By Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – If you’ve ever wanted to walk through a storybook to see fascinating – and, admittedly, scary – creatures, then the “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” exhibit at the Customs House Museum. And this Saturday, you can do so free of charge.
The second of each month is free admission day at the Customs House Museum at 200 S. Second Street. So from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12 families with children can take advantage of the current exhibit, which leads them through the land of Oz. Children will literally follow a yellow brick road into the show.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sue Lewis, curator of education for the museum, will lead an “Animals in Art and Literature” family craft activity in which participants will learn about the Cowardly Lion, Toto and those dastardly Winged Monkeys (is there anything more frightening?).
During this activity, Lewis will use books, poetry, puppets, art and crafts to teach children about the characters of Oz, which were created by illustrator W.W. Denslow for Frank L. Baum’s children’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The book, when it was published in 1900, was the Harry Potter of its time.
Children’s minds, ripe with imagination, will be enchanted by this special exhibit, which has traveled to the Customs House Museum from the Great Explorations Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.
This special April 12 program is being held in conjunction with the Arts & Heritage Development Council’s Arts in April program. To read more about the many activities the group is hosting that day, visit www.artsandheritage.us/arts-in-april-saturday-april-12.
Contact Lewis for further information on family programs at 931.648.5780 or slewis@customshousemuseum.org.