Reduce, Reuse, Robots at the Porter County Museum
Celebrate Earth Day and May Day by reusing your recycled materials. Unsure how? Stop by the PoCo Muse for inspiration! Robots made by the students at Smart Start Preschool in Chesterton will be on display from April 15-May 3. For our next We Are Porter County Program, bring in recyclables and make your own robot on May 1 at 5:30p.
The students at Smart Start Preschool have been making “Recycling Robots” for about three years with teacher Pat Jackson. When they study the letter R, they learn about recycling, reducing what we use, as well as repurposing what we do use. The students learn how to make toy robots out of recyclables. Jackson who has taught this unit for about ten years states, "By teaching the children, they often take this knowledge home and teach the parents. We all need to help keep our earth clean for the following generations." Jackson is an avid recycler and is a graduate of the first Master Recycler Program class of Porter County that took place February and March of 2014. For more information about the Master Recycling Program visit www.ItMeanstheWorld.org.
The Porter County Museum is located at 153 S. Franklin St. in Valparaiso. Visit pocomuse.org to learn more about upcoming events. See you at the PoCo Muse!
The More the Obstacles Fall Between Us: An Exhibition and Performance of the Welcome Project at the Porter County Museum
At the Welcome Project, co-directors Liz Wuerffel and Allison Schuette believe in the power of stories to make a difference, and with the help of Valparaiso University students, faculty and staff, they’ve been collecting stories in our region for four years. These stories illuminate at a personal level what it means to belong to a community--or not. In some cases, the stories are painful; in some, triumphant; in some, humorous; in some, touching. Through their exhibition at the Porter County Museum, Liz and Allison invite us into the intimate art of listening. Stories, after all, don’t become stories until they are heard. Come, take a seat, alone or with a friend, grab a set of headphones and give a listen.
On Sunday, April 27th, at 2 p.m., Liz and Allison also invite us into a deeper exploration of the central themes they’ve encountered while collecting stories and facilitating conversations both on campus and in the city. This hour-long dramatic performance will provide a feel for the methods of the Welcome Project, an appreciation for the complexity of living together in increasingly diverse communities, and a context for ongoing conversations with our neighbors.
In the coming month, stop by the Porter County Museum at 153 S. Franklin St. in Valparaiso to see the exhibition of the Welcome Project. Visit pocomuse.org to learn more about upcoming events. See you at the PoCo Muse!
Porter County Museum Hosts Valparaiso Central Neighborhood Home Tour
The Porter County Museum is happy to announce its first-ever home tour May 3-4 from 12-5p. The Valparaiso Central Neighborhood Home Tour will continue the tradition of the Museum’s Central Stories Project by providing yet another perspective on this neighborhood, this time from the inside of iconic homes that make up the community. The Central neighborhood offers unique insight into the early years of Valparaiso with numerous architectural styles, building methods, and stories represented in each distinctive home.
Seven homes will be open to the public, inviting visitors to look at the unique elements the homes guided by an informational brochure highlighting the history and architecture of each house. Be sure to keep an eye on the Porter County Museum Facebook page and pocomuse.org for previews of the homes and more details as the tour approaches. Tickets are for sale online and in the Museum Store for $17 in advance, and for $20 at the door. See you at the PoCo Muse!