New summer entertainment now in Hastings Museum

Hastings Museum opened a new exhibit, new film and new planetarium show to the public on Friday, June 14.  

“I AM A MAN: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1960–1970” will be on display in the east gallery until Aug. 11.

The 1960­–1970 decade was a momentous time for the civil rights movement in the American South. It was an historic decade that unleashed both hope for the future and profound change as public spaces were desegregated and as African Americans secured their right to vote. “I AM A MAN: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1960–1970” displays a wide range of photographs taken by amateurs, local photojournalists, and internationally known photographers. Together, they provide a vivid visual story of the evolution of the civil rights movement and shed light on the movement’s integration in daily living in the American South. 

“This is amazing photography,” Hastings Museum Director Teresa Kreuzter-Hodson said. “The subject is not light, but the topic is so important—and timely."

 Southern folklorist, author, and curator William Ferris and his research team sought out photos taken in the heat of the civil rights movement, by activists or local news photographers, who documented history taking place before their eyes. Viewers of the exhibition will recognize the photographs of protestors who carried signs with messages like “I Am A Man” or sat at segregated lunch counters as iconic images associated with the movement, while numerous other photographs presented in the exhibition have rarely been seen until now. Key events include James Meredith’s admission to the University of Mississippi, Ku Klux Klan gatherings, the Selma Montgomery March in Alabama, the sanitation workers’ strike in Memphis, Martin Luther King’s funeral, the Poor People’s Campaign, and the Mule Train.  

The decade was a pivotal moment that both marks change, and also reminds us how far we have to go. The photographs in “I Am A Man: Civil Rights Photographs in the American South, 1960–1970” remind us of their enduring resonance today and beyond as future generations continue to fight for justice for all humankind. 

This exhibition has been adapted from an exhibition, originally produced for the Pavillon Populaire in Montpellier, France, by the Center for Study of the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The French exhibition was funded by the City of Montpellier and administered by Gilles Mora, director of the Pavillion Populaire. 

"The Civil Rights Act was signed into law 60 years agon this July. This history is important, and this exhibit is a great way to reconnect with it."

 “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants” will be shown the Hastings Museum super screen through the fall.

“Blue Whales: Return of the Giants,” tells the story of the largest animals ever to have lived and their journey to recovery.  

“Blue Whales: Return of the Giants,” is narrated by the award-winning actor Andy Serkis (“Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars”), and scored by Academy Award-winner Steven Price (“Gravity”).

The film was produced by Oceanic Films with major funding from the National Science Foundation and is the third collaboration between SK Films and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. 

Blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived, bigger than any dinosaur, yet we know surprisingly little about them. “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D,” will entertain audiences of all ages and transform our understanding of these iconic creatures as we experience their spectacular feeding habits, their awesome long-distance communication, and their tender mother-calf bonds. 

The film follows two scientific expeditions: one, a high-risk mission to find a missing population of blue whales, not seen in 50 years off the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean; and the other, to join Diane Gendron, the “Blue Whale Whisperer,” in Mexico’s Gulf of California, where she and her team eavesdrop on whale conversations and explore the important role these remarkable animals play in the health of our oceans.

"You can dive deep with Blue Whales or go sky high with our new planetarium show,” Kreuzter-Hodson said. “We've got something for everyone."

Sky show "Sky Tour: Window on the Universe" will be in the planetarium through the fall.

The Sky Show "Sky Tour: Window on the Universe" takes you to explore the magnificent night skies around the world. The journey starts in the far north in the aurora-lit skies of Iceland.

You will travel across beautiful landscapes, oceans and continents to discover different views of the spectacular night sky that our planet offers. You will watch the Southern Cross and Milky Way move slowly across the sky with beautiful time-lapse images. You will enter the magical dream world of Salar de Uyuni, where the Universe is seen reflected within a giant natural mirror. You will also leave our planet to travel to space in beautiful simulations that reveal the true nature of our galaxy.

"Sky Tour: Window on the Universe" incorporates mesmerizing time-lapse footage gathered over three years of world travel, from North America, Hawaii, Bolivia, Australia to New Zealand. Computer graphics and simulations explain why the views of the starry sky change with latitudes. With the melodious music, the show allows us to indulge in the breathtaking starry skies and admire the wonderful views offered by the Earth and the Universe.

"Without a doubt—it's gonna be a whale of a summer!"?? Kreuzter-Hodson said.

Published Date: 06/18/2024

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