"Wild Creatures"
Mammal Hall’s stunning full-scale dioramas provide many of the visual examples for this class on the wildlife of Pennsylvania.  Through visual images and in-studio displays, students can learn where animals like bear and fox live, what they eat, and which animals are their enemies. They’ll. also explore such topics as parental care among mammals, interaction with the environment, survival, and others.

"Pickett's Charge!"
A towering painting of one of the climactic moments of the Civil War is the focal point of our Military History gallery and a central feature of our class about the Civil War. Students will learn about a soldier's life by exploring the contents of a foot soldier's haversack, and will explore Pennsylvania's pivotal role in the War Between the States through historic images, paintings, and music.

"Weapons of the Civil War"
The Civil War marked a turning point in modern warfare. Advances in rifles and other weapons forced generals to adopt new strategies of attack and defense. In this distance learning offering, John Zwierzyna will discuss the weapons of the Civil War infantryman or "foot soldier", and show original examples of Civil War era weapons from the collections at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania's Prehistory"
Who were the first Pennsylvanians? From where did they come? How did they live? These Native Americans left no written record about their origin, beliefs, or way of life. Discover how archaeological evidence reveals changes in the natural environment, house forms, and subsistence practices before the first European settlers arrived. Learn how contact with Europeans forever changed the lives of native Pennsylvanians.

"Hunting Dinosaurs"
Talk about big game...hunting dinosaurs is exciting activity for paleontologists. One must be a detective, able to spot clues that others might miss and follow them to a discovery. Once recovered there are other issues...like identifying what's been found in the ever-growing catalogue of known prehistoric animals. Dr. Robert M. Sullivan,  vertebrate paleontologist, tells where and how to bag a dinosaur.

"The Art You Live With"
Pennsylvanians, like people around the world, have a long tradition of filling their lives with art. It's not the kind of art you find hanging in the Louvre or on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, however. It's Decorative Art ... touches that lend an aesthetic appeal to otherwise utilitarian objects.  In this class students look at everyday objects to see the "touches" that have been used in decorative arts in Pennsylvania.

"Every Object Tells a Story"
Museums help people learn about their past through objects, and every object has a story to tell about the people who used it. Through questions and answers students discover how and what they can learn from objects in a museum. In this course students will have an opportunity to explore one or more museum artifacts.

"Sculpture in Pennsylvania"
The art of Sculpture is alive and well in Pennsylvania! In this class, Senior Art Curator, Ms. N. Lee Stevens will share with students historic and modern examples from State Museum collections  that illustrate various types of sculpture, and discuss the processes artists used to create them. 

"Dinosaurs"
Explore characteristics that make these reptiles unique ... and the museum's Dino Lab. Designed for grades 1 & 2. Please note this program is not available in May.

"Artfully Speaking" 
Have you ever walked into an art gallery and thought "what is that?"  Find out what questions you can ask to begin to understand art as we highlight the museum's collection and famous Pennsylvania artists. Designed for grades 8 through 12.

"Pennsylvanians at Work"
Explore the history of Pennsylvania industry and the people it once employed. From agriculture, to specialty crafts, to industry, to service, our state has provided the nation with vast amounts of goods. Designed for grades 4 through 9.