There will be plenty of fun for kids and families at the Museum In The Park this summer and the facility is currently preparing for new displays according to Museum In The Park Director Elizabeth Williams.

Williams visited the Rotary Club of Logan recently to discuss the museum's summer of fun activities.

In addition to children's arts and crafts on the weekends, the museum has several big events planned for June, July and September.

— A living history reenactors encampment is scheduled for June 20-21 to celebrate the state's history with West Virginia Day.

— The West Virginia Humanities Council display "John Henry: Steel Driving Man" about an authentic West Virginia folk legend will be on display as part of activities for Train Day on July 18, which will also feature films, a simulator and more, thanks to CSX railroad, Williams said.

— The annual Aunt Jennie Wilson Music Festival will be September 5-6.

The fun and learning will continue into the fall when local history comes to life with:

— The Shawnee Trail living history encampment will take place October 7-11.

— Frontier Days living history encampment will be held November 7-8, followed by Christmas programs beginning November 20.

Williams said she wants to get young people of middle school age interested in history, including their own, which is why West Virginia Day's living history project, which will feature reenactors living in the park like settlers and Indians and interacting with each other showing what life was like in Appalachia during the eastern frontier era.

The event is free and open to the public and will feature sutlers with period reproduction goods including furs, leather goods, clothing, jewelry, clothing, arrowheads, knives and tools and other items and demonstrations of calligraphy, candlemaking, basketweaving, blacksmithing, wood carving, gunsmithing, storytelling and historical presentations.

"The big program we are pushing is our children's kids crafts," Williams said, noting that, in recent years, budgets for school trips and arts programs have been dramatically slashed making the museum's kids art programs that much more important. Williams brought displays of jewelry and art done by children as well as photos from living history reenactments at the park.

Williams noted that an educational component was important to everything the museum did in its programs for kids, as well as a focus on West Virginia's unique culture and heritage.

Williams discussed the Native American Pow-Wow held a few years ago and spoke about the upcoming historical reenactment events.

"We welcome anyone to come to the Museum In The Park," Williams said.

"Right now, we are working on two new exhibits. One will include 100 pieces of hand blown glass from right here in West Virginia and the other will be the John Henry Exhibit, which is part of Train Day in July. That exhibit will be here for two months and CSX has agreed to be a part of train day. "

———

For more information contact the Museum in the Park at 304-792-7229 or email elizabeth.williams@wvculture.org.