulate and build and create their own indoor playscape...
Help us make this dream come true at the Children's Museum at Holyoke!

Click on the link above and join the fun!

Fall into Fun!

2010-09-24T09:50:00.000-04:00

The last of the dustbunnies has been sheparded out the door, and we are open for play...!

We are open Wed-Sat 10-4 and Sun noon-4. Our preschool program, Ready to Grow, will resume October 1st, 9:30-10:30. Our Littlest Explorers will discover fun in Fall activities. Remember to arrive by 9:30 a.m. to participate in the program at the discounted price of $6/family. Late arrivals will have to pay full price of $6 per person. Members are free.

September 25 we will have a table at the Education Fair at the Nuestras Raices Harvest Festival from noon to 4:30. There will be food, music, games and more at this exciting annual festival at Nuestra Raices' farm on Jones Ferry Road off lower Main Street. It is a great start to the new school year, and a wonderful family outing opportunity!

(photo courtesy of wikivisual)

2010-08-31T15:30:00.000-04:00

It is time for our annual Fall cleaning!

We will be closed from Monday, September 6 through Tuesday, September 21 to enable us to clean, paint, tweak, and scrub our exhibits and walls and floors... and as much of the ceiling that we can reach!

But before we close for housekeeping, we will be participating in Holyoke's Block Party on Sunday, September 5. This second annual Block Party is sponsored by C.R.U.S.H., and in addition to children's activities, there will be live music, food, and all sorts of entertainment. Join us for the fun of it all! The Block Party will be in Veteran's Park in downtown Holyoke. Free to the public.

Other September events: our good neighbor in Heritage State Park is having a fundraiser: on Friday, September 17 the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round will host "Mountain Park Memories" at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House starting at 6:30 p.m. Live music, games, memorabilia, and great auction items! For more information, visit their website holyokemerrygoround.org. Support our friends!

Coming up in October: we will have a tag sale on October 16! Come search our tables for bargains and "must-haves" from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the upstairs space near the picnic area. Make us an offer we cannot refuse!

On October 23 we once again will participate in Discover Holyoke!, a city-wide event showcasing the city's arts organizations sponsored by Passport Holyoke.

And stay tuned for information on a Halloween event in the Park, our own second annual fundraiser "Fancy Steps 2010" on Saturday, November 13, which promises to be bigger and better, and much more...!

2010-07-29T13:38:00.000-04:00

Summer is in full swing, and the museum is THE place to be! Get your face painted, try your hand at making paper, create a puppet or an airplane, paint a picture, but save time to explore the museum's exhibits!

We are fortunate to work once again with the Youth Workers from the New England Farm Workers Council, as well as the teens from the City of Holyoke's Summer Youth Program; these wonderful teenagers are with us through August, and they are the ones who are making all these extra creative activities possible, and at no extra cost to our visitors!

Our preschool program, "Ready to Grow" is continuing, and August is all about "Celebrating Being Me!" Our Littlest Explorers ages 0-5 will enjoy the storytime with Ms. Beth and all the activities and games that go with the story. Admission to the Friday program at 9:30 a.m. is $6/family (members free) for preschool aged children only and their caregivers; once the program has started regular admission prices apply.

REMINDER: We will be doing our Fall cleaning in September, so we will be closed to the public September 6-21.

2010-06-17T15:56:00.000-04:00

Father's Day Rocks!
June 20
And who better to show this than musician Craig Harris who will show Dads (and others) how to Drum Away the Blues from 2 to 3 p.m. at Holyoke's Heritage State Park Visitor Center, right across from our museum.

Sunday, June 20 will be the final installment of Holidays in the Park with a Father's Day celebration from 1-3 p.m. Dads ride free on the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round and get in free to the Children's Museum; there will be a free snack at the merry-go-round, and a craft activity upstairs in our building.

Noche de San Juan
Sunday June 27

a free festival in the park from 3-7 p.m.

We are proud to be a part of the first annual festival celebrating Noche de San Juan and the Puerto Rican culture in Holyoke. Traditional music will be played by local bands Orquest la Perfecta and Criollo Clasico, vendors will be selling traditional food, and artisans will be displaying and selling their masks, carvings, and other wares. The Merry-Go-Round, Volleyball Hall of Fame, and Children's Museum will be open until 5 p.m. There will be volleyball games, a bike show, and lots of fun activities for kids and their families!

BatterUp with Wally
June 27

Visitors wearing Red Sox gear will get half price rides on the Merry-Go-Round, and half price admision to the Children's Museum, and famous mascot Wally will be available for photos from 11:30-2 at the Merry-Go-Round, where there will be balloon sculptures and other fun activities from 10-5. Help our Park neighbor raise money to preserve those gorgeous horses!

KIDS IN ACTION!
begins June 30:

Our summer weekly workshops begin on Wednesday June 30 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Drop off your child for a fun-filled 3 hours of activities, museum playtime, and a special craft, all for just $18 (members $15). Signup for 3 days and get a discounted rate of $50 (members $40)! Every day will be different, and the theme changes weekly. The first week will be Things that Fly and kids will start by building their own hovercraft (not full sized, thank you very much). Make sure you pack your child a lunch so the energy level stays high! Call 413-536-7048 ext 101 to enroll your child TODAY!

2010-05-21T17:02:00.000-04:00

Time is flying by and soon our nature exhibit will be dismantled, packed, and loaded onto a truck... SO VISIT US SOON!

There will be an opportunity to bid adieu to the crickets, loons, coyotes, and frogs, rake up a last bunch of leaves, and build a home for a gnome before it scurries away...

AND

try to eat like a bird, track animal footprints, and meet some real live critters from the Zoo at Forest Park on Friday, June 11 from 5-8 p.m. when we host a "Families in Nature Night" as the send off celebration of Out on a Limb, adventures with nature and art exhibition.

There will be stories, and crafts, free hot dogs, and lots of fun!

Members: $5; non-members $10.

Please rsvp so we don't run out of dogs...

2010-04-01T17:30:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, the rains have come (and hopefully gone for awhile!) and flowers are beginning to appear once again outside picture books. With Spring come changes and we are excited about the changes at our Museum! We have many new 'faces" to introduce, and new happenings to announce.

Please welcome our new Ready to Grow preschool teacher, Miss Beth, who will guide our littlest explorers on a journey through April showers into May flowers. Our Friday morning program for children ages 0-5 and their favorite grownup begins at 9:30 with a story, followed by special crafts and a snack. Special price is $6 per family (no field trips), members free. Regular admission prices apply for arrivals after the program begins.

April 2: The Rain Came Down, by David Shannon is a fun loving book about the chaos caused all over town by falling rain. (craft: make a rainstick!)

April 9: I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges follows a boy as he finds and takes pictures of all kinds of bugs. (craft: create your own bug!)

April 16: The Earth and I by Frank Asch is a beautifully illustrated book about the beauty of earth and the importance of keeping it clean. (special "earthy" craft)

April 23: The Rainbow by Felicia Law is a lighthearted story where three furry friends discover rainbows and the weather that causes them. (craft: design a rainbow mobile)

April 30: To Be Like the Sun by Susan Marie Swanson shows the journey of a seed as seen through the eyes of a little girl as she watches it grow and bloom. (plant your own seed to take home)

The Museum will be CLOSED on Sunday, April 4 for the Easter holiday, but please visit our neighbor, the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, for their annual visit with one very familiar bunny.

COMING UP SOON:

April 19-23 10 a.m. - 1 p.m: Junior Explorers Club, Register your child for 1 day, 2, 3 , 4, or all 5! $25 per day or $100 for all 5 days. Discounts for siblings or members.

May 2: the Future Begins Here 2010! Silent and Live auction at Holyoke Mall, benefitting the Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke Rows, The Equestrian Center, and the Children's Museum at Holyoke.

2010-03-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

We have been busy at the Children's Museum! "Ready to Grow," our preschool program, has proven popular. Miss Celia has researched fun activities for our littlest visitors; join us Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. for storytime, crafts, and a snack. $6 per family until 9:45, then regular admission applies.

Our February fundraiser made us realize that we need more family fun nights. More than 100 people joined us for an evening of fun crafts, exotic lizards, and campfire treats (without the campfire!). Stay posted for details on another family fun night. We promise more animals!

"Holidays in the Park" 2010 continues with a wearing of the green. Our own staff member Allison Bigelow, and fellow dancer Jaime Hoppock, will perform and demonstrate the finest in Irish Step Dancing on Sunday March 14th, at 2 pm in the Visitor Center of Heritage State Park. The performance is FREE and sponsored by Holyoke's Parks and Recreation Dept. Free sweets (maybe green) will be offered from 1-3 p.m. as well as a free craft activity at the Holyoke Merry Go Round. Ali and Jaime are students at the McDermott Dance Academy, and between them have more than 20 years of dance experience (considering they are both in high school, that is impressive!)

Speaking of St. Patrick's Day activities, the big Saint Patrick's Day Parade will be on Sunday March 21 in downtown Holyoke, so our museum will be closed for the day. Go watch the parade... I hear it is the second largest in the country!

We also will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 4, but if your children get restless, take them over to the Merry Go Round to meet a "certain bunny."

Stay tuned for news of our drop off workshop, "Junior Explorers," during the week of school break, April 19-23. Animal habitats, water wheels, a terrarium... topics guaranteed to keep your explorer happy! $25 per day, or $100 for all 5 days. Members receive a discount. Space is limited, so reserve a spot today; call us at 413-536-7048.

And May brings the popular auction and fundraiser, The Future Begins Here. More to come on that later!

2010-02-13T11:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! And President's Day! ... and winter vacation days...

We are ready to celebrate!

(photo from aussiegal on Fickr.com)

On Sunday, February 14, Our Funny Valentine - Shuffles the Clown - will perform her silly antics for free at Heritage State Park's Visitor Center at 2 p.m. The Children's Museum, Holyoke MerryGoRound, and Heritage State Park are offering "Holidays in the Park" starting with Valentine's Day. The Merry Go Round is offering a sweet treat, and we will have all the materials for our young visitors to make pretty (or zany) Valentine's cards, upstairs in our picnic area. Activities are free and from 1-3, Shuffles (courtesy of Clowntique) is from 2-3. (Admission to the museum is $6/person; $1 for a ride on the MerryGoRound.) We thank the Holyoke Parks and Rec. Department for sponsoring Holidays in the Park, 2010.

Monday, February 15 is President's Day and the beginning of many kids' winter vacation, and Earth Explorers' Week at the Children's Museum! Celia has created fun activities for each day, including a story. Join us Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. , all included in the price of admission! We will be open this week Monday through Saturday, 10-4 and Sunday noon to 4 then return to our regular schedule (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

Why did we choose Earth Explorers for a theme? We went "Out on a Limb"! Our newest temporary exhibition, "Out on a Limb, adventures with nature and art," brings the outdoors indoors.. Children can climb into a "treehouse", make a gnome home, send leaves whirling through the air in our Whirlwind Tree, create a symphony of insect and weather sounds in the Forest Jam, and play a nature memory game at the storytelling table. The exhibition was designed and built by the Children's Museum of San Jose, and we will have it until June 10 after which it continues its journey to the Boston Children's Museum.

photo from Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

How did we get such an incredible exhibit? We could not have done this without the support of an anonymous donor who stepped up to pay for the rental. Expenses for an exhibit don't stop there! Steve Corrigan of Mountain View Landscape understood that and contributed generously toward program and marketing materials. Jim Curran of Curran Construction showed up with Tim and Tobey and two forklifts, to unload the 53' truck, then move the empty crates onto a trailer provided by Steve Bakos of Griffin Express, who has donated the storage; and David Shultz of Sonoco sent his incredible and talented guys Henry and Bruce to help install the components, with the great assistance of Edgardo Perez and his student workers from the Farmworkers Union, and our regular - and wonderful - volunteer Norm Boulanger (who also took photos of the process which you will see in a later post). WE LOVE OUR FRIENDS!

And speaking of love, and friends, on Saturday, February 27 we are hosting our annual winter fundraiser, For Love of Nature.. and Our Museum! Join us from 5-8 pm to celebrate this wonderful exhibition and help us raise funds to bring more programs and exhibits to our museum. Meet Rae's critters from Teaching Creatures, build a birdhouse with our friends from Home Depot, make your own rainstick, "finger piano", and picture frame, munch on a hot dog or s'mores, and explore the outdoors, indoors! $10 per person; reservations are suggested. Our thanks to the Holyoke Credit Union for their generous sponsorship of Teaching Creatures! So join us for a night of fun and support your museum!

Vacation!

2009-12-20T14:47:00.000-05:00

The Children's Museum at Holyoke's vacation schedule is beginning this week. We will be having extended hours and will be open 7 days a week until January 2nd (the schedule will then revert to regular business hours). The vacation schedule is as follows: Monday through Saturday 10:00 am through 4:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm through 4:00 pm. However, we are closed on December 24th, December 25th, and January 1st. (picture source: comeniuspaths.netfirms.com)

Another exception to the vacation schedule is New Year's Eve, December 31st. The First Night Jr. event will be happening in Holyoke Heritage State Park from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. The museum will be open from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm, and a special ball-drop finale will be happening at 2:45 pm at the Visitor's Center. Advance tickets are $5.00 (can be purchased from the museum) and include tons of fun activities (see previous post), and tickets bought at the event are $6.00. Come and celebrate with us! (picture source: mlive.com)

Ashley would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of her regular Think and Play attendees! She has had so much fun getting to know all of the kiddos and watching them all learn and grow each week. The Think and Play Series for Preschoolers will be taking a short break as Ashley will be leaving the Children's Museum at Holyoke at the end of December. But please stay tuned to the blog to find out when the program will be beginning again! (picture source: msnbc.msn.com)

THANK YOU!

2009-12-06T10:40:00.000-05:00

Recently, our water table has been given a facelift... and if I may say so, it was a much needed one! We are fortunate enough to have a water table that is a replica of the CT river and are able to use something fun as a very valuable teaching tool. However, we did not have the funding to make our CT river look as beautiful as we had hoped...

But the Beavers Club has come to our rescue (AGAIN! They also installed our beautiful wooden benches and fence as well as our Tot Lot). Check out these amazing shots of the time and hard work that these men donated to us!
And voila! A beautiful, new look to go along with the rest of our updates. All of us here at the Children's Museum at Holyoke would like to whole heartedly thank the Beavers Club for being so generous! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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As you plan out your holiday vacation time, please don't forget about our New Year's Eve celebration for children and Heritage State Park Event, First Night Jr. It takes place on December 31st from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. Tickets are $6.00 per person (or $5.00 per person if bought in advance) and admission includes entry to the museum, unlimited rides on the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, Ed Popielarczyk's Magical Moments, Roger Ticknell's renowned music and storytelling, balloon sculpting, face painting, and much much more! Come and meet your favorite WGBY characters and trek over to the Visitor's Center at 2:30 to watch our ball-drop finale. It's the best New Year's celebration for children in the Valley, so don't miss it! Tickets are on sale now! Also, Click here to see our extended holiday vacation hours! (picture source: smileosmile.com)

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Finally, join us this week for Ashley's Think and Play Series for Preschoolers where children will learn about animals in the winter! On Friday, December 11th, find out where all the animals go during winter! Learn about animal homes, animal adaptations, and some animals that just LOVE the cold. We will be making our own polar bear puppets to take home. The program will begin at 9:30 am, and admission is $6.00 per family (free for members). Anyone arriving after 10:00 am will be subject to regular admission prices.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

2009-11-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

Holyoke, that is! We hope everyone will join us in welcoming Santa and Mrs. Claus to the Children's Museum at Holyoke on Saturday, December 5th. From 10:30 am until noon, we will be hosting a meet and greet with lots of fun activities. Come and get your picture taken with the famous couple, decorate a delicious Christmas cookie, craft an ornament, learn how to make your own beautiful snowflake, play a song with some musical jingle bells, design and build a topper for a Christmas tree, and listen to Santa and Mrs. Claus each read their favorite Christmas story. Santa will be reading The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, and Mrs. Claus will be reading Fancy Nancy: Spendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor. It's not often that these two find the time to travel from the North Pole to meet all of their adoring fans, so definitely take advantage and join the festivities! All activities are included in the price of museum admission.

The Think and Play Series for Preschoolers returns on Friday, December 4th. December is all about winter! Join us for songs, art, and stories to celebrate everything amazing about our coldest season. Snowflakes, ice, and snowmen... oh my! We will also be learning to write our own wintry poetry, so wear your thinking cap! Think and Play begins at 9:30 am, and admission is $6.00 per family (free for members). Anyone arriving after 10:00 am is subject to regular admission prices.

The Holiday Season is Upon Us!

2009-11-22T14:18:00.000-05:00

The holidays are looming, and that ushers the Children's Museum into its busiest time of the year. A combination of yucky weather, visiting families, and time off from school is a triple delight that brings in the crowds! We strive to be open as much as possible during this time of year so that as many people as possible who want to visit us have the opportunity to.

This brings us to the confusion over vacation and when exactly the Children's Museum is open. As a rule of thumb, the museum is open whenever school is closed, barring major holidays. This means that althou

gh we are usual

ly closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, we are open if school is out. So for the upcoming holidays, here is a schedule of museum hours:

Thanksgiving

Wednesday Nov. 25th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Thursday Nov. 26th: CLOSED

Friday Nov. 27th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Saturday Nov. 28th: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday Nov. 29th: 12:00 pm- 4:00 pm

Winter Break

Monday Dec. 21st: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Tuesday Dec. 22nd: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Wednesday Dec. 23rd: 10:00- 4:00 pm

Thursday Dec. 24th: CLOSED

Friday Dec. 25th: CLOSED

Saturday Dec. 26th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Sunday Dec. 27tth: 12:00

pm- 4:00 pm

Monday Dec. 28th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Tuesday Dec. 29th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Wednesday Dec. 30th: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Thursday Dec. 31st: 10:00 am- 2:30 pm (First Night Jr. Event, closing early to give families time to walk over to the Visitors' Center for the New Year Count Down and Ball Drop)

Friday January 1st: CLOSED

Keep an eye out for the Children's Museum's WISH TREE. It will be appearing soon, and we will be hanging "wish stars" from its branches detailing small items that the museum needs to help keep its exhibits, programming and activities running (markers, paper, etc.). As we strive to make our museum and staff performance better and brighter, we could use your help with some of the little things. So pick a star, and make a wish come true for us (and in turn, for YOU!) (picture source: freevectors.net)

Please join us Saturday, December 5th for our Meet the Clauses event. Listen to both Santa and Mrs. Claus read their favorite stories, have your picture taken with them, decorate a fancy cookie, make an ornament or tree topper, and learn how to make a beautiful snow flake. This event runs from 10:30 am until noon and is free with museum admission, so don't miss it! (photo source: cdn-write.demandstudios.com)

Finally, we want to remind everyone of the approaching annual fundraiser: First Night Junior. This will take place on Thursday, December 31st from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. An admission price of $6.00 per person includes entry to the museum, unlimited rides on the Merry-Go-Round, Ed Propielarczyk's Magical Moments, Roger Ticknell's renowned music and storytelling, balloon sculpting, face painting, and much much more. Come meet your favorite WGBY characters, and don't miss the ball drop finale over at the Visitors' Center at 2:30! Advance tickets will be available for $5.00 per person. Because this event is a fundraiser, memberships and library passes are not accepted. Call the museum at (413) 536-7048 or the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round at (413) 538-9838 for more details! (photo source: .nyc-architecture.com)

*There will be NO Think and Play Series for Preschoolers this Friday, November 27th*

Ruff Ruffman, Santa, and Preschoolers... Oh My!

2009-11-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

The Grand Opening of our much anticipated Fetch!Lab will be this Saturday, November 21st! Ruff Ruffman will be here in person to meet all of his fans, we will be giving out goody bags and holding a drawing for free museum memberships, and there will be fun activities going on all throughout the day (10:00 am to 4:00 pm). Please stop by and say hello! Because WGBY has provided generous support for our newstation and Fetch!Lab, any WGBY members (in addition to Children's Museum members) will receive free admission if they present their card or newsletter.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and Ashley will be celebrating on Friday, November 20th with a sweet surprise! The Think and Play Series for Preschoolers has been talking about family all month, and our family unit will be wrapped up with fun Thanksgiving festivities. What other holiday is more about family?! Publish your own book about what makes you feel thankful, make (and eat!) a delicious mini-pie, and laugh along at our read-aloud of I Know an Old Woman who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson. The program will begin at 9:30 am. Admission is $6.00 per family (free for members). Anyone arriving after 10:00 am will be subject to regular admission prices.

This year, the Children's Museum will be hosting a meet and greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, December 5th from 10:30 to 12:00. Meet the Clauses and have your picture taken with them, hear Santa read Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg or Mrs. Clause read Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor, decorate fancy cookies, make a Christmas ornament, and help decorate our museum Christmas tree! This event is free with the price of museum admission. (photo source: istockphoto.com)

Our raffle and bake sale for Brenda Parent, our coworker who has been on extended medical leave, were a huge success! We want to thank each and every one of you that contributed. Your donations have allowed us to really help Brenda in her time of need! Thank you, thank you, thank you (picture source: virtualhug.wordpress.com)

T'is the Season for Giving

2009-11-07T10:59:00.001-05:00

This month, the Children's Museum is focusing on giving back! Our raffle to raise money for Brenda Parent, our administrative manager who has been recovering from serious surgery, is set for its final drawing on Saturday, November 14th. Please join us (not to mention, buy a raffle ticket!!) for the bake sale also taking place that day that will benefit Brenda. In addition, we are also participating in City Wide Charity Day in Holyoke. Bring in a canned food item, gloves, hats, scarves or gently used coats for our donation box anytime before November 14th and receive $1 off each admission before November 14! All items collected will be distributed to the needy in the Holyoke community. (picture source: caaneo.ca)

Please don't forget that we are OPEN on Wednesday, November 11th VETERAN'S DAY! Come play with us =-)

This Friday, November 13th, join us for our Think and Play Series for Preschoolers. It is Ashley's second installment in her Family! Series. Sometimes families grow and expand. How does the addition of a new baby make everyone in a family feel? Learn about new babies and changing families, and sing and play with our special guest, Velvet St. Amand from BabySigns, who will be teaching us different ways to communicate our feelings! The program begins at 9:30 am. Admission is $6.00 per family (free for members). Anyone arriving after 10:00 am is subject to regular museum admission prices.

30 Days hath September... April, June, and NOVEMBER!

2009-11-01T13:17:00.000-05:00

We have begun displaying our raffle prizes at the museum, so definitely come in and check out some of the beautiful baskets that staff and board members have put together. The ticket sales are coming in slowly- and we're hoping that word of mouth can help increase the numbers! Please help us to raise money for our dear friend and coworker, Brenda Parent, who is on extended medical leave! The final drawing (and bake sale!) will take place at the museum on November 14th. (picture source: http://gardeningwithchildren.files.wordpress.com)

Last week, our Think and Play Spooktastic Celebration was a huge success! Unbelievably cute witches, knights in shining armor, magicians, cheetahs, lions, princesses... costumes of all kinds poured in for a fun celebration of all things Halloween. Ashley wants to thank everyone that came! And if you have pictures that you wouldn't mind sharing (for the blog, for bulletin boards, etc.), we would LOVE to have them! Just send them to Ashley at ar_barton@yahoo.com. This week, Friday November 6th at 9:30 am, we are kicking off our Think and Play for Preschoolers Family! series. What is a family? Do animals have families too? Learn about different kinds of families and their members, and enjoy family themed songs, games, and stories along with a special floppy-eared animal guest! Is your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino is our featured book of the week. Admission is $6.oo per family (free for members). Anyone coming after 10:00 am is subject to regular museum admission prices.

Another date to put into your calendar: the grand opening of our Fetch!Lab. WGBY is helping to sponsor our Fetch!Lab and newsroom, so join us on November 21st for a celebratory opening. Ruff Ruffman will be visiting to make sure we've done a good job and to say hello to all of his fans! More to come on this event... so stay tuned! (picture source: pbskids.org)

*Also remember- the museum will be OPEN on Veteran's Day, November 11th*

Halloween is Almost Here!

2009-10-25T12:54:00.000-04:00

Halloween is an especially anticipated event at the museum because... well, let's be honest- who doesn't like dressing up in a costume or eating delicious treats?? We certainly do! (picture source: ursispaltenstein.ch)

This year the museum is dedicated to providing Halloween fun in a welcoming, safe environment with activities appropriate for a range of ages. We will start with an event just for the preschoolers, our Think and Play Series! On Friday, October 30th at 9:30 am, Ashley will be throwing a Spooktastic Celebration! This is a very special day for Think and Play, and we will be celebrating Halloween with silly music, a read-aloud of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles Schulz, and creating and devouring some spooky treats. Wear a costume to take part in our Halloween parade around the museum! This program runs approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Admission to the program is $6.00 per family and includes admission to the museum (members are free). Anyone arriving after 10:00 am is subject to regular museum admission prices. (picture source: blogs.pioneerlocal.com)

On Halloween Day, the museum is participating in the "Spooktacular," set in Holyoke Heritage State Park. The event was recently featured in The Republican:

'Spooktacular' Set at Carousel
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
HOLYOKE - Looking for a "spooktacular" time this Halloween?
Check out the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round where the horses will be in costume and rides will be half-price if you, too, come in costume. Creator of the Canal Creature Crawl, Nancy Howard Smith and area artists and designers, including mask makers Angel Sanchez Ortiz, Jenny Sumi, Marjorie Latham, Karen Tozzi Colberg, Malini Sinha and Lou's Upcycles, have come together to mask the steeds for Halloween.
The merry-go-round's events - all aimed at families - will be at three locations. There will be a costume parade at 1 p.m. at the carousel. A haunted house tour will be offered at the Holyoke Heritage State Park visitors' center, and storyteller Tom McCabe will offer a program at the Children's Museum. There will be a limited amount of crafts and refreshments as well as candy give-a-ways, all offered free. There will be free admission to the children's museum after 3 p.m.
The state park is located on 221 Appleton St., bordered by Dwight Street. Parking is free, and all venues are accessible to accommodate special needs. For more information, contact the Children's Museum at (413) 536-7048, the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round at (413) 538-9838, Heritage State Park at (413) 534-1723 or the Volleyball Hall of Fame at (413) 536-0926. Submitted by the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round. (article source: masslive.com, picture source: holyokemerrygoround.org)

Please remember to be safe on Halloween night! Click here for some great trick-or-treating tips from The Friday Zone.

Our raffle for staff member Brenda Parent is currently underway. We have begun selling tickets, but we want to get the word out to as many people as possible! Please tell your friends. Tickets are available at our front desk: 1 for $1.oo or 6 for $5.00. (picture source: thetrotblog.wordpress.com)

Here is a list of all the items being raffled off (for a more detailed description of each item, ask at the front desk or call 413-536-7048):

Memberships to the Children's Museum at Holyoke
Winter-Themed Handmade Floor Mat
Framed Photograph of City Hall taken by Norm Boulanger
Framed Photograph of Fall Foliage by Holyoke Canal by Nona Hatay
Weekend Entertainment Package (gift certificates to the Hofbrauhaus, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the New England Air Museum)
Variety of Gift Baskets (Learn-to-Crochet basket, Mary Kay basket, Family Night at Home basket, Mommy's Time Out basket, and Christmas basket)

The final drawing will take place on Novemeber 14th at our museum bake sale (also to benefit Brenda). Please buy raffle tickets and help us to help this amazing woman!!

Finally, the Children's Museum will be open on Wednesday, November 11th (Veteran's Day). Come and play with us on your day off!

2009-10-18T14:11:00.000-04:00

Our raffle to raise money for Brenda Parent, our Administrative Manager recovering from surgery, will begin this coming Wednesday, October 21st. A variety of items will be available, including memberships to the Children's Museum, a beautiful winter floor mat made and donated by a museum member, and a handful of fun gift baskets (Christmas, wine, Mary Kay products, etc.) all donated by staff, board members, and members. A full description of each item, as well as tickets for the raffle, will be available at the front desk starting Wednesday the 21st. The final drawing will take place on Saturday, November 14th during our Children's Museum bake sale (also to benefit Brenda). Please, help us raise money for this amazing woman and her family! (picture source: easygiftbasketideas.com)

Our final installment in our Colors! Series of Think and Play for Preschoolers is this Friday, October 23rd. Ashley has been thinking up new animal riddles, finding fun songs to sing, and practicing her animal yoga to fill her program with awesome activities just for our preschool age visitors. Please join us this week to learn about rainbows and all of their beautiful colors. Enjoy Eric Carle's Let's Paint a Rainbow, and explore idenitifying, sorting, and mixing colors while we make our own collage rainbows to bring home! The program begins at 9:30 am, and don't be late because it's only $6.00 for the whole family (free for members)! Anyone arriving after 10:00 am will be subject to regular museum admission prices. (picture source: imvu.com)

Finally, don't forget about the Discover Holyoke event happening throughout the city this coming Saturday, October 24th. We'll be here at the museum welcoming any and all participating guests, and we can't wait to see you!

Exciting Events!

2009-10-10T14:37:00.000-04:00

This month is jam-packed with fun events in Holyoke, and the Children's Museum is participating in lots of them! One particularly important event is Discover Holyoke, hosted by PassportHolyoke. PassportHolyoke was described as "several organizations... joining forces to promote their cultural, recreational, and educational events together... to increase awareness and attract more people [for the city of Holyoke]" in a recent article from the Republican. (picture source: passportholyoke.org)

PassportHolyoke's website details the event as follows: Holyoke will offer a wide assortment of exciting events and special offers throughout the city, sponsored by PassportHolyoke Organizations. Wrist bracelets will be handed out at the Event Kick-off at 10a.m. at Wistariahurst Museum and can be purchased throughout the day. Holyoke offers an attractive balance of urban bustle and vibrant natural landscapes. Refresh yourself in the area’s historical richness, experience the beauty of the canals, explore a renovated mill building, have fun in the outdoors, visit historical sites. Take advantage of the abundant cultural, recreational and educational venues. Enjoy museums, take in the Volleyball Hall of Fame, give the kids a ride on the historic Merry-Go-Round and play at the Children’s Museum and so much more. Wistariahurst Museum will be open for historic house and garden tours from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
When:
Saturday October 24, 2009 Event Kick-off starts at 10:00 a.m.
Where:
Wistariahurst Museum
Price:
Participating visitors pay $1 to enjoy ongoing events throughout the city - shuttle transportation is included.

Also, don't forget about Spooktacular! This event is always an amazing time, and we can't wait to see everyone on Halloween Day in their spooky, silly, and creative costumes! All the fun details are in last week's blog post, which can be found at this link. (picture source: spookynite.com)

As previously posted, our administrative manager, Brenda Parent, has been absent from the museum for very serious medical complications. Just to update any and all concerned parties, she is recovering steadily at her home. We hear from her every few days, and we are excited to report her good progress. We wish her love and continued good recovery!! Stay tuned for more details about our raffle to raise money for Brenda.

Finally, our Think and Play Series for preschoolers continues to grow each week! We love meeting more and more members and nonmembers with fabulous, curious kiddos. The details are the same for this week: Friday, October 16th at 9:30 am; $6.00 per family (free for members); and the theme for the month of October is COLORS! Exciting activities for this week include making your own instrument to play in our COLORS! band, animal yoga, and a "creating new colors" workshop that includes a fun and messy paint mixing activity. Hope to see you all there! (picture source: picturebookart.org)

And We're Open!

2009-10-04T14:23:00.000-04:00

This week has been a hectic and beautiful re-opening, and we've been so glad to see all of the lovely faces that have been missing from the museum for the past month or so! The museum is clean, complete, and ready for your enjoyment. Fresh paint, new carpet, and a new layout! In the next few weeks, we will be working to get more signage back on the walls, the Fetch!Lab up and running, making the apartment a more functional space, the new art room decorated, and our court house furnished ::phew!:: So look forward to even more updates!

In the meantime, there are a few events and issues we all want to bring up... In all of the chaos, we've been down a staff member. With heavy hearts we had to wish Brenda Parent, our administrative manager, our prayers as she went under serious surgery last week. It was particularly frightening for Brenda and her family as she is already a cancer survivor and the diagnosis was undetermined. We are happy to say that, to date, Brenda is cancer free. Brenda has worked at the Children's Museum for about 9 years, so many of you may have seen her around. She is a Holyoke native and has given much back to the community. Brenda and her family have given years of service to the museum, not only as employees, but as volunteers as well. We're asking for any donation you can give to help support them in their time of need. Brenda will be out for about 4-6 weeks or possibly longer in order to fully recover. If you would like to send a check (made out to the Children's Museum at Holyoke), please send it to:

Attention: Parent Fund

Children's Museum at Holyoke

444 Dwight StreetHolyoke, MA 01040

Or you can participate in our special raffle. Prizes include a basket of Mary Kay items and a Family Plus membership (great for holiday gift giving!) All proceeds will go to the Parent Fund. Tickets are $1.00 each or 3 for $2.00, available at our front desk. Thank you!!

One of the museum's favorite events is coming up... Holyoke's Parks and Recreation Department's HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! Saturday, October 31, 2009 1:00 PM - 4:00 pm join us at Holyoke's Heritage State Park for the annual HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! Halloween activities and crafts for children ages 2 - 10 years old will be offered. Activities include: a costume parade starting the day at 1:00 PM, ride the Not-So-Scary-Go-Round, a haunted house at the Visitor's Center, nationally known story teller Tom McCabe at the Children's Museum as well as crafts and more family fun. For more information, please call (413) 322-5620. (picture source: frugallawstudent.com)

Also on everyone's minds is the 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu). As a place where lots of people and children congregate, the museum is particularly concerned. And so we are reading up on the virus and other seasonal viruses so that we can be as educated and informed as possible on how to keep all of you (and ourselves) flu free! The H1N1 virus is thought to spread in the same way that other influenzas spread: person to person via coughing sneezing, touching things, etc. The virus can only live on a surface for 2-8 hours, and so we are working to keep all of our surfaces and toys as clean as possible. We are also considering installing some bins around the museum that would have a sign reading something to the effect of "if you have seen a child with a toy in his or her mouth, please put it in here." This would be a measure to decrease the likelihood of your child coming across a toy that has been in someone elses mouth. Finally, we have a bottle of hand sanitizer at the front desk, please use it in addition to washing your hands thoroughly in the bathrooms whenever possible- we sure do! (picture source: sikunews.com, information source: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm)

Finally, please don't forget about our Think and Play Fridays for the preschoolers! Ashley had such an amazing time with the group that showed up last week, and she's super excited to see everyone again this Friday. The program begins at 9:30 am (approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour run time), and don't be late because it's only $6.00 per family (free for members)! Anyone arriving after 10:00 am will pay regular admission prices. Be ready for songs, stories, food, and arts and crafts!

T- minus two days!!

2009-09-28T10:51:00.000-04:00

So shutdown... somehow... is almost over. Where did those three weeks go?? The museum looks incredibly different and is filled with fresh colors, beautiful carpet, and some amazing new art installations. Not to mention the layout of exhibits has been revamped. And the staff have the battle scars and fatigue to prove it! We are so proud of our work, and we look forward to showing it off to you!

It was quite a push to finish (or is that "finish"? Don't look in the staff hallway!) everything in time for our fundraising event, Fancy Steps, that took place on Saturday night. The dance exhibition at City Hall was so great- congratulations to all the dancers; you all did an amazing job!! A tremendous amount of people then poured into the museum for a reception to enjoy delicious food catered by the Delaney House/Log Cabin and to check out the work we've done. It was really inspiring to see the numbers of people who came out to support us- Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And so, we re-open on Wednesday for regular business. Anyone curious about Think and Play Fridays should come down this Friday, October 2nd. The new program is more involved and truly dedicated to our preschoolers. It will begin at 9:30 am and run for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Be looking forward to music and movement, fun with food, art projects, and more with Ashley! The museum is closed to the public before 10:00am, so we will have the museum to ourselves!
This week, we will be featuring special guest, Velvet St. Amand, who will be teaching us about Baby Sign and sign language. Come and learn new signs with songs, interactive play activities and find out more about the Baby Signs® program. So bring baby brothers and sisters too! Also, plan on some fun art projects and a yummy snack! Arrive for the program promptly because it's only $6.00 per family (this includes admission to the museum) and is free for members. Anyone arriving after 10:00am will have to pay regular museum admission prices. Hope to see you all there!

Destruction! (in a good way)

2009-09-11T13:32:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to inform all of you that the museum is now in full disarray... We're really doing it; there's no turning back now! This whole week has been devoted to demolition in all forms.

The staff have been here every day helping to organize the incredibly long list of improvements that we hope to accomplish. So far, we have managed to...

Take all of our exhibits off of the floor (everything is sitting in the staff hallway)

Rip up most of the old carpeting

Prime the entirety of Cityscape (which, by the way, looks like a scary ghost town in its current all-white form...)

Prime the walls and pick tile for the new birthday room (beautiful, bright blue!)

Cut the hole going through the wall from the theater into our new art room (former Dalmation Room)

Our museum is going to look beautiful, and we would sincerely like to thank all of the workers that have helped us this past week for contributing to that goal! Thanks to everyone from the Sheriff's Department and also all of the United Way Day of Caring workers! We absolutely could not have done all of this without you- you are all invaluable!

Keep checking back for more progress pictures as we proceed....

Last Weekend Open!

2009-09-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

Time is flying, and it is officially our last weekend open at the Children's Museum at Holyoke before our annual September Shutdown! We will be closed starting Monday, September 7th and will re-open on Wednesday, September 30th. The weather is beautiful, and the feeling in the air is one of anticipation and excitement. Please come and join us this weekend for some last minute fun and games! As another quick reminder, the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round (also located in Heritage State Park) has reverted to its winter hours. It is now open from 12:00pm until 4:00pm on weekends only. (photo source: holyokemerrygoround.org)

To continue with our "Introducing..." Series, I am excited to present you this month with a staff member who is not often seen by the general public. She is a seriously behind-the-scenes gal without whose hard work we would never be open today. She has worked with the museum for 8 years and is the go-to lady for need-to-know information on museum policy. Her name is Brenda Parent, and she is our Administrative Manager. If you have ever booked a birthday party, private event, or field trip, Brenda is in charge of our schedule and likely talked with you on the phone. She deals with all of our memberships and the general nitty gritty of daily operation. We love her dearly, and I hope you will all say hello if you see her around the museum!

Our first week of shutdown is sure to bring some dramatic changes to the look of the museum. On Friday, September 11th, the Mass Mutual Financial Group and Hamilton Sundstrand will be joining us for the United Day of Caring. Their generous employees will be donating their time to help some of our goals be realized! Think cleaning, new paint, and some exciting construction! As we progress, I will be adding photos and commentary to the blog, so stay tuned. Some of the magical week to look foward to (photo source: luckeyclimbers.com)...

Death-defying cleaning... Can anyone guess how we might get to the top of the curvy climber?
A disappearing act involving a certain dingy blue/grey carpet...
Construction of a new exhibit.... Have you ever wanted to stand inside a bubble?

Finally, head on down tomorrow to Holyoke's first Block Party put on by Holyoke C.R.U.S.H. "C.R.U.S.H. (Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke) is a non-partisan group of residents and business owners focused on generating concrete and tangible plans that will contribute to the revitalization of Holyoke" (crushonholyoke.org). Check out their blog for more information on times and what to expect. Our own Dayna Abrazinski will be there facepainting and giving away informational packets and free passes on behalf of the museum!

Don't Forget!

2009-08-29T10:14:00.001-04:00

Summer is winding down; can you feel it?! The air is chilly, the kids are heading back to school, and the museum's summer programs are coming to a close. Our annual shutdown begins on September 7th, and we don't want anyone to forget. What a bummer to head all the way out here and find out that we are closed...

Shutdown promises to be a truly transformative event this year, as our goals are miles bigger than they have been in years (photo source: thisoldhouse.com). Here's a sneak peak of some of the things you can look forward to upon our re-opening on September 30th:

A new and improved news station... All I can say is, have you ever heard of Ruff Ruffman?
A face lift and expansion of our Think and Play Preschool Series
A new birthday room in our Discovery Depot space: we'll be saying goodbye to the Dalmation Room and hello to a new art space in its place
(photo source: heloflights.com)

As always, we would love to hear feedback and suggestions from the people who frequent our museum. You know us best! What do you love about the museum? What have you always wished we would change or add? Give us some food for thought, and leave us a comment! Also, stay tuned to our blog throughout September Shutdown for updates and pictures of our progress!

Finally, please don't forget about our Fancy Steps Benefit coming up on September 26th at 6:30 pm in the Holyoke City Hall Ballroom. There are many ways to contribute: buy advertising space in our program booklet, suggest businesses who may want to purchase an ad, or buy a ticket to attend! All proceeds will benefit the ongoing programs at the Children's Museum as well as serve as a catalyst for future growth and the creation of new exhibits and programs (photo source: seattlelanguageacademy.org). Call us at (413) 536-7048 for more information.

September Shutdown

2009-08-22T12:16:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again... the leaves begin to hint at turning beautiful colors, the weather hopefully cools off just a touch, the children head back to school, and the Children's Museum at Holyoke closes its doors for a short time to freshen itself up after a long and successful year of wear and tear. Our annual shutdown allows us to do some really important cosmetic repairs as well as work on fun changes to the roster of programs available, the schedule of events, and the exhibit floor for everyone to enjoy! We love all of our visitors so much- we have many regulars, and all of the staff appreciate the endless support and encouragement that you all bring when you visit! That is why we are very excited to be making so many improvements this year during shutdown- our list is long, and our goals are big. Wish us luck! And so, we will (fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your general outlook on life) be closed starting Monday, September 7th and will reopen Wednesday, September 30th.

Because we are hoping to increase the number of activities and events here at the museum on a daily basis, we are also looking for volunteers that would be interested in helping out. Any age welcome, and many schedules accomodated. Our only requirements are a love of children, a friendly demeanor, and a flexible attitude! Also, if you have any special interests or talents that could be passed along to visitors in a fun and interactive way, then this is the place for you! For more information, call Brenda at (413) 536-7048 ext. 101 or Dayna at (413) 536-7048 ext. 207. *Anyone over the age of 18 will have to pass CORI and SORI checks.*

Please, don't forget about our last Think and Play Series before September Shutdown! Ashley is closing out the year with a bang! On Friday, August 28th at 11:00 am and again at 1:00 pm, come learn about people and all the ways we are connected. We're Different, We're the Same by Bobbi Jane Kates is a jewel in the series of books published under the Sesame Street label. We will be making delicious pizza self-portraits to "illustrate" the lesson in this story!

Grandparent Membership

2009-08-16T12:38:00.000-04:00

The Children’s Museum at Holyoke is introducing a new level of membership! For $30.00 per year, the Grandparent Membership will provide both grandparents and their grandchildren entrance to the museum for a fun, family-oriented good time! This membership will cover two grandparents and all of their grandchildren. It's a great opportunity for grandchildren who frequently visit or live with their grandparents to experience the museum and all it has to offer, so make sure to take advantage of this amazing deal!
(photo source: melbourne.lib.ia.us)

The new membership will be made available at the Holyoke Senior Fest on Thursday, August 27, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Holyoke Parks and Rec is sponsoring a picnic at the Jones Ferry Access Center for the fest. Tickets are $3, available at the door or in advance at Parks and Rec. There will be a Health Fair provided by local health agencies, a lunch of burgers, hotdogs, beans, pasta salad, watermelon and cake and music provided by the Holyoke Senior Band. Parking at Dean Tech with shuttle service to the boathouse. The museum is providing the festival with six memberships for the raffle. After the festival, the membership will be available for purchase at the museum. (photo source: sward.smugmug.com)

Please consider our new membership as it will save money and time upon entering the museum. It's a valuable investment for grandparents and will provide fun and educational activities they can share with their grandchildren. Our memberships also make great gifts!

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Don't forget about this week's Think and Play Series for preschool age visitors! On Friday, August 21st at 11:00 am and again at 1:00 pm, Ashley will be reading Amazing Grace by Hoffman and Binch. Come and be inspired by Grace's bravery and confidence! Grace follows her wishes and dreams no matter what other people say- something we should all strive to do! Join us after the story to make a wishing box to keep all of your own hopes and wishes in. This program is included in the price of admission and requires no pre-registration.

Fancy Steps

2009-08-02T12:05:00.000-04:00

The Children's Museum at Holyoke is hosting a benefit, and we want anyone and everyone interested to attend! On September 26, at 6:30 pm, please join the staff and board of the Children's Museum in the Holyoke City Hall Ballroom for Fancy Steps at City Hall: A Celebrity Exhibition. The evening will begin with open dance time and a cash bar for guests, followed by a dance performance. Witness the fancy footwork of a talented cast of professional ballroom dancers from Ballroom Fever of Enfield, CT and their celebrity partners (each local celebrity has participated in donor sponsored dance lessons at Ballroom Fever). As pointed out by The Republican, think our version of Dancing with the Stars! (photo source: collegeweb.org.uk)

Following this performance, dancers and guests will stroll among luminarias to the Children's Museum to continue the evening's fun festivities. Learn what it's like to be a kid at the museum first hand! With the help of the museum staff, guests will race rubber ducks on our water table replica of the Connecticut River, create fancy headpieces and masks at one of our popular art tables, and make their own glittery paper at our Papermaking Exhibit. There will be light refreshments and a cash bar (including martini bar). (photo source: worldoffancydress.com)

This delightful evening will benefit the ongoing programs at the Children's Museum at Holyoke as well as serve as a catalyst for future growth and the creation of new exhibits and programs. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from the museum. We are also looking for event sponsors and/or businesses interested in advertising in our program booklet. Please call (413) 536-7048 for more information.

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And speaking of the museum's great programs... Don't forget about Workshop Wednesday! This Wednesday, August 5th at 11:00 am, the theme of Dayna's workshop is Remember When... Children will learn about Holyoke's fascinating past. This program is for elementary aged visitors, requires no pre-registration, and is included in the price of admission.

(photo source: thelostys.com)

The Think and Play Series for preschoolers will be running this Friday, August 7th, at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Ashley is on vacation this week, and the lovely Amanda will be taking her place to kick off the month of August with A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. Please join us for this story of one chameleon's quest to find and love himself. Help us celebrate his discoveries as well as Leo Lionni's amazing art by making colorful stamp paintings to take home! This program is included in the price of admission.

Music in the Park

2009-07-25T11:22:00.000-04:00

Lots of changes going on down here... one of which is just that we have a whole lot more going on! Speaking of which, we hope you will all come out for a free special event that we are very excited. It's Music in the Park in Heritage State Park on Wednesday, July 29th at 1:00 pm. The Children's Museum at Holyoke is spotlighting Holyoke Strings, a program that teaches the youth of Holyoke the techniques of playing a stringed instrument in an ensemble setting. We hope to see you there!

In addition, we will be having our second Workshop Wednesday for elementary school aged children. Hosted by the talented Dayna, the workshop this week is Earthworks. Did you know it takes one million years for a glass bottle to decompose? What's the difference between a landfill and compost? Through games and stories, you will learn trash trivia, recycling rescues, and ways we can help our planet! Join us at 11:00 am (no pre-registration necessary). This program is included in the price of admission. For more information, please call (413) 536-7048 ext. 207
(photo source: openclipart.org)

The Think and Play Series, our Preschool program that happens every Friday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, will be featuring Franny B. Kranny, There's a Bird in Your Hair! by Harriet Lerner and Susan Goldhor this Friday, July 31st. Hilarious and cute as a button, this is a Children's Museum at Holyoke staff favorite. Join Ashley to create fun hats decorated with flowers, animals, and sparkly treasures that will make you all as fashionable and daring as Franny herself! This program is included in the price of admission.

Finally, don't forget the summer schedule has kicked in. That means that every single day there are fun acitivities and programs going on! You can learn Spanish, pick up some Irish Stepdancing moves, and even put on a play! Check out previous blog posts for a more detailed schedule, or call the museum at (413) 536-7048 for more information.

Introducing...

2009-07-18T12:11:00.000-04:00

It's that time again... Where we spotlight someone special down here at the good ol' Children's Museum at Holyoke. And today, it's Dayna's turn! Dayna Abrazinski is our Education Coordinator, and she is a one-woman operation in charge of all of our made-to-order educational programming. If you ever visit the museum for a field trip, have someone from the museum come to your school or camp for a demonstration, or your girl scout troop wants to do something special to earn a badge- Dayna is your woman! She also works closely with our floor assistants and volunteers to create fun activities and crafts for our visitors to take part in. If she's not concocting a new way to use our surplus of egg cartons at our crafting tables, you might find her knitting herself a bag out of old cassette tape ribbon. She is just that creative! She is a vivacious, enthusiastic, and very talented member of our team, and we're certainly glad to have her!

Speaking of Dayna, her new workshop is beginning this Wednesday, July 22nd! Join us at 11:00 am for Workshop Wednesday for the first of a series of workshops that are designed for school-age children and will cover a variety of subjects via fun, engaging, and hands-on study! This week is Stream Study. Using the canal as our classroom, we will explore the properties of moving water as math and science intersect. Topics for class discussion will include: volume, flow and adaptations to moving water made by animals. An additional fee (which can be paid upon arrival) of $2.50 applies for this workshop. No pre-registration is necessary. Please call 536-7048 ext. 207 for more information. (photo source: en.wikipedia.org)

Finally, don't forget about our Think and Play Series for preschoolers happening every Fabulous Friday! This week Ashley will be reading Angus and the Ducks by Marjorie Flack. Angus is one curious pup who learns his lesson the hard way! Laugh along as we read about this pesky Scottish Terrier, and be sure to stick around to make your own duck with flappable wings! This program is included in the price of admission, so be sure to stop in and enjoy!

New, new, and more new!

2009-07-11T11:14:00.000-04:00

The summer is taking shape, and all the staff are so excited to have new ideas being thrown into the usual mix! Our new goal for the summer is to offer something special each day that we are open. Accordingly, we have invited our floor staff and interns to showcase their talents to really boost our daily roster. See below to learn about some of the new activities we will be offering (all programs are included in the price of admission unless otherwise noted)!
(photo source: policymed.com)

Workshop Wednesdays

11:00 am: (starting July 22nd) Science and history workshops with the fabulous Dayna! These workshops are designed for school aged children and will cover a variety of topics via fun, engaging, and hands-on study! Topics include: Stream Study (July 22nd), Earthworks (July 29th), Remember When( August 5th), Build-a-Boat (August 12th), and Windmills and Wind Energy (August 19th). An additional fee of $2.50 applies for this workshop. Please call 536-7048 ext. 207 for more information.
2:00 pm: So You Want to Speak Spanish? Si! Join Danielle each Wednesday for a fun, half hour lesson in Spanish language and culture for all ages!
In addition, our papermaking exhibit will be open from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm!
(photo source: estabrook.ci.lexington.ma.us)

Theater Thursdays

11:00 am and 1:00 pm: Theater Thursday program with Emily! This is a program for all ages- sing, dress-up, make instruments, decorate puppets! It's different every week!

2:00 pm: Facepainting
In addition, our papermaking exhibit will be open from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm!
(photo source: monet.k12.ca.us)

Fabulous Fridays

11:00 am and 1:00 pm: Think and Play Series for preschool children with Ashley! Join us for a story and a fun, interactive activity or game! This week, July 17th, Ashley will be reading Frederick by Leo Lionni, the story of an offbeat mouse preparing for winter his way. After the read-aloud, we will decorate (and devour) mouse pancakes fit for Frederick himself!
2:00 pm: Irish Stepdancing with Ali! Learn a new step each week!
In addition, our papermaking exhibit will be open from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm!

Silly Saturdays

Our papermaking exhibit will be open (times may vary).
Plus be prepared for a wild card silly activity!

Surprise Sundays

Our Papermaking exhibit will be open from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm.
Each Sunday there will be a surprise activity in the mix !
(photo source: istockphoto.com)

Come join in the fun!!!

Summer is Here!

2009-06-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

And so with the summer feeling more official (school got out in most places this week!), the museum has become a bustling and lively place both during the week and on the weekends. We seem to be THE place to be on a cloudy summer's day!

This coming week's preschool Think and Play Series, Friday, July 3rd at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, will be featuring Stella Star of the Sea by Marie-Louise Gay. A hilarious and adorable story about a sister and her younger brother, you will surely be chuckling as Stella plays to brother Sam's fear of the unknown on his first trip to the seaside. Join us following the read-aloud to craft your own fish puppet to participate in a fun game of Red Fish, Green Fish! This program is free with paid admission!

*Please take note that we will be closed in observance of Independence Day, Saturday, July 4th!* (picture source: thingstodoinvallarta.com)

Summer Shenanigans!

2009-06-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the summer months at the museum, our staff has put together a special roster of programming and events. The current Think and Play preschool programming will remain, but we have added some fun weekly activities sure to please a variety of ages. This is still in the planning stages, so stay tuned to our blog for updates, changes, etc.

Here is a sneak peek at the upcoming schedule:
Wednesday's Workshop Experience: School aged children, hands-on science experiments, set to begin July 22nd *Additional fee applies
Theater Thursdays: All ages, fun activities in our theater (dance party, dress up, sing-along, etc.), set to begin July 2nd
Think and Play Fridays: Preschool aged children, read-alouds, crafts, cooking, games

For more information on any of these programs, please don't hesitate to call our Education Coordinator, Dayna Abrazinski at 536-KIDS.

The first of our upcoming summer events is Batter Up with Wally! A Red Sox Family Fun Fest at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round on Sunday, June 28th from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. This event is free, and our very own Dayna Abrazinski will be facepainting. So please stop by and say hello! This event features Wally the Green Monster, the official mascot of the Boston Red Sox from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm. Also featured will be Curious George, Super Why, Sparky, Ed Popielarczyk (balloon sculpturist), and yummy food! Visitors with Red Sox gear will receive a ride on the Merry-Go-Round for half price!

This event is sponsored by WGBY, Holyoke Fire Department, and Holyoke Parks & Recreation Department. Call 538-9838 for more information.

Finally, don't forget our preschool Think and Play Series for next Friday, June 26th! Come and spark your imagination! Zuzu's Wishing Cake by Linda Michelin and D.B. Johnson is the story of a young girl with fantastic creativity. Join us for a craft where we will work magic and, as per Zuzu's example, make something out of "nothing!" This program takes place at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm in the Discovery Depot and is free with paid admission.

Introducing...

2009-06-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

Continuing our staff spotlight series, we would like to introduce Ashley Barton. She is our Programs and Operations Assistant. She runs the weekly preschool Think and Play Series, and often works her love of cooking into the curriculum (think homemade goodies at her once-a-month food related Think and Play!). In addition, she facilitates the birthday parties on weekends, designed and maintains this blog, and is on call for all sorts of other odd jobs. Schedule a birthday party or bring your little one to Think and Play one Friday and say hello!

Speaking of Think and Play Series, next week (Friday, June 19th) we will feature My Dad by Anthony Browne for our preschool read-aloud in honor of upcoming Father's Day. This hilarious and heartwarming story will serve as a fabulous backdrop for our art project: interactive pop-up cards to give to all of our amazing dads on their special day! Join us at 11:00 am or 1:00 pm in the Discovery Depot. This program is free with paid admission!

Upcoming Programs

2009-06-06T11:31:00.000-04:00

Saturday, June 13th, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm the Children's Museum at Holyoke will be hosting the last of the Second Saturday Series until this fall. Birds of Prey features "wildlife rehabilitator and former state wildlife biologist, Tom Ricardi, who will give an up-close look and tell the life story of his hawks, falcons, owls, and bald eagles." Please join us! Program is free with paid admission and will take place in the Discovery Depot! (Quote and picture borrowed from http://sheldonbarnes.com)

Don't forget about our weekly preschool programming! The Think and Play Series continues on with a read-aloud of Fancy Nany by Jane O'Connor on June 12th. This book has become a national icon! Join us for a posh get-together (fancy attire encouraged)! Directly following the story, we will hold a stylish tea party filled with delightful delectables and an art project of royal proportions! This program, held in the Discovery Depot, runs at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm and is free with paid admission.

Change Breeds Change

2009-05-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

The Search Committee at The Children's Museum at Holyoke is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Executive Director! Her name is marypaz, and she will be coming to us from Commerce, Texas, where she has been the Executive Director at the Northeast Texas Children's Museum for the past three years. We are VERY excited to have her and all of her experience, knowledge and enthusiasm! She will begin employment July 1, 2009, and we hope with this new and very qualified source of direction, we will be able to offer more and better services and programs for all of our visitors as we reassess, reorganize, and grow as a team. So we hope the excitement is contagious, as this milestone is certainly one to celebrate!

In other news: Ashley Barton, our education staff member who is responsible for our preschool Think and Play Series, will be away this week. Our Friday, May 29th Think and Play Series will still be held at its usual times (11:00 am and 1:00 pm) and will be led by Amanda Ebel. This week's read-aloud is Sheila Rae the Brave by Kevin Henkes. This beloved children's author writes to empower young children with his stories, and the title of this book says it all! Our adorable "scaredy cat" craft-of-the-day will stand as a reminder that everyone can be brave just like Sheila Rae! Remember: this program is free with paid admission!

Introducing...

2009-05-17T14:25:00.000-04:00

As a new addition to our blog, we will be beginning a new monthly feature we like to call "Introducing...", in order to showcase the valuable members of the museum's staff that keep the Children's Museum at Holyoke up and running! This week, we are featuring the lovely and amazing AMANDA EBEL!

A multi-talented lady, Amanda is our Floor and Operations Manager. She directly works with all of our customers at the front desk, and she is also responsible for maintaining the entire museum floor! We are so appreciative for all the time and energy she puts into making our museum a great place to learn and play. Be sure to say hi to her on your next Children's Museum visit!

Also, don't forget about our Think and Play Series (programming for our preschool visitors) on Fridays at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. This week, we will be reading Somebody and the Three Blairs by Marilyn Tolhurst. It's a hilarious take on a classic story! Join us after the read-aloud to make your own bear puppet with moveable arms and legs! And it's free with paid admission!

Think and Play Series!

2009-05-09T10:58:00.000-04:00

Come and join us for our Think and Play Series! This weekly program (free with museum admission) is designed especially for our curious museum visitors who are preschool age.

We strive to offer valuable guided learning experiences by emphasizing children's literature as a vehicle for exploration and fun. Each week a new story will be introduced as the day's theme for arts and crafts, dramatic play, fun with food, and more!

This week, Friday, May 15th at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, we will be reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. This is the quintessential children's book: educational and fun! It's the perfect backdrop for the day's activity of decorating (and eating!) delicious and homemade coconut cookies!

Second Saturday Series!

2009-05-02T15:02:00.000-04:00

Every second Saturday of each month, the museum has been hosting exciting new events- science, animals, you name it! This month, on May 9th, our Second Saturday Series is featuring Teaching Creatures with Rae Griffith.

As Rae details on her website (teachingcreatures.com), "Teaching Creatures is founded on the belief that people can make meaningful and lasting connections with the natural world through positive interaction with animals. People, especially children, are naturally drawn to animals. Teaching Creatures' programs are designed to foster this curiosity and wonder, while teaching respect for all living creatures and the Earth we share."

So join us from 1:00-3:00 pm for this amazing demonstration where children can interact with live animals! It's free with paid admission!

Beautiful Sunny Days!

2009-04-26T12:54:00.000-04:00

Even though the gorgeous weather has been causing quite a quiet atmosphere for us here at the museum, we are excited for summer and everything new and improved that comes with it! We are expecting a new director, new programming, and new ideas! Stay tuned for updates in that arena!

In upcoming news, The Future Begins Here, the eighteenth annual gourmet dinner and live/silent auction to benefit The Children of the Pioneer Valley, is just around the corner (Sunday, May 3rd)! The Children of the Pioneer Valley is a grouping of Holyoke based children's agencies: The Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc.; Holyoke Rows, Inc.; The Children's Museum at Holyoke, Inc.; and Holyoke Public Library. This is one of the Museum's big fundraisers, and we would love for anyone and everyone who are able to attend to join us!

The following information is from the brochure for the event:

This eighteenth annual event features Dave Madsen, the voice of the Pioneer Valley and Channel 40's anchorman, as emcee, together with George Lewis in repeat performance as auctioneer. As always, a superb gourmet buffet showcasing the specialties of the master chefs from the following area restaurants:

Chandler's Tavern, The Delaney House, Eastside Grill, Horizons, The Blue Heron, The Hofbrauhaus, School Street Bistro, The Student Prince, Tavern on the Hill, and Figaro Ristorante

The cash bar, annually provided by Uno Chicago Grill and staffed by their executives who volunteer their time for this Gala Benefit, donates its proceeds to the Children's Agencies involved in this event.

Music provided by the Eric Bascom Ensemble provides a wonderful background for viewing and bidding on the eclectic and exciting live and silent auction items donated from across the nation.

Schedule of Events:
6:30 hors d'oeuvres, silent auction bidding begins
7:00 buffet dinner beings
7:15 live auction begins
8:00 live auction ends, dessert served
8:30 silent bidding ends

This takes place Sunday, May 3, at 6:30pm at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside. Tickets can be purchased by phone from any of the four above mentioned organizations (through the Children's Museum at 536-7048) or in person at the Customer Service Booth at the Holyoke Mall.

Join us and help raise money for these fabulous establisments!

Starting Fresh, just like Spring!

2009-03-30T17:20:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the museum's new blog!

We are committed to improving our services as much as possible, and that includes keeping our visitors informed about special events, exceptions to our schedule, construction on exhibits, fundraisers, and any additions to our programming.

Please check back often!