News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Culture and History (WVDCH) invites families to the West Virginia State Museum at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston during the holidays for fun family activities. The activities, including designing a holiday picture frame to take home, will take place in the museum education classroom, Tuesday – Friday, Dec. 26-29, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The West Virginia State Museum also hosts other special youth activities throughout the year, including Saturday family programs and afterschool activities for students and parents. Every Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., the museum education classroom features games and fun for the whole family. Themes for the day include marbles, board games, video games, trivia day and card games.

The afterschool program, West Virginia 101, will run through the end of May and is offered to students grades 2 to 5. Students will learn about West Virginia and the State Museum with a different topic/theme each month. December’s topic is “State Symbols,” and January’s theme is “The War Between the States.” Advance registration is required.

These programs are free and open to the public. For more information about all education programs at the State Museum, call Chris Reed, museum education specialist for the division, at (304) 558-0220 or Chris.J.Reed@wv.gov.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is proud to be able to present its programs at no charge to the public, but without a solution to the state’s budget situation, this could be the last year that programs of this type could be offered. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts with Gayle Manchin, cabinet secretary. It brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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