Press Release Archive

The coming of spring also brings the return of the Springfield Museums’ annual Festival of Flowers, April 3-6, 2014. This year’s celebration will feature over 50 objects from the art, history and science collections creatively interpreted by local florists, designers, and garden club members. The festival, once a mainstay of the Museums calendar, returned last year to the delight of area flower fans, and this year’s event features even more floral arrangements inspired by some of the Museums’ signature collection items.

The Festival of Flowers helps return spring to the Springfield Museums, from April 3 through 6. Galleries throughout the art, history and science museums will be in bloom, with more than 50 museum objects being interpreted by area florists, designers and garden club members.

Steampunk Springfield: Re-Imagining an Industrial City will kick-off in spectacular fashion with an Opening Soiree on Friday, March 21, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. Like the project itself, the evening promises to be engaging, multi-faceted, and provocative. The event is sponsored in part by Ideal Insurance.

The African Hall Subcommittee of the Springfield Museums is seeking nominations for the 23rd annual Ubora Award and the 6th annual Ahadi Youth Award. The African Hall Subcommittee is a volunteer group comprised of educators, business people and community leaders from the African-American community. The nomination deadline for both awards is March 31, 2014.

The fantastical exhibition “Steampunk Springfield: Re-Imagining an Industrial City” is coming to the city later this month and bringing with it ideas for the future.

Beginning this spring, the Springfield Museums will present a series of ambitious exhibits and events all tied to the unique art genre known as “Steampunk.” Steampunk Springfield: Re-Imagining an Industrial City will take place from March 22 – September 28, 2014, with exhibits in both the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum and the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Additional events related to the Steampunk Springfield project will also be hosted by the Museums and other partner organizations, including the Springfield Armory National Historic Site and CityStage & Symphony Hall, among others. The project is sponsored by Merriam-Webster, Peerless Precision and AAA of Pioneer Valley, with additional support from media sponsors The Valley Advocate/Preview Magazine, WRSI 93.9, and media partner ArtScope Magazine.

The Springfield Science Museum’s large rooftop telescope will be open for public sky gazing on Friday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the “Stars Over Springfield” observatory series. These programs are organized by the Museum and the Springfield Stars Club, and take place on the first Friday of each month from September through May. Each event features an introductory talk on topics such as space exploration, seasonal sights of the night sky, current astronomical research, or upcoming events like eclipses or comet appearances. March’s topic will be "Hubble: A Quarter Century of Discovery,” presented by Paul Cardone.

The Springfield Museums’ monthly tour and lecture schedule continues in March with the popular Thursday Museums à la Carte lectures, held weekly at 12:15 pm in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. Admission is $4 ($2 for members of the Springfield Museums); visitors are invited to bring lunch (cookies and coffee are provided). The programs are sponsored by Big Y World Class Market. For more information about Museums à la Carte, call 413.263.6800, ext. 488.

The Springfield Museums invites visitors to explore the world of art forgers and the science used to reveal their deceptions at the next Culture & Cocktails program of the season. The event takes place on Thursday, March 6 from 5-8 pm at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.

The Springfield Museums have announced their slate of activities for the upcoming school vacation week, February 17-21, 2014. The week-long program, titled Sights & Sounds of the Rainforest, will feature family-friendly performances and live animal demonstrations along with hands-on activities and planetarium shows. All activities are free with the price of museum admission unless noted otherwise. Visitors can also explore the Springfield Science Museum’s newest exhibit, Rainforest Adventure, an interactive experience designed to teach children 10 and under about one of the earth’s most precious resources (special exhibition fee applies). The exhibit and the school vacation week programs are both sponsored by United Bank.

Next week, teachers are invited to view the new Rainforest Adventure special exhibition at the Springfield Science Museum, which is available for school tours through May 9. Those in attendance will be able to tour the exhibit, meet with staff to discuss field trips and curriculum connections, and participate in hands-on demonstrations from Conservation Kids: Stewards of the Earth, one of the many standing programs offered to visiting school groups by the Springfield Museums.

This week, an exhibit opened at the Springfield Museums exploring some of the most infamous art forgery scandals of the century. It also delves into the minds of serial forgers. Called "Intent to Deceive," the exhibit places masterpieces by Picasso and Matisse alongside examples of fakes that fooled some of the world's most revered experts.