Summer Wonder at the Penn Museum: Family-Friendly Programs Featuring Music, Dance, Storytelling, and More Wednesday Mornings,

11:00 am to 12:00 pm, July 3 through August 21 PHILADELPHIA, PAThe Penn Museums annualSummer Wonder series returns this season with a diverse lineup of performances and demonstrations that are geared toward the whole family. This weekly program offers an opportunity to enjoy international music, learn traditional Native American dance, hear stories about ancient Greek mythology, and much more. Summer Wonder 2013 programs run Wednesday mornings, July 3 through August 21, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. All programs are free with Museum admission donation. For more information or to pre-register groups of 10 or more (no pre-registration necessary for individuals and families), contact the Community Engagement department at 215.746.6774 or education@pennmuseum.org. The 2013 schedule: July 3 Native Nations Dance Theater Native Nations Dance Theater invites audiences to keep the Native Spirit alive and celebrate Native American culture through song, dance, storytelling, and traditional regalia. Visitors can witness the Round Dance, Snake Dance, and more, as well as help drum out some rhythms at their seat, or join presenters on stage to try some dance moves.

July 10 Tom Lee presents Marduk and the Creation Some of the world's oldest storiespossibly the very first ever to be written downcome from cuneiform tablets that were buried in the deserts of the Middle East for thousands of years. Guests can listen to Tom Lees adaptation of the ancient Mesopotamian tale, Marduk and the Creation, as they are transported through immense reaches of time to a world where gods and heroes walk side by side. July 17 Mock Turtle Marionette Theater with Gamelan Mekar Sari presents Shadow Stories Turn out the lights! And slip down underground into the World of Shadows! Mock Turtle Marionette Theater sets aside its strings and wooden puppets to take the audience on a journey with shadow puppets. The performance features a glowing set of magical stories from places as diverse as China, Africa, Ireland, and Bali, set to live Balinese music performed by Gamelan Mekar Sari.

July 24 Family Stages presents Finding King Tut Guests can journey with Howard Carter to the Valley of the Kings in the year 1922, when Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamenan effort that was six years in the making. Family Stages Finding King Tut combines humor and history to give audiences a deeper understanding of ancient Egyptian culture and the work of archaeologist Howard Carter. July 31 Charlotte Blake Alston presents Stories and Songs in the Oral Tradition Whether accompanying her stories with a thumb piano, djembe, or a 21-string kora, Charlotte Blake Alston uses her melodic and mesmerizing voice to breathe life into contemporary and ancient tales alike. All of her programs draw upon the rich source of stories, songs, games, and music that are the hallmarks of the African and African American oral traditions.

August 7 A Day with Ancient Greece presents Heroes and Heroines of the Mythic Age Audiences travel back in time with Penn Museum docent Joe Balmos to a time when ancient Greek gods and goddesses competed with men and women to see who was the cleverest and bravest. Mr. Balmos tells how Heracles, the greatest Greek hero, overcame the fierce Nemean Lion, whose golden fur was tougher than any mortal weapon; and how beautiful Atalanta defeated every man who challenged her, until the goddess Aphrodite sent a man who knew that apples were the only way into her heart. Participants will swing Heracless huge olive wood club at the Nemean Lion and search for Atalantas golden apples in an interactive presentation filled with surprises and fun. August 14 Mary Knysh presents A Medieval Feast Mary Knysh invites guests for an exploration of medieval music and instruments and their continuing influence today. A rich collection of chants, ballads, recorder melodies, troubadour songs, and storiesexperienced through Marys vivid interpretationsgive modern audiences a glimpse into everyday life in the Middle Ages. Presented in association with Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania. August 21 Linda Humes presents A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. August 28th marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have a Dream

speech. Storyteller Linda Humes celebrates the legacy and times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., accompanied by master percussionist, Sanga of the Valley. Filled with stories about Rosa Parks, Marion Anderson singing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and civil rights songs of the day, Linda pays tribute to this giant in American history and his powerful message of peace and justice for all. Presented in association with Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania. Before or after each Summer Wonder presentation, children and their families are invited to explore the Penn Museums three floors of galleries featuring artifacts from Egypt, Asia, the Mediterranean, the Near East, North and Central America, and Africa. Throughout the summer, guests can experience In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies , a part exhibition, part working laboratory that brings visitors right into a conservators world. Both Museum Shops are participating in the Summer Wonder 2013 program. In addition to the Museum Shops regular hours, the Pyramid Shop for children opens on customer demand throughout the summer. The Shop features games, toys, books, crafts, and jewelry geared to young visitors.
The Penn Museum (the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the Museum has sent more than 400 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind's collective heritage. The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn's campus, across from Franklin Field). Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA's Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Wednesday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered select Wednesdays. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission donation: $15 for adults; $13 for senior citizens (65 and above); free for U.S. Military (and free for military families over the summer, through participation with the Blue Star program); $10 for children and full-time students with ID; free to Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger. Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Caf; the Museum Shop and Pyramid Shop for Children offer a wide selection of gifts, books, games, clothing and jewelry. The Penn Museum can be found at www.penn.museum. For general information call 215.898.4000. For group tour information call 215.746.8183.