UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The second week of the fall semester offers a chance to visit University museums during the fall “Night at the Museums,” planned for 4 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 3.
Organized by the Penn State Museum Consortium, the event will once again include the Penn State trolley, which will provide transportation among the various sites at University Park, courtesy of Penn State Outreach.
“Provided in the spring and fall, we encourage everyone from students to the community to come explore Penn State’s galleries, libraries, archives, museums and performing arts spaces,” said Rita Graef, director of the Pasto Agricultural Museum and Armsby Respiration Calorimeter in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
There is something new to see every year, said Graef, and students can gain valuable insight into internship and career opportunities.
“It’s a great way for students to understand the richness of our collections and museums, and find an opportunity for internships and engaged research,” she said.
Museums and sites
All-Sports Museum
The All-Sports Museum highlights the achievements of the men and women who shaped 35 varsity athletics programs across 150 years of Penn State history. The current special exhibit, “The Way I Saw It,” presents 100 photos of Penn State athletes, coaches, venues and fans taken between 1977 and 2005 by alumnus Pat Little, who spent more than three decades as a professional photojournalist.
Armsby Respiration Calorimeter
The Armsby Respiration Calorimeter, built in 1902 and preserved in its original location, is a nationally significant scientific instrument that shaped modern nutrition and metabolism research. This instrument, used for more than 60 years in animal nutrition and metabolism research, is typically only open by appointment.
HUB-Robeson Galleries
Contemporary art exhibitions at the HUB-Robeson Galleries are designed to spark visitors’ imaginations, inspire new ideas and bring people together. Exhibitions on view include “Feral Botanica,” an immersive installation by Brooklyn-based artist Hidenori Ishii in the HUB Gallery; “Recipes,” featuring encaustic paintings by Christine Sajecki in the Art Alley; and “In Dreams,” a collection of 100 sculptural rabbits by Darla Jackson in the exhibition cases.
Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
Visitors can discover something new at the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery. The current exhibition, “Through Different Eyes: Industrial Worlds by Women Artists,” and the newest exhibition, “Casting an Icon: Making the Liberty Bell,” are both curated by Penn State student interns. Visitors also can say hello to Snowball the mule, who, along with Old Coaly, lived and worked on campus at the turn of the 20th century.
Penn State Herbarium
The Penn State Herbarium has more than 100,000 specimens of thousands of species of plants from around the world, including some that date back to the early 19th century that were brought here by the first University president, Evan Pugh.
Frost Entomological Museum
Visitors can ask questions about insects and related arthropods at the Frost Entomological Museum, while learning about research in Penn State's Department of Entomology. The newest exhibit also offers a chance to compose a poem about insects.
Palmer Museum of Art
The Palmer Museum hosts the ongoing special exhibitions “Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250,” and “Telling Stories: Rethinking American Art at the Palmer.” Visitors also can catch the last week of noted special exhibition “Constellations: Celebrating the Legacies of Betye Saar.”
Breazeale Nuclear Reactor
The Breazeale Nuclear Reactor is the oldest licensed nuclear facility in the United States. Staff and students will perform radiation experiments and reactor demonstrations into the evening.
Eberly Family Special Collections Library
The Eberly Family Special Collections Library features the exhibition “Paper Paradise: Three Centuries of Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Scherenschnitte.” Visitors will see highly decorated calligraphic Fraktur and intricate Scherenschnitte, literally “scissor-cuts,” ranging from the 18th century to the present day. Exhibition tours will be offered at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; the gallery will be open until 8 p.m.
Trolley and bus transportation
In addition to the trolley, visitors also can ride the Centre Area Transportation Authority buses, with free transportation available on the Blue Loop and White Loop, as well as the Red Link.
All sites will have a scannable QR code available that connects to the University Park Map site.
The Penn State Museum Consortium
The Penn State Museum Consortium is a network of museum and archival professionals and education specialists associated with the unique facilities and irreplaceable collections housed at the University Park campus. These collections and spaces are used by members of the Penn State community for teaching, research and public service across many academic disciplines.