Spring is right around the corner, and we have several fun ways you can get out and about in the sunshine.
Chippewa Valley Museum Teen Guides Experience A Summer Full of Fun
It’s that time of year when we get ready to review the stack of application for our teen guide program. Students from grades 8-12 are encouraged to apply and join the Teen Guide Program this summer at the Chippewa Valley Museum. They will be able to develop their workplace skills at the front desk and ice cream parlor as well as explore the museum, learn about curation of artifacts, and see the behind-the-scenes. Once teens complete the program’s training and 32 service hours, they are celebrated with a certificate of recognition and a dinner. This program helps teens gain confidence from new experiences, explore career options, develop a broader understanding of the world, make a contribution to their community, and build skills for their resume or college applications.
Applications can be turned in from Friday, March 6 until Friday, May 22. For more details about this program, check out this link: https://www.cvmuseum.com/learn-teach/teen-guides/
Saturday, April 4, Tattoo: Identity through Ink Exhibit Live Tattooing, 10am-5pm
We will be sad to say goodbye to “Tattoo: Identity through Ink” exhibit. You still have time to come in for a first or second look. It will be at the Chippewa Valley Museum through Saturday, April 4. Ed from Wintership Tattoo will be doing live tattoos from 10am-5pm. If you get here when we open at 10am, you can watch our director, Carrie Ronnander, getting her first tattoo.
The exhibit features tattoo history. For more than 5,000 years, tattoos have helped document the history of humanity one painful mark at a time. Today, tattoos have never been more popular, but they are so much more than decoration. They are a powerful visual language of the skin, and, like texts, they permanently record memories, life stories, and personal achievements.
Examine personal and collective acts of human transformation through tattoo traditions of indigenous peoples and other tattoo communities, past and present. Throughout history, people have tattooed themselves to beautify, heal, empower, or carry the body into the afterlife. This exhibition shares the ways individual and group identities are formed, reinforced, and celebrated through tattoos.
This ongoing journey has been curated by Dr. Lars Krutak, renowned anthropologist and Research Associate at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to understand how ancient and more contemporary tattoos “make” the people who wear them.
Tattoo: Identity Through Ink is organized by Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School and is made possible by the generous support of Jon and Mary Hart.
For more information or to register, see the online calendar at cvmuseum.com.
Thursday, April 16, Trivia Takeover with the Chippewa Valley Museum, Lazy Monk, 7-9pm
If you love trivia (and really, who doesn’t?), head to Lazy Monk Thursday, April 16. Chippewa Valley Museum will be doing a trivia takeover night with our favorite game host, Madison. Enjoy your favorite beer with your favorite trivia team and learn more about the history of the Chippewa Valley. The winning team members will receive free passes to the Chippewa Valley Museum.
Saturday, April 18, Family Birdhouse Workshop with Chris Knoll, 1-3pm
Participants will construct a birdhouse of pine utilizing precut parts with some custom measuring, marking, cutting and drilling. The nest box is sized for Chickadees and Wrens, finished dimensions are 5 ½” square at the base and approx. 13” tall. This is a great opportunity for young people to learn some basic woodworking skills and for families to work together on a project. Families can build one or multiple nest boxes.
Each participant should provide their own lightweight work gloves, dust mask, eye protection. Open to Adults and minors age 12+ with a parent or guardian.
Pricing is $30 per project per family or $25 with member discount. Capacity of 15 project builds for this session. Special arrangements may be made with the instructor for purchasing additional take home kits.
Volunteer Appreciation Month
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and the Chippewa Valley Museum has a lot to be grateful for. Our volunteers can be found all over the museum. You’ll see them greeting visitors at our front desk, leading school children on tours, building new exhibits, sprucing up the garden at the Schlegelmilch House, researching in the library, working with artifacts in curatorial, and giving a helping hand at programs, events, and in the ice cream parlor.
Volunteer Coordinator Madison Stauffer says “It is incredible to see so many people of different backgrounds in the community come and volunteer their time to help support the museum. Every day I get to meet new people who are excited to be visiting the Chippewa Valley Museum, and it’s a wonderful time for them because of all of the amazing work our volunteers do.” The Chippewa Valley Museum will be treating these folks to a dinner and program during the month to let them know how much we appreciate the time and effort they give to the museum all year long.
Meet Kathie Matter. Kathie has been volunteering at the museum for 38 years. As a collector herself, she enjoys working with artifacts in the curatorial department. She works with new accessions, photographing, describing, and measuring them so they can get ready to be stored in their new home. One of Kathie’s favorite things about volunteering is “having a great time with the other volunteers and staff while she’s here.”
If you would like to learn more about volunteering at the Chippewa Valley Museum, email Madison Stauffer at m.stauffer@cvmuseum.com or visit cvmuseum.com, click on the “Get Involved” Tab at the top of the website and then click on “Volunteer.” We would love to add you to our list of amazing helpers.
Saturday, April 25, Axe-travaganza , 9-11am
Eat breakfast like a lumberjack. Join us for a festive morning filled with breakfast and activities. Enjoy waffles with toppings, bacon, fruit, beverages, and locally made syrup. While supplies last, kids will receive a 3-D Babe the Blue Ox figurine. After breakfast, take a walk around the museum to check out the exhibits.
This event will take place in the auditorium in the Chippewa Valley Museum main building. Thank you to sponsors Hy-Vee and RuderWare.
Cost is $12 for people 12+, $5 for kids 3-11, and free for kids under 3.
For more information or to register, see the online calendar at cvmuseum.com
