Night at the Museums

By: Keelin Purcell, Manager of School and Farm Programs

On May 6th, The Farmers’ Museum hosted a Slumber Party for Girls that was jam-packed with activities and experiences at both Museums. While we still did the traditional Girl Scout badge work that we have done in the past, this year we also opened our doors to all girls ages 8-12. The night started off with the older girls working on their Junior Folk Art Badge and the younger girls working on their Brownie Eco-Explorer Try-It. Then the girls gathered in the More House to make s’mores over the open hearth; a delicious experience for all!
After dinner, our group headed over to the Fenimore Art Museum for a flashlight tour of the Folk Art Main Gallery and the Eugene and Clare Thaw Gallery. After viewing some iconic pieces of art, the girls did a scavenger hunt, looking for items or components of art that are common in the galleries. Seeing the girls’ faces light up when they found what they were looking for made it clear that this was a behind-the-scenes experience that they will remember for a long time.
The next morning, we continued our badge work. The younger kids moved on to the Let’s Pretend Try-It, getting to practice their acting skills by dressing up in period clothing. And the older girls continued their Folk Art badge by creating corn husk dolls. The whole group then got a special tour of our Native American sites, which are due to open July 4th weekend. The morning ended happily, with many families taking advantage of their free admission to both museums for the day. We are looking forward to another successful Slumber Party next year!