Visit the Clay Center’s science and art galleries for free Saturday, Sept. 27 in celebration of Smithsonian magazine’s 10th annual Museum Day Live! Through a nationwide partnership with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC and more than 1,500 museums across the nation, Museum Day offers the opportunity to explore an unfamiliar museum and uncover its unseen treasures, or to tour a familiar museum to review a favorite collection, all at no cost with a downloadable admission ticket from the Smithsonian magazine website. To gain admission, go to www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday and print off the special ticket pass, which is good for free admission to one museum for the ticket holder and one guest. There is a limit of one ticket per household. With your free admission, experience storytelling in a unique way in the original exhibit “What’s YOUR Story?” featuring digital puppet shows, green screen technology and traditional props and costumes. Then, visit the virtual world of Oak Island, make a coin rubbing, practice your safe-cracking skills and see artifacts from beneath the sea in the hands-on exhibit “The Hunt for Treasure.” In the art gallery, explore the natural world through artwork and interactive experiences in “Every Living Thing: A Closer Look at Nature,” and step inside an old-fashioned aluminum fairground sign to discover hand-engraved mirrors in “ARCADE/ARCADIA.” Even more free fun is available for educators during Saturday’s Educator Appreciation Day event at the Clay Center. Educators and up to four family members can explore the museum for free and learn more about the Center’s available educational programming. A school ID card is required for free admission. For more information about Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! and a list of participating institutions, please visit www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about Clay Center programs and exhibits, call 304-561-3570 or visit www.theclaycenter.org.
