Looking for an activity for your kids where you can drop them off and be certain that they'll be engaged for a couple of hours? The Newark Museum has art and science activities and performances scheduled for the entire month of July that are just the ticket! Check out the offerings listed below. All are free!
Art Theme: Here, There, Everywhere!
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
July 7–30, 1:30–4:30 PM
Join us on a voyage of discovery around the world. Explore ways that artists from celebrate their ancient roots using sculpture, printmaking, textile art, and painting techniques.
July 7, 8 & 9: Bust-a-Move
View a bust of Paul Robeson, one of NJ’s most famous African American actors and a civil rights activist. Using clay, create a bust of yourself or a friend while experimenting with techniques of portraiture.
July 14, 15 & 16: South of the Border
View the works of modern artists who were inspired by the native cultures of Mexico and Central America. After viewing the exhibition Indigenismo: Ancient Roots in Mexican Art, create a print using symbols from the ancient past.
July 21, 22 & 23: Come Sail Away
View the contemporary African gallery installation Present Tense, which includes the magical journey of ships crossing the ocean by artist Julien Sinzogan; then make a painting of your own magical journey.
July 28, 29 & 30: It's in the Bag
Bandolier bags are shoulder bags made by different Native American tribes as gifts to honor tribe members. See examples of beautifully decorated bandolier bags in our Native American galleries, then design and decorate your own bag to take home.
Science Theme: Moving Days
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
July 7–30, 1:30–4:30 PM
Animals move for lots of reasons, weather, food, raising a family. This summer, we'll explore animal migration for all their reasons.
July 7, 8 & 9: The Monarchs’ Magnificent Migration
Every spring, the Monarch butterflies wing their way from Mexico, through Texas and Louisiana, finally arriving at their summer home on the East Coast. Create a butterfly to bring home, while learning about their incredible annual migration.
July 14, 15 & 16: Follow the Water
In Africa, animals leave during the dry season in search of water. The elephants and zebras search for green plants and the lions follow to hunt. Create masks of the animals in this migration.
July 21, 22 & 23: A Whale of a Tale
Just as birds and insects spend the winters in warmer climes, humpback whales travel from Alaska to Hawaii, in search of food. Track the humpback whale along the west coast and learn why whalers followed their migration.
July 28, 29 & 30: A Dangerous Journey
Follow the journey of songbirds as they travel from their winter homes in South America to raise their young in North America. Take on the role of a bird as it makes its fateful flight.
Performances
Fridays, July 9–30, 1:00 PM
July 9: Lamont Dixon & Josh Robinson present Rhythms and Rhymes
Through poetry and music, enjoy an introduction to Shakespearean England, the Harlem Renaissance, the Beat Generation, Hip Hop and more.
July 16: Alda Reuter & Peter Bogdanos present Mexico Beyond Mariachi
With colorful costumes, authentic instruments, lively music, and dance, these five performers explore the richly textured culture of Mexico that has evolved over 500 years of native life and foreign influence.
July 23: Charlotte Blake Alston presents Stories and Songs in the Griot Tradition
The rich tradition of griot, or African storytelling, comes alive through this animated storyteller’s songs, colorful costumes, and traditional instruments like the djembe, berimbau, and the 21-stringed kora.
July 30: Arts for Kids present The Legend of Rainbow Crow
Experience this beautiful Lenape legend through authentic songs, Native American flute music and drums, and audience participation. Lenape language, history, and storytelling traditions are woven throughout the performance.
