Participating Smithsonian-affiliated museums in New Hampshire will be celebrating Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 23, with free admission for guests who get a Museum Day ticket at smithsonianmag.com/museumday.
The Manchester Historical Society’s Millyard Museum will have its “Queen City Quilts” exhibit on display during Museum Day, according to Jeff Barraclough, director of operations.
“It’s a highlight of a number of quilts ... that were made in Manchester,” said Barraclough.
The museum has other exhibits that celebrate Manchester’s industrial past and millyard, including a station that teaches guests about how raw cotton was made into cloth during the Industrial Revolution.
The museum has participated in Museum Day for at least five years, Barraclough said.
“We ... feel it is a great way to welcome people in who may not otherwise come,” he said.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Contact 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will showcase its “Take Flight” exhibit during Museum Day. The exhibit features hands-on exercises that teach users about how planes and other aircraft are able to fly.
“It’s more fun to have it be kind of competitive and get the whole family into it,” said Jeanne Gerulskis, executive director.
The center has participated in Museum Day for several years, Gerulskis said.
“It seems like a great opportunity to get a burst of new people who haven’t been before...,” said Gerulskis.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center also has exhibits about satellites, lunar missions and rockets. The planetarium shows educational films for an additional $5. The center is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Call 271-7827 or visit starhop.com.
The New Hampshire Historical Society will showcase three exhibits on Museum Day.
“We believe it’s another, broader way ... to encourage people to visit, use and think about museums,” said Director of Collectors and Exhibitions Wesley Ball.
The Discovering New Hampshire exhibit includes objects related to the state’s history, including prehistoric dugout canoes and paintings from the Civil War. A portrait exhibit is curated to represent relationships, like the one between New Hampshire figure Count Rumford and the king of Prussia.
“You can tease out all sorts of stories out of portraits and objects” said Balla.
The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Call 228-6688 or visit nhhistory.org.