By Melinda Ludwig, Customs House Museum

Exhibits:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz through 6/26
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to an award-winning interactive experience! Step into the pages of the literary classic written in 1900 by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. Visitors learn through play with brain teaser games, role playing, dress-up, and other educational activities incorporated throughout. This exhibit involves 11 sections, or “chapters,” each addressing a different element of the story, such as Dorothy’s House, Tornado, Emerald City, and Glinda’s Castle.
Exhibit sponsored by Planters Bank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is produced and toured by Great Explorations Children’s Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida © 2010. This project was supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

There’s No Place Like Oz through 6/29
Memorabilia from the collection of Dr. John Olson, including Madame Alexander dolls, original scripts, books, autographs, and more.

Anne Bagby: Layered Expressions through 7/6
Bagby’s work combines traditional drawing, painting and printmaking, using several layers to play with the boundaries between design and texture.

Figuratively Speaking: National Juried Exhibition through 7/13
Artists from across the nation portray the human figure in various media, including painting, photography, sculpture, and more.

Serving Abroad: Through Their Eyes 5/23-9/7
A video installation by Lincoln Schatz sponsored by the US State Department and Art in Embassies. AIE commissioned renowned artist Lincoln Schatz to create a video montage incorporating audio and images selected from photographs of daily life abroad by current and former military and Foreign Service personnel. Schatz’s work will later be installed as a site-specific installation for the permanent art collection in the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Greg Williamson: With the Troops Through 8/31
Greg Williamson is a multimedia journalist with The Leaf Chronicle. This exhibit showcases Williamson’s photography during his three weeks embedded with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, logging many hours of flight time traveling to and from Forward Out Bases.

Activities:
It’s All in Your Head!
June 19, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
If I only had a brain… Discover some 6–14 year-old inventors who started their own businesses. Bring your brain and see what you can do!

Draw Me a Story
June 22, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
From 2 – 3 p.m. Alison Davis Lyne, a freelance illustrator, will discuss the art of illustration in the Turner Auditorium. She also paints for the fine art market. Ms. Lyne’s presentation is designed for teens and adults. Then join us in the Children’s Room as we make stories come alive with our own illustrations.

The Tin Woodman Gets His Heart
June 26, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Children are invited to make their own paper Tin Woodman and give him a heart as we learn how the heart works.

Contact Sue Lewis, Curator of Education, for further information on family programs at 931.648.5780 or slewis@customshousemuseum.org.

The Museum will be closed Saturday, June 7th and Sunday, June 8th for Flying High, as well as Sunday, June 15th for Father’s Day.