Programs and Stories and Outreach Oh My!

Do you have a favorite museum memory?

As an intern at the museum every week, if not every day, includes a new favorite memory or lesson learned. I have the pleasure of working with the Gaston County and Dallas community both within the museum and bringing programs to different sites outside the museum walls.

Ms. Kelly demonstrating "hoops"

This past week the museum helped celebrate the 150^th Birthday of the city of Dallas. Myself and Programs Coordinator Jason Luker brought out Hoops, Graces, Rounders, and many other old-timey games for the kids (and adults!) to play with. And boy did we play! Even though we don’t see these games on the shelves for kids to play with today, everyone had a great time learning how to use the “new” toys and playing a competitive game of Rounders. Rounders is very comparable to modern-day baseball with a few unique differences. The biggest difference in the game is that the bases are backwards. First base in Rounders is third base in baseball.  Much confusion and hilarity ensued as the kids ran bases every which way!

Every month the education staff sends someone out to do a program with the adult day cares in Gaston County. Last week was my turn! I had a great time adapting a paper I had written in school to the audience. I spoke about the power of television in the 1950’s and how the way news and information was communicated changed dramatically. Everyone loved talking about their own experiences with television in the 1950’s. One lady mentioned how she and her brothers and sisters asked not to be given any Christmas gifts if they could only have a TV! It was a great experience for me to create a program the museum does not normally have in its repertoire and have people respond to it! Not to mention I got to dress up in 1950's clothing as opposed to our normal “Victorian” wear!

Museum interns Ms. Kim and Ms. Susan

Whether we are at the museum interacting with guests or bringing our programs out into the community every week brings new favorite museum memories to our staff!