The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery) recently added several new exhibits focused on early motion picture techniques in its Da Vinci’s Corner gallery. The additions include a tabletop praxinoscope and zoetrope and a large, free-standing zoetrope that measures more than six feet in diameter. A humorous animated introduction to the inventors of these animation devices is also featured as part of these new exhibits.

“The Discovery’s Da Vinci’s Corner gallery focuses on the intersection of art and science,” said Will Durham, exhibits manager. “One of Da Vinci’s early works was the projector, or “magic lantern,” so these early movie making devices feel right at home amongst the other exhibits in this hands-on gallery.”

All of the new exhibits in this unveiling were designed and built on-site in the museum’s workshop by museum staff and volunteers. Exhibits designed and built in-house are just one of the ways The Discovery keeps each visit to the museum engaging and new.

For more information about Da Vinci’s Corner and other galleries at the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, visit www.nvdm.org.

A monthly roundup of museum events, exhibits and deals you won’t want to pass by!

LIBERTY FINE ART GALLERY

Grand Opening, October 4

Liberty Fine Arts is a consortium of over a dozen Reno local mixed media artists, whose gallery space is adjacent to the Nevada Museum of Art.  Their grand opening celebration is Oct. 4^th.

NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART

For Your Eyes Only

September 29 – October 20

For Your Eyes Only is an exhibition of artist’s books that explores the structural possibilities of the book, and includes works by artists and printers Julie Chen, Tim Ely, Peter Koch, Eunkang Koh, Patti Scobey, Barbara Tetenbaum, and more.

The Light Circus – Art of Nevada Neon Signs

October 13 – February 10, 2013

Celebrate a bygone era during this exhilarating presentation of vintage neon signs that once graced some of Nevada’s most iconic restaurants, casinos, hotels, and business establishments. From flashing incandescent bulbs to candy-colored neon tubes, the nostalgic pieces featured in The Light Circus: Art of Nevada Neon Signs have not been seen publicly since they illuminated street side locales decades ago.

THE DISCOVERY

Worldwide Day of Play

October 6

Celebrate Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play by getting out and getting active. To help, The Discovery is offering two children’s yoga classes… one for kids age 4-7 and one for kids age 8-12. Classes start with singing and then connect movements to nature, starting a brand new generation of yogis!

FREE admission, FREE face painting, and FREE Italian Ice for all children 17 and under on Wednesday, Spet. 26.

Celebrate National Children’s Day with The Discovery! The museum has invited a number of child-centric community agencies and organizations to providing hands-on activities such as:

• KNPB will provide a visit from Bob the Builder.
• The Nevada Museum of Art is hosting a “Monster Box” making workshop.
• The Fleischmann Planetarium will offer activities related to comets and the solar system.
• The National Automobile Museum will display the museum’s antique fire truck.
• High Desert Fencing Alliance will offer fencing demonstrations and classes.
• Live music by members of the Reno Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Admission for adults is $8.00 per person from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. After 4:00 pm, adult admission is just $4.00. The museum is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Participating organizations include: The Children’s Cabinet, Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows,Nevada Museum of Art, Fleischmann Planetarium & Science Center, KNPB, Reno Philharmonic, Sierra Nevada Journeys, Washoe County Library System and HighDesert Fencing Alliance.

For more information about Children’s Day and other activities at The Discovery, visit the calendar of events on the museum’s website at www.nvdm.org.

A monthly roundup of museum events, exhibits and deals you won’t want to pass by!

The Discovery

Happy 1st Birthday, The Discovery!

September 6 – 9, 2012

The celebration will include birthday themed art projects, science demonstrations, a discounted admission day, exhibitions of Denny Daniel’s “Museum of Interesting Things,” a performance by Whitney Myer and more. For a complete calendar of events, click here.

The Museum of Interesting Things is a traveling interactive demonstration/exhibition of antiques and inventions. The museum inspires creativity and innovation in adults and children by providing a hands-on introduction to inventions that have shaped modern society.     

International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame

Funded by the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission, Reno artist Eileen Gay created the 700-pound sculpture, Pin Setting, in less than four months. Gay worked seven days a week for the last two months of the project, constructing the eight-foot pin, perfecting the bowling ball which is five-feet in diameter and covering approximately 120-sqaure-feet of space with detailed mosaic. Pin Setting puts the final permanent touch on Reno’s International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame.

Nevada Museum of Art

Tim Hawkinson

Totem: Internationally-acclaimed artist Tim Hawkinson is known for his complex sculptures. Made from bronze, this single sculpture Totem evokes the forms of discarded plastic bottles or jugs, inviting conversations about water, land, and the challenges Native American cultures have faced related to these natural resources.

Click here for more featured exhibits inside the Nevada Museum of Art.

Four-day celebration with art projects, science demos, musical performances, discounted admission & more

Come celebrate the birthday party of the summer. Thursday, September 6 through Sunday, September 9, the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery) will celebrate the museum’s first birthday. The celebration will include birthday themed art projects, science demonstrations, a discounted admission day, exhibitions of Denny Daniel’s “Museum of Interesting Things,” a performance by Whitney Myer and more.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Create a birthday card or button – During museum hours
Visit Art Alcove to create a birthday card for The Discovery. Cards will be displayed throughout the museum during the birthday celebration.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Create a birthday card or button in Art Alcove – During museum hours
Use a variety of art materials to create a birthday card for The Discovery.Cards will be displayed throughout the museum during the birthday celebration.

Denny Daniel’s Museum of Interesting Things – 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm
Don’t miss this interactive demonstration of antiques and inventions that are certain to inspire creativity and inspiration.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Museum hours extended, $5 admission all day – 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Take advantage of a longer day to learn and play for just $5 admission per person. Children age 1 and under are free. Members are always free.

Member receive double discount in the Museum Store – During museum hours
Members can double their discount to 30 percent on the Museum Store’s huge selection of educational toys, games books and more. Become a member and immediately take advantage of this discount.

Create your own party hat in Art Alcove – During museum hours
Use a variety of art supplies to create your very own party hat to wear during the museum’s birthday festivities.

Create a mini piñata in Art Burst – During museum hours
Create your very own miniature version of this popular birthday tradition in this open studio.

Visiting scientist: Dave Boland from the Reno Herpetological Society – 10:00 am
Dave Boland, vice president of the Reno Herpetological Society, will visit The Discovery along with his snakes, lizards and other scaly friends.

Performance by Reiko Shimbo’s Reno Taiko Tsurunokai – 1:00 pm
Enjoy a heart pounding performance from Reiko Shimbo’s Reno Taiko Tsurunokai.

Denny Daniel’s Museum of Interesting Things – 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
Don’t miss this interactive demonstration of antiques and inventions that are certain to inspire creativity and inspiration.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Member receive double discount in the Museum Store – During museum hours
Members can double their discount to 30 percent on the Museum Store’s huge selection of educational toys, games books and more. Become a member and immediately take advantage of the double discount.

Create your own party hat in Art Alcove – During museum hours
Use a variety of art supplies to create your very own party hat to wear during the museum’s birthday festivities.

Performance by the Whitney Myer Band – 12:00 pm
Join former contestant on “The Voice” and Reno’s favorite family band for a special performance on the plaza in front of the museum.

Decorate a birthday cupcake – Noon to 3:00 pm (While supplies last)
Decorate a tasty birthday treat in honor of The Discovery’s birthday and then enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Denny Daniel’s Museum of Interesting Things – 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm

Don’t miss this interactive demonstration of antiques and inventions that are certain to inspire creativity and inspiration.

The Discovery

August 18, 6 – 9pm

Social Science:

A 21 and over event fare from local food trucks and libations from local brewers and bars; including, Dish Truck, Full Belly Deli, Mamasake, Red Truck, Lazy Sundae and Island Ice with drinks provided by Craft, Great Basin Brewing Co. and St. James Infirmary. Be a kid and enjoy science demos, art projects, and open museum exploration!

Tickets for Social Science are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nvdm.org or at the museum’s admission desk during normal museum hours. The ticket price includes admission to museum, a commemorative cup, two drinks and participation in the art activities and science demos.

Don’t forget, the museum is just $4 after 4pm on Wednesdays!

Nevada Museum of Art

Andrew Rogers Contemporary Geoglyphs

Australian sculptor and photographer Andrew Rogers began making large-scale geoglyphs in 1999 to create meditative spaces on each continent of the globe. Geoglyphs are large-scale designs made on the ground by either removing materials such as surface soils, gravel, and small rocks, or by rearranging preexisting stones and natural materials.

Museum Store Yard Sale

August 1 – 12

Look for up to 40% off on selected items from the store covering a wide range and variety of products. Admission to the Sale is free.

PREMIERE LECTURE Photographer Richard Ross on Juvenile-In-Justice

Thursday, August 23 / 6 pm

Photographer Richard Ross presents his work in Juvenile-In-Justice, relating the stories and interviews of juvenile offenders that he has collected over the past five years.

Tickets: $20/$15 Museum members

This premiere lecture is sponsored exclusively by RBC Wealth Management.

The Reno Tahoe region boasts 32 museums! Between river rafting, spa days, and nature hikes this summer, check out the featured exhibits and events at one of the awe-inspiring museums in Reno Tahoe USA.

NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART

Edward Burtynsky: Oil

One of the most well-known contemporary photographers in the world – Edward Burtynsky – is featured at the Nevada Museum of Art, June 9 – September 23. Burtynsky will be at the Museum for the opening of the exhibition on June 8 and giving a lecture on June 9. Such a great opportunity to get to meet with an artist and discuss his work!

Arthur and Lucia Mathews: Highlights of the California Decorative Style

Arthur and Lucia Mathews are widely acknowledged as two of California’s most prolific artists working in what is widely known as the California Decorative Style during the early twentieth century. The aesthetic they fostered incorporated classical references, idyllic landscapes and a muted tonal color palette applied to a variety of works from murals and paintings to wooden frames and decorative objects. Visit their exhibit, June 16 – October 14.

NATIONAL AUTOMIBILE MUSEUM

$1 Night at the National Automobile Museum

On June 13^th, 4 – 9pm if you bring one can of food the National Automobile Museum will admit you for $1! The food will be donated to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. This is a great opportunity for families with multiple children and an easy affordable way to give back.

THE DISCOVERY

June 9-10: Use recycled materials to make your own robot and explore simple circuitry to make parts of your robot light up!

June 16-17: Learn about all the cool things there are to do outside in the great state of Nevada and make your own journal to record your adventures.

June 20 and 23: Make your own paper by using traditional paper-making techniques and a very unique extruding process.

NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART

Exhibitions:

Celebrate Art of the Tiffany Era – Three unique exhibitions open through May 20

The Tiffany family design legacy is celebrated in this unique mix of exhibitions featuring Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass of the art nouveau era and a rare collection of Tiffany & Co.’s decorative firearms. Charles Lewis Tiffany established Tiffany & Co. in 1837; his son Louis Comfort Tiffany later founded Tiffany Studios, renowned for exquisite decorative objects.

Special Events:

Mother’s Day Trunk Show

May 12, noon – 3 pm

Find the perfect gift this Mother’s Day from the work of ceramics artist Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk and jewelry artist, Gail Rappa – both Wild Women artists. Admission to the Trunk Show is FREE.

TALK: BRDI and BRAF Present: Candy Chang | Before I Die

May 17, at 6pm

In collaboration with the Black Rock Arts Foundation and the Black Rock Design Institute, the Museum welcomes artist, designer, urban planner, and wanderer Candy Chang as she presents her project Before I Die. Recognized as a leader in developing new strategies for the design of our cities, Chang will also discuss her installation of Before I Die in Reno. Networking and social hour with beer provided by Silver Peak Brewery at 5pm. Talk follows at 6pm.

Cost: $10 / $8 Museum members.

ART BITE: Meet the Collectors: The Bloms on Southwest Pottery

May 18, at 12 pm

Brenda and John Blom discuss the range of pottery they have collected from every era and pueblo in the Southwest.

Cost: $10 / FREE with admission and for Museum members

THE DISCOVERY

Biodegradable Art

May 12, at 11am, and May 12– 13, at 11am and 1pm

Combine art and science when you create your own piece of art made from biodegradable packing peanuts.

Cost: $3/Members Free

Eclipse Viewer

May 19, at 11am, and May 19– 20, at 11am and 1pm

Learn about solar eclipses and view the upcoming eclipse through the safety of the home made viewer you’ll create in this intriguing class.

Cost: $3/Members Free

SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM

May 16, at 4 – 10pm

Fiddle and Banjo Workshop, a Nevada Arts Council Folklife Education Program and a free concert to follow!

NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

Mutant Rides: Origin of a Species

They began a spontaneously, a change in the genetic code, and evolved from the assemble line to an emerging species on the Black Rock Desert.  These rolling works of art are now deeply entrenched in the culture of Burning Man. Imagine a world of motorized vehicles where boundaries are limitless, imaginations rule and the bizarre becomes the norm.

The Reno Tahoe region boasts 32 museums! Between golf outings, spa days, and hikes through the blossoming flowers this spring, check out the featured exhibits at one of the awe-inspiring museums. Every month we will highlight a brief selection of exhibits to visit!

NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART

August Sander: Face of Our Time

Ends: April 22

This exhibition features sixty black-and-white portraits taken by German photographer August Sander in the early part of the twentieth century that document a cross section of German society. This unique set of prints from Sander’s series Antlitz der Zeit (Face of Our Time) has never been exhibited before, although the photographer did publish a volume of images by the same name.

In 1936, Nazi officials seized all copies of Sander’s books and ordered that his Face of Our Time photographs be destroyed. This was because the social and cultural range of people he photographed suggested diversity within the German nation, which was a threat to the Nazi doctrine of racial purity. Sander’s studio was destroyed in a World War II bombing raid in 1944.

The Canary Project

Ends: April 29

The Canary Project includes diverse works involving more than 30 artists, designers, writers, educators and scientists. The causes and effects of global change, which encompass those of climate change, are increasingly the focus of artists around the world, whether they are working in the Antarctic, Canada, Chile, or Southeast Asia. Many of those projects rely on photographic evidence for working materials. What makes the Canary Project unique is that Sayler and Morris have partnered with local artists and others wherever they have been in residence. This enables them to expand the reach of their concern through the use of other media, including bus ads, billboards, posters, and installations such as the climate poker game Quartet for the End of Time, and the fashion performance Increase your Albedo.

THE DISCOVERY

Truckee Connects

Learn all about the favorite summer hangout, the Truckee River. Flowing from Lake Tahoe, through the downtown Reno waterpark, and into Pyramid Lake, there’s an adventure and vital duty at every bend. Educate yourself on its many uses; including, recreation, irrigation, hydroelectric power, and wildlife in this very interactive exhibit. Beware of the potential splash zone, who do you trust more with water: Shamu or your kids…

SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM

Night of the Titanic

Ends: April 28

Every Saturday this April, from 1-3:30pm, experience what it was like to stand on the deck of the doomed ocean liner Titanic the night she sank in a 22 minute multi-media production.

For more museums in the area, please visit our website: VisitRenoTahoe.com.

In advance of its Sept. 10 grand opening, the world-class Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery) is auctioning off an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Discovery will welcome the winning bidder and 24 guests to be the first to spend a ‘Night Under the Clouds’ in the museum. The 25 lucky individuals will experience more than 12 hours of unlimited access to the museum and each of its eight hands-on galleries. The auction will close on Thursday, Sept 1 at 9:20am with 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit the museum’s annual operational costs. Bidding starts at $1,000 and can be entered at http://www.nvdm.org/firstnight/.

The ‘Night Under the Clouds’ will include food, refreshments and an abundance of fun activities throughout the evening, incorporating a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum, uninterrupted play in each gallery and group activities lead by The Discovery’s educators. Each member of the winning bidder’s party will receive a $25 museum store gift certificate and commemorative t-shirt. Additionally, the winning bidder will receive a one-year Traveling Membership for their family.

The Discovery, located in the former Reno City Hall building, is home to eight hands-on learning exhibits that focus on the northern Nevada region, nature, science, art and society. The museum serves children birth to 12 years old and offers a unique educational learning environment that inspires creativity and innovative thinking. For the latest information on The Discovery, to purchase memberships, or to sign up as a volunteer, visit www.nvdm.org or call (775) 786-1000.

ABOUT THE DISCOVERY

The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum will inspire curiosity, creativity and the joy of lifelong learning for all children and families. Upon opening, the museum will provide opportunities to discover science, art and local history through open-ended, interactive and fun exhibits and hands-on educational programs. Explore a cave, build a house, race across Nevada, and climb into the clouds – these are just some of the many adventures offered at The Discovery.