May 9, 2008

The Michigan Historical Museum will take children on an engaging journey through Michigan's fascinating past with its annual Summer Sizzles day camp, beginning June 16. Now in its ninth season, Summer Sizzles offers a variety of programming for children ages 9-12 and a new short-session camp for younger children ages 6-8.

"Day campers will get a unique perspective on the past - interacting with artifacts, enjoying stories of real people and discovering their connection to history - while having fun in the process," said Phillip C. Kwiatkowski, director of the Michigan Historical Museum System. "The sessions feature crafts, discussions, activities and tours of the museum's world-class facility, and class size is limited to ensure the best experience for all campers."

Summer Sizzles weeklong day camp for children 9-12

Fee: $60

Choose from morning or afternoon sessions four times throughout the summer:

• June 16-20, 9 a.m. to noon
• June 23-27, 1 to 4 p.m.
• July 14-18, 9 a.m. to noon
• Aug. 4-8, 1 to 4 p.m.

• become a newspaper reporter and write an account of events featured in one of the museum galleries;
• learn basic cartooning techniques and develop a cartoon strip detailing an event in Michigan history;
• understand the importance of music in the lives of Michigan people, and even discover their own musical talents, in an entertaining and educational program featuring songs of our Michigan heritage;
• celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the French and Indian War as they explore the lives of those who fought in the war and find out how Michigan was caught up in the struggles that spanned the globe; and
• examine Michigan's role in the Civil War and discover what it was like to be a Civil War soldier.

Additional programs for children ages 9-12

• Gene Sprouts - Family History for Kids
  Fee: $15
  
  Choose one of the following half-day sessions:
  
  
  • Friday, June 20, 9 a.m. to noon
  • Friday, Aug. 8, 1 to 4 p.m.

Kris Rzepczynski at the Library of Michigan will help children explore their family history with fun activities. Participants will create a personal timeline, discover the meaning of their name, search newspapers to discover what happened on their birthday and more! Co-sponsored by the Library of Michigan.

• Stories of the Civil War
  
  Fee: $25
  
  

Thursday, Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Popular presenter and Civil War re-enactor Jim Haywood returns for his fifth season of summer camp to share tales of Abraham Lincoln, the roles of women in the Civil War, updates on the latest Civil War ghost stories and his personal experiences as a re-enactor.

• Archaeology of Michigan
  
  Fee: $25

Friday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join Don Simons from the Saginaw Chapter of the Michigan Archaeological Society and Bob Love of the Michigan Flintknappers, as Don explains how artifacts are discovered and researched and Bob demonstrates how Native Americans crafted stone tools. Learn the important history of Michigan's first people in this interesting hands-on session.

Small Fry Summer Sizzles - new this year for younger children ages 6-8

Fee: $36

July 22-24, 9 a.m. to noon

Campers will enjoy old-time toys and games, discover how children learned to do their chores on 19^th-century farms, learn the role of blacksmiths and attend a one-room school while they learn about people who lived in Michigan 100 years ago.

The Michigan Historical Museum's summer day camps are sponsored by the Michigan Historical Center Foundation and the Friends of Michigan History. For more information on any of the camps, please contact Jo Anne Arasim at (517) 373-1905 or ArasimJ@michigan.gov.

The Michigan Historical Museum is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., two blocks west of the State Capitol in downtown Lansing. The main entrance and visitor parking are located off of Kalamazoo Street, just east of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission and weekend parking are free. The Michigan Historical Museum, the flagship of the Michigan Historical Museum System, is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/museum or call (517) 373-3559, TDD (517) 373-1592.

The Michigan Historical Museum System is a division of the Michigan Historical Center, an agency of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL). Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, HAL also includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).