FERRISBURGH — Rokeby Museum announces new exhibits and programs for 2019. Three new gallery exhibits are planned, as well as a series of workshops, lecture programs, and special events, in addition to guided tours and the museum’s multi-media exhibit “Free & Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont.” The museum is now open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 27.
“Amassed and Up-ended: Decoding the Legacy of Stuff,” on view July 15-Oct. 27, gathers objects, artworks, and documents representing four generations of the Robinson family, who lived at Rokeby from 1793 to 1961. The exhibit explores how what we save over a lifetime gives voice to some of our stories, and silences others.
Two exhibits featuring the work of contemporary Vermont artists are featured in “Rokeby Through the Lens,” on exhibit now through June 16, and “Structure”, an exploration of the built environment, Aug. 24-Oct. 17, make connections between the Museum’s historic collections and landscape, and the vision of contemporary artists.
Workshop and lecture programs transport Rokeby’s history to the 21st century by way of contemporary scholarship and practice. Workshops range from spoon carving and a naturalist-led investigation of century trees, to caring for endangered bats and learning to engage across differences when having difficult conversations.
Lecture programs feature the authors of new books, including Emily Bernard (“Black is the Body”), Teresa Mares (“Life on the Other Border”), and Ross Conrad (“The History of Beekeeping in Vermont”). Other talks will explore the history of tourism in Vermont (Blake Harrison), working with slate (sculptor Kerry O. Furlani), and “When the Church and Republicans were Radical” (Elise Guyette).
Family friendly festivals feature Rokeby’s 35th annual Pie and Ice Cream Festival on Aug. 18, with string music by the Meatpackers and the Fiddleheads, and new this year, ArtRokeby, a festival of art and art-making on Aug. 24.
For more information and a complete list of programs and events, visit rokeby.org.