Penn Museum Advance Calendar of Events March/April/May 2015

For the most updated information on programs offered at the Penn Museum, and for online pre-registration (optional or required for some programs) visit the Museum's website: www.penn.museum/calendar.

Wednesday, March 4, 6:00 pm
"One Book, One Philadelphia" Workshop
Objects that Connect Us
The Free Library of Philadelphia has selected Orphan Train (2013) by Christina Baker Kline as its One Book, One Philadelphia 2015 selection. Dr. Lucy Fowler Williams, Associate Curator and Sabloff Keeper of Collections, offers a special workshop that picks up on the book's themes—great for book clubs or multigenerational friends and family (teens through adults). In Orphan Train, young Molly, a part-Penobscot Indian, and Vivian, an older woman whose roots lie in Ireland, show how objects hold special significance—as they often do for each of us. Join Dr. Williams on this behind-the-scenes Native American object exploration, discussion, and reflective personal writing program. Free with Museum admission. Limited enrollment; pre-registration required. To register, visit www.penn.museum/calendar or call 215.898.2680.

Wednesday, March 4, 6:00 pm
"Great Wonders" Lecture Series
The Lighthouse at Alexandria: The Pharos in the Land of the Pharaohs
Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, the city of Alexandria grew to become one of the most important cities in the ancient world. The Lighthouse at Alexandria, or the Pharos, marked the entry into the harbor from the sea; for most of its history, this remarkable building was one of the tallest manmade structures on earth. After a series of earthquakes damaged the tower, it was finally destroyed in the 14th century CE. In this talk, Dr. Jennifer Houser Wegner, Associate Curator, Egyptian Section, considers the history of the lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Admission with advance registration: $5; $2, Penn Museum members; $10 at the door based on availability. To register, visit www.penn.museum/greatwonders.

Thursday, March 5, 4:00 pm
Native American Voices Lecture
Reconciliation and Its Discontents
"Reconciliation" has achieved a seemingly unquestioned status in Canada as the good thing that is to usher in the better thing that will be. But this discourse seeks to harmonize and balance a fundamental disjuncture—between a sovereign state unwilling to rescind its false claims to Indigenous land and life, and Indigenous struggles for sovereignty. Dr. Audra Simpson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Columbia University, examines the ways in which reconciliation seeks to repair or perhaps subvert and mask the problem of historical and ethical impasse and injury. Native American Voices public programming is generously underwritten by Delaware Investments/Macquarie Group Foundation. Cosponsored by the Penn Cultural Heritage Center, the Departments of Anthropology and History, and the Greenfield Intercultural Center (Natives at Penn). Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, March 8, 1:00 pm
Beneath the Surface Lecture Series
Reinterpreting an Old Dig: Sitio Conte and the Penn Museum
Unlike at many other museums, many collections at the Penn Museum were obtained through scientific excavation by professional archaeologists. The detailed excavation records by curator J. Alden Mason in 1940 provide the opportunity for scholars to continue learning about the indigenous past of Central America. Dr. Clark Erickson, Curator-in-Charge, American Section and Co-Curator of Beneath the Surface, discusses old and new insights from the collection. Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, March 8, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Second Sunday Family Workshop
Flower Power
Spring is around the corner! Families can celebrate by crafting a lotus flower, one of eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism, and learn more about lotuses and other symbols during a tour of the Japan Gallery. Tours depart from Pepper Hall at 1:00 and 3:00 pm. Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, March 8, 2:00 pm
Second Sunday Culture Film
Local Color: India
Speakers Dr. Amardeep Singh and Samian Kaur offer insights into the film Himself He Cooks (2011), directed by V. Berteau and P. Witjes. The film depicts, without words, the entire symphonic performance of seva—a daily, round-the-clock offering at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in which free meals are served to 100,000 people. Attendees are invited to stay for the series closing party with chaat snacks, and encouraged to bring a beverage to share. Sponsored by the South Asia Center, the University Museum Library, Cinema Studies, and the Penn Humanities Forum. Free with Museum admission.

Saturday, March 14, 3:30 pm
Annual Korsyn Lecture
A Wall for All Seasons: The Funerary Chapel of Pahery at El Kab
The 18th Dynasty tomb chapel of Pahery, the Mayor of El Kab in southern Upper Egypt, contains scenes of the work done during all three seasons of the Egyptian calendar. Dr. Ronald Leprohon, Professor of Egyptology, University of Toronto, offers a description of these scenes and the symbolic direction in which they were meant to be seen, followed by a look at the hieroglyphic captions on the wall and how these offered a different message to a literate audience. Presented by the American Research Center in Egypt—Pennsylvania Chapter. Admission: $10; $7, Penn Museum members and PennCard holders; $5, students with ID; free for ARCE-PA members.

Wednesday, March 18, 6:00 - 9:30 pm
P.M. @ Penn Museum
Ancients Ink'd
Guests can explore the art of tattoos and body modification at this after-hours event. Dr. Julian Siggers, the Penn Museum Williams Director, speaks about techniques used for hundreds of years, compared with the modern art of tattoo artists today. P.M. @ Penn Museum events are a great way to break up the workweek, network with other young professionals, enjoy drinks at a cash bar, and experience the Penn Museum's collections like never before. Supported by the Young Friends of the Penn Museum. Admission: $20; $15, Penn Museum members and PennCard holders (includes one free drink for guests 21 and older).

Friday, March 20, 5:30 pm - Saturday, March 21, 9:00 am
Friday, April 17, 5:30 pm - Saturday, April 18, 9:00 am—SOLD OUT
Friday, May 8, 5:30 pm - Saturday, May 9, 9:00 am
Sleepover Event
40 Winks with the Sphinx
The Penn Museum's popular sleepover program, geared to ages 6 to 12 and their parents or chaperones, invites guests to an overnight "expedition" of the Museum. The night's activities take intrepid explorers on a journey through time and across continents, with hands-on games, crafts, and more! A scavenger hunt and a flashlight expedition through the galleries offer new ways to connect with the ancient artifacts awaiting discovery. Later in the night, explorers roll out their sleeping bags to doze at the foot of the largest granite Sphinx in the Western Hemisphere! Admission: $50. Space is limited, and registration is required. To register, visit www.penn.museum/40winks.

Saturday, March 21, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
World Culture Series
Egyptomania!
It's a celebration of all things Egyptian at this World Culture Day. The galleries come to life with a variety of activities to help visitors discover ancient Egypt, one of the world's oldest civilizations—including hands-on crafts, an interactive belly-dancing workshop, and lectures about Egyptian history and archaeology. Guests can follow along with guided tours of the Museum's Egyptian galleries, and watch live mummy conservation in the In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies exhibition. Free with Museum admission.


Saturday, March 21
3:00 pm, Spoken Word; 4:00 pm, Panel Discussion/Q&A; 8:00 pm, Concert
Native American Voices Performance
Modern Native Voices: The Medium of Hip-Hop
The Penn Museum presents a unique program featuring Native American rap and hip-hop artists Def-I, Tall Paul, and Frank Waln. The artists offer spoken word performances before leading a panel discussion and Q&A session, sharing their own personal experiences as Natives and their paths to discovering rap and hip-hop. A live performance featuring each of the participating artists rounds out the evening. Native American Voices public programming is generously underwritten by Delaware Investments/Macquarie Group Foundation. Sponsored by Natives at Penn, Greenfield Intercultural Center, and Dubois CCCP. Free admission.

Tuesday, March 24, 6:00 pm
Evening Lecture
Revealing the City of King Midas: Archaeology and Conservation at Gordion
Located about 100 kilometers southwest of Ankara, Turkey, Gordion was continually inhabited for nearly 4,000 years and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Near East. In this talk, Dr. C. Brian Rose, Peter C. Ferry Curator-in-Charge, Mediterranean Section, and Frank Matero, Professor of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania, present an overview of the most recent archaeological and conservation fieldwork under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania—including new discoveries with the monumental "Midas Mound" and a new circuit of fortifications revealed by remote sensing. The talk highlights the benefits of a conjoined archaeological and conservation research program working together to reveal, interpret, and present this remarkable site. Free admission.

Wednesday, April 1, 6:00 pm
Great Wonders Lecture Series
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, in southern Greece, was a monumental work of art—more than 40 feet tall, made of gold and ivory over a wooden framework, seated majestically on a cedar wood throne decorated with gold, ivory, ebony, and precious stones. Although the statue was lost by the 5th century CE, an understanding of its general appearance has been attained from coins bearing its likeness, mentions in ancient literature, and Roman copies that it may have inspired—as well as intriguing archaeological evidence of the workshop of its creator, Pheidias, and from the temple itself. Dr. Tom Tartaron, Associate Professor, Classical Studies, discusses the statue and its sculptor, the techniques of manufacture, the statue's history and fame across the classical world, and its place in the religious traditions of the Greeks. Admission with advance registration: $5; $2, Penn Museum members; $10 at the door based on availability. To register, visit www.penn.museum/greatwonders.

Saturday, April 11, 3:30 pm
Afternoon Lecture
From Soldiers to Pharaohs: The Careers of Ay and Horemheb
For much of the reign of the young Tutankhamun, last king of the bloodline of the 18th Dynasty, control of Egypt was in the hands of two soldiers, Ay and Horemheb. Ay managed to obtain the throne on Tutankhamun's death, only to be replaced four years later by Horemheb. In this lecture, Dr. Aidan Dodson, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol, explores the facts and theories regarding the careers of these two men. Presented by the American Research Center in Egypt—Pennsylvania Chapter. Admission: $10; $7, Penn Museum members and PennCard holders; $5, students with ID; free for ARCE-PA members.

Sunday, April 12, 1:00 pm
Beneath the Surface Lecture Series
Animals at Sitio Conte: Beneath the Surface and the Living World All Around
The human burials at Sitio Conte were found with the remains of many different kinds of animals, from whales and sharks to birds and rodents. Most of these animal parts were fastened to jewelry and clothing, including the teeth of more than 70 dogs sewn to one belt. The fabulous gold plaques and pottery are also covered with images of fierce and powerful animals, but different animals than the ones used to make things or to eat. Dr. Katherine Moore, Zooarchaeologist and Mainwaring Teaching Specialist, considers the evidence to answer some questions: What animals lived around the site? How did people use animals in their daily lives? What supernatural features of animals can we see in their art? Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, April 12, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Family Second Sunday Workshop
Panamanian Gold
Families can explore the Museum's new exhibition, Beneath the Surface: Life, Death, and Gold in Ancient Panama—and take inspiration from the artifacts in the exhibition and work with foil to etch gold plaques to take home. Free with Museum admission.

Wednesday, April 15, 6:00 to 9:30 pm
P.M. @ Penn Museum
Gold Diggers
There's nothing like an evening among glimmering gold artifacts to help forget about tax season. This after-work event offers a chance to experience the marvelous objects in the new Beneath the Surface: Life, Death, and Gold in Ancient Panama exhibition—combined with a full schedule of gallery tours, an interactive dig site, pottery painting, and more. Supported by the Young Friends of the Penn Museum. Admission: $20; $15, Penn Museum members and PennCard holders (includes one free drink for guests 21 and older).

Saturday, April 18, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
World Culture Series
Rome's Birthday
Visitors are invited to celebrate Rome's birthday (April 21, 753 BCE) with a trip through time to explore Italy during the ancient Roman Empire during this afternoon of activities. Attendees can enjoy gladiatorial bouts, try on helmets and shields, and reenact battle formations, as well as enjoy music, food, and arts and crafts. Enthusiasts can also visit the Museum's gallery suite, Worlds Intertwined: Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans, and learn more about the history of Italy through thousands of artifacts including marble and bronze sculptures, jewelry, gold and silver coins, metalwork, glass vessels, and more. Free with Museum admission.

Wednesday, April 22, 6:00 pm
Evening Lecture
El Caño: Excavations of an Elite Precolumbian Cemetery in Panama
Dr. Julia Mayo, Panamanian archaeologist leading excavations at the site of El Caño, speaks on exciting recent research about the Coclé Culture. Situated two miles from Sitio Conte, El Caño is known for its unique stone sculptural style and stone structures. Recently, archaeologists excavated four lavish burials, ca. 700 to 1000 CE, broadly contemporary with similar burials at nearby Sitio Conte—where the first archaeological evidence for the sumptuous wealth of Panamanian chiefdoms was unearthed more than 80 years ago. The new finds at El Caño, and similarities between the two sites, tell a richer story about ancient funerary practices and patterns in Central America. Free admission.

Thursday, April 23, 6:00 pm
Evening Program
Natural Born Heroes
Christopher McDougall, bestselling author of Born to Run, hosts a unique event based on his newest book, Natural Born Heroes, which examines the ancient wellness practices and traditions on the island of Crete, and their role in modern athleticism. Attendees can join McDougall for a fun run before the event; then, the program moves indoors for a "cabaret" featuring McDougall, Parkour expert Dr. Julie Angel, Wildfitness creator Tara Wood, and knife-throwing expert Patrick Brewster. Guests can stay for one-on-one Q&A sessions with the experts after their talk. Admission: $15; $10, Penn Museum members.

Sunday, April 26, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Philadelphia Science Festival Event
Explorer Sunday: Atlatl Workshop
The atlatl was a tool used by early Native Americans that vastly changed the ways of hunting for those ancient peoples. Visitors can learn the physics behind this early innovation, and create darts and practice throwing them with a modern atlatl. Presented in conjunction with the Philadelphia Science Festival. Space is limited—for more information, call 215.898.2680 or e-mail events@pennmuseum.org.

Sunday, May 3, 3:00 pm
Relâche in Residence
Rocks of Kador (1912)
Internationally acclaimed new music ensemble Relâche concludes their three-concert residence season at the Penn Museum with this afternoon performance. The program features the silent film Rocks of Kador (1912) accompanied by music of French composer Régis Huby. Admission: $10, Penn Museum members and Penn students with PennCard; $15, general public, in advance or at the door.

Wednesday, May 6, 6:00 pm
Great Wonders Lecture Series
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and Its Successors
Each of the "wonders" in the ancient world was intended to symbolize the builder's political and economic power, and to serve as a template for future monuments to such power. In most cases they succeeded—this was true for the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, constructed for King Mausolus during the mid-4th century BCE in southwestern Turkey (modern Bodrum). Created by the leading sculptors and architects of the Late Classical period, the design of the mausoleum was so successful that it was repeatedly used for buildings commemorating the burials of famous politicians, such as Ulysses S. Grant's tomb, while the word for a monumental tomb in most languages is "mausoleum," named after King Mausolus. Dr. C. Brian Rose, Peter C. Ferry Curator-in-Charge, Mediterranean Section, speaks about the history and legacy of this famous monument. Admission with advance registration: $5; $2, Penn Museum members; $10 at the door based on availability. To register, visit www.penn.museum/greatwonders.

Sunday, May 10, 1:00 pm
Beneath the Surface Lecture Series
Beneath the Skin: The Skeleton Within
Mortuary practice, body position, and objects associated with the skeleton in the grave—all can give valuable insights into the lives of peoples in the past. The 1940 excavation at Sitio Conte exposed a mass human grave and associated skeletal materials of tremendous ritual importance. At the time, the skeletons could not be excavated safely; only photographs survive of the skeletons when they were first exposed. Dr. Janet Monge, Associate Curator-in-Charge and Keeper, Physical Anthropology Section, speaks about the great challenge to physical anthropologists when working with only records to try to reconstruct the life history of people who now only exist as photographic outlines or shadows on the soil. Free with Museum admission.

Sunday, May 10, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Second Sunday Family Workshop
Egyptian Sarcophagus
It's Mummies Day! Families can craft an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, complete with a mummy inside—and discover ancient Egyptian sarcophagi, mummies, tomb goods, and more during a tour of both floors of the Museum's Egyptian galleries. Free with Museum admission.

Saturday, May 23, 3:30 pm
Afternoon Lecture
The Red Monastery Church: Beauty and Asceticism in Upper Egypt
The results of a 10-year conservation project at the Red Monastery church have revealed a fabulously dynamic, painted interior with close aesthetic and iconographic ties to major early Byzantine monuments. The church dates to the late 5th century CE, a formative period in the history of monasticism. It illustrates one of the earliest conjunctions of spectacular monumental architecture and asceticism, a fusion that has become so familiar that it seems natural. Initially, however, the choice to deploy such tools in a desert community of men who had chosen to leave the world behind was a contentious one. Dr. Elizabeth S. Bolman, Professor of Medieval Art, Temple University, speaks. Presented by the American Research Center in Egypt—Pennsylvania Chapter. Free admission.

Recurring Events and Activities

Fridays, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Unearthed in the Archives
This weekly program takes guests on a trip through Penn Museum history every Friday at 1:30 pm in the Penn Museum Archives. Museum archivists invite the public for investigations of the many interesting and unusual documents being safeguarded in this vast collection. Guests can look for a new experience each week, based on expedition records, vintage photographs, manuscripts, personal letters, and much more. Half-hour sessions begin at 1:30 and 2:00 pm. Free with Museum admission.

Tuesdays through Fridays, 11:15 - 11:45 am and 2:00 - 2:30 pm;
Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 - 1:00 pm and 3:30 - 4:00 pm
In the Artifact Lab Q&A
Part exhibition, and part working laboratory, a glass-enclosed conservation lab offers a view into a museum conservator's world. Visitors can the tools of the trade and watch as conservators work on a wide array of Egyptian objects including rare paintings, ancient funerary objects, and, of course, mummies. During these twice-daily open window sessions, visitors are welcomed to interact with the conservators and ask questions about their work in progress. Free with Museum admission.

Most Saturdays and Sundays, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Guided Gallery Tours
Knowledgeable Penn Museum docents lead guided gallery tours on most Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 1:30 pm at the Museum's Daniel G. Kamin Entrance. Tour topics vary; for details on upcoming tours, visit www.penn.museum/calendar. Free with Museum admission.

Scout Programs

This winter and spring, scouts can unearth more fun at the Penn Museum. By popular demand, the Penn Museum introduces activities to help fulfill badge requirements for Girl and Boy Scouts. Activities run from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on select Saturdays and Sundays.

Sunday, March 1: Boy Scout Indian Lore Badge Day
Sunday, March 22: Girl Scout Playing the Past Badge Day
Saturday, April 11: Girl Scout Playing the Past Badge Day
Sunday, April 19: Boy Scout Indian Lore Badge Day
Saturday, May 16: Boy Scout Indian Lore Badge Day
Saturday, May 23: Girl Scout Playing the Past Badge Day

Indian Lore Merit Badge
Leave preconceptions behind and discover a living tapestry of Nations with distinct stories, histories, and identities. Scouts will complete an activity that explores the array of artifacts on view in Native American Voices: The People—Here and Now. During a maker workshop, scouts will construct, teach, and play games of the Lenape. By the end of the program, scouts will be able to describe contemporary Native American leaders and their powerful stories of raising awareness for Native rights and cultural identities.

Playing the Past Junior Badge
Girls will play the past, ancient Egypt style. Scouts tour the Penn Museum's ancient Egyptian collections with a focus on women and women's roles. Girls will become an ancient Egyptian priestess, write about her life, and design an outfit. Girls will craft accessories, make an ancient Egyptian-inspired snack, and more.

Admission: $20 per scout (includes Museum admission). Limit 30 scouts per program. One free chaperone per group of 10 scouts; additional adults $15 each. To register, call 215.898.4016.

The Penn Museum (the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the Museum has sent more than 300 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind's collective heritage.

The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn's campus, across from Franklin Field). Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA's Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Wednesday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered select Wednesdays. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission donation is $15 for adults; $13 for senior citizens (65 and above); $10 for children and full-time students with ID; free to Members, active U.S. Military, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger.

Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Café; the Museum Shop offers a wide selection of gifts, books, games, clothing and jewelry. Penn Museum can be found on the web at www.penn.museum. For general information call 215.898.4000. For group tour information call 215.746.8183.

Image captions, top to bottom:  Guests can explore the art of tattoos and body modification through history during "Ancients Ink'd," a P.M. @ Penn Museum evening event at the Penn Museum on Wednesday, April 18. Photograph of William Henry Furness displaying tattoos obtained in Japan, 1896 (photo by K. Kamamura, Yokohama).Young visitor participates at a hands-on arts and crafts station (Photo: Penn Museum). Native American rap and hip-hop artists Def-I, Tall Paul, and Frank Waln (Photos courtesy of the artists).