Photos from Children's Day

Despite the yucky gray weather we had on Saturday, we had an amazing turnout of around 450 people at Fort Bend Museum's Children's Day celebration. Families flocked to the front lawn of the Moore Home where we had a variety of things to see and do.

Keven Mendez gets a bunny painted 

on his cheek at the face painting table.

 Tyler Geades learns to walk on stilts with a

 little help from Museum Site Manager, Claire Rogers.

 Kylie and her father Joe Davis decorate 

cookies on the Moore Home's porch.

All day activities included roping lessons provided by George Ranch Historical Park, fingerprinting by the Richmond Police Department, archeology dig hosted by the Fort Bend Archeological Society, cookie decorating with the Museum's Docents on the glass porch of the Moore Home, spinning demonstrations and cotton carding at the Long-Smith Cottage, Jacob's Ladder craft sponsored by San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site, face painting, corn husk doll making, prizes and goody bags from ABC dental, and demonstrations of the cotton gin, rice mill, butter churn and corn mill by Fort Bend County Farm Bureau.

Barbara Neeper demonstrates spinning 

in the Long-Smith Cottage.

Dan Davis makes a paper pot for 

his green bean seeds with the 

Fort Bend County Master Gardeners.

Austa Sue Kelley, Docent President, teaches 

cotton carding to Girl Scouts: Kaylee Rogers, Ella Miller, 

Amaya Charez, Dinalia Miller and Sierra Hoffart.

Ross Werlla at Fort Bend County Farm Bureau's

 rice mill demonstration

Jeff Schumann at Fort Bend County Farm Bureau's 

corn mill demonstration

 Harvey Ludwig at Fort Bend County Farm Bureau's 

butter churn demonstration

 Johnny Cooper at Fort Bend County Farm Bureau's 

cotton gin demonstration

There were also plenty of special attraction booths, tents and tables, such as woodcarving by the Brazoria County Woodcarves Club, a chance to get up close and personal with Texas wildlife with Brazos Bend State Park Volunteers, free tours of the Moore Home, paper pot making and seed planting with Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, touchable fossils, live animals and crafts with Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugarland, and a presidential hat exhibit.

Brazos Bend State Park Volunteers encouraged

 visitors to pet the corn snakes and baby alligators 

as they taught about Texas wildlife.

Jim Uroda from Brazoria County Woodcarvers Club 

displayed some of his works.

Docents Jill Anthony and Siren Hake were

 Susan B Anthony and Martha Washington 

for a day at Presidential Hat Exhibit.

The Museum of Natural Science at Sugarland had

all kind of fossils and pelts to touch as well 

as a live tarantula and baby bearded dragon.

In addition, The InterActive Theater gave a comical performance of "The Story of the Lone Star State", encompassing 500 years of Texas history in just 45 minutes at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Guests were also invited to explore the area on Walking Tours of Historic Richmond at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The InterActive Theater had the whole tent giggling

 during the fast-paced performance.

Yard Sale Fundraiser at DeWalt Heritage Center

Need a tax deduction? Come by the DeWalt Heritage Center on March 23 or 30 to donate your unwanted items for the Docent Yard Sale fundraiser. Donation items for the yard sale will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Bring out old, new, antique or just plain awesome items that are sure to sell. No electronics please.

Be sure to stop by and shop the Docent Yard Sale on Saturday, April 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to support the DeWalt Heritage Center. This fundraiser will run rain or shine.

DeWalt Heritage Center is located in Kitty Hollow Park, Missouri City, TX

For more information and directions, please call Debbie (281) 835-9331

Check out the DeWalt Heritage Center website for more events and ways to get involved.

Photos from Spring Break Day Camp

The Fort Bend Museum invited local children of all ages to their Spring Break Day Camp on March 14. There were all kinds of fun activities going on from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A great time was had by all, and we look forward to seeing even more smiling young faces at next year's Spring Break Day Camp.

In the Printing Press Demonstration, kids became apprentices at a printing shop and learned about one of the earliest tools of communication. They also had the opportunity to print a land grant and the Declaration of Texas Independence

Then, they learned about the Runaway Scrape during the Texas Revolution through role playing. When the kids pretended to be early settlers, they had to choose what they would bring with them as they escaped the approaching Mexican Army. To reach safety in Louisiana, early Texans had to cross several rivers with the risk of drowning and even alligator attacks. The students crossed their own “river” using step stones and trying to escape from the alligators.

The children also participated in old-fashioned chores such as fetching water from a well for washing clothes with a scrub board, grinding corn, and making homemade butter.

Next, the students learned about Mexico’s influence on Texas life, culture, and especially cuisine by making homemade tortillas.

Finally the children went on a walking tour of Historic Richmond.

 Everyone dressed up to play their part in the Runaway Scrape activity: (Left to Right)  Lydia Junek, Jessica Avery (Educational Coordinator at Fort Bend Museum) Alicia Selvera, Lauren Parris, and Chad Harlan

Volunteer Ed Richards  shows Lydia Junek, Alicia Selvera, Lauren Parris, and Chad Harlan how to use the printing press

Don’t forget!!!!!

There’s FREE family fun to be had at the Museum this Saturday, March 23 at the annual Children’s Day Festival. Photos and details from previous years’ Children’s Day activities on another blog post can be viewed here: Children's Day

For more information on Children’s Day:

 see the Children's Day info on the Museum's website

 call Fort Bend County Museum at (2810 342-6478

 email Claire Rogers (crogers@fortbendmuseum.org) or Jessica Avery (javery@fortbendmuseum.org)

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Spring Break Day Camp & Children's Day Festival

           The arrival of spring at the Museum means there are celebrations in store for children and families this month. Be sure to mark your calendar for both of these exciting days.

         Children 8-12 years old are invited to Spring Break Day Camp on Thursday, March 14 at the Fort Bend County Museum. There will be programs and hands-on activities pertaining to important events in Texas history such as the  Runaway Scrape, Texas Declaration of Independence, life in early Texas and more.

         Camp will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the cost is $10 per child. Please register your child no later than Tuesday, March 12, and be sure to pack a lunch. Children under 8 years old are welcome too, as long as a parent can accompany them at camp.

The fun doesn't stop there! Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Fort Bend Museum’s annual Children’s Day festival. The FREE family event will take place on Saturday, March 23 from noon until 5 p.m.

     “Children’s Day is important to the local community because it offers an opportunity for the whole family to spend a fun filled, but educational day at the Fort Bend County Museum, all at no cost. Last year’s Children’s Day was very successful with around 400 attendees. We would love to see even more at this year’s festival,” said Jessica Avery, Education Coordinator at the Museum.

            Families will enjoy free admission to the Fort Bend Museum’s gallery and the Moore home. Other scheduled activities include face-painting, making paper pots and planting beans, learning about local wildlife, decorating cookies, spinning demonstrations, seeing a real cotton gin, rice mill and corn grinder, woodcarving, old-fashioned chores and a real archaeological dig. Don’t miss special performances of “The Story of the Lone Star State” by Houston’s InterActive Theater Company at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Plus, the wildest petting zoo you can imagine with Brazos Bend State Park Volunteers. 

         “We always look forward to having several organizations in Fort Bend County and the Houston

area join us each year. Among those will be the volunteers from Brazos Bend State Park who will be bringing animals that the children can see, touch and even hold. I am told some of the more popular ones include baby alligators and snakes. Another crowd favorite is the InterActive Theater Company.  They’re a fun group of people and always put on a wonderful performance,” said Avery.

            For more info on either event, please call the Fort Bend County Museum at (281) 342-6478. You can also email Claire Rogers at crogers@fortbendmuseum.org or Jessica Avery at javery@fortbendmuseum.org

 InterActive Theater performing at Children's Day

Brandon Balderrama and James & Albert Diaz digging for pieces of history at the archaeology site during Children's Day

A volunteer from Brazos Bend State Park teaching about Texas wildlife at Children's Day

Melinda and Lillian Ross carding cotton at Children's Day