Latest news with #GeoffreyK.Fleming
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Reading Public Museum to dedicate 100th anniversary time capsule
The Reading Public Museum will dedicate a time capsule, marking the 100th anniversary of the museum's building and grounds. The free event May 1 at the museum, 500 Museum Road, is intended to celebrate the institution's century-long commitment to education and its lasting impact. 'The museum is delighted to celebrate 100 years in its iconic building in the 18th Ward of Reading,' said Geoffrey K. Fleming, executive director and CEO. 'The continuing existence of our building and grounds exemplify the timeless need for communities to have unyielding places to gather, learn and be inspired.' The event will take place exactly 100 years after Reading School District and museum staff, school board members and others from the community gathered May 1, 1925, to place the building's cornerstone. The moment was memorialized in a black and white photograph on display in the museum's current exhibition, 100 Years: A Cornerstone of Our Community, museum officials said in a release. A time capsule placed inside the cornerstone held an American flag, a Holy Bible, a set of 1925 coins ranging from 1cent to $1, daily newspapers from April 30 and May 1, 1925, and the names of Reading School Board members, museum architect Alexander F. Smith, and contractor Irvin Impink, among other items. Reading Public Museum founder Dr. Levi W. Mengel breaks ground Feb. 9, 1925, for the museum building in the 18th Ward. (Courtesy of the Berks History Center) The cornerstone laying May 1, 1925, marked the fulfillment of founder Dr. Levi Mengel's vision of building an educational museum of world treasures, the release said. Mengel, a Reading science teacher, started the museum's collection as a teaching tool. In 1907, the third floor of the school district's old administration building at Eighth and Washington streets, was converted to house the growing collection. Land for a new museum in the 18th Ward was donated to the school district by Wyomissing industrialists Ferdinand Thun, Henry Janssen and Gustav Oberlaender, and the completed museum opened its doors to the public in 1929. Reading School Board members and Reading Public Museum staff inspect the future site of the museum along the Wyomissing Creek before groundbreaking in February 1925. (Courtesy of the Berks History Center) The items in the new time capsule were inspired by the originals and also include materials that mark the achievements and growth of the museum over the past century. These were collected by a committee of museum staff, school district administrators and others who will recreate the 1925 photograph as the new time capsule is dedicated. The event will also include the dedication of an Artemis 1 Moon Tree, planted last year in the museum's arboretum. The sycamore sapling was grown by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Services from a seed that spent four weeks in space aboard the Orion spacecraft as a part of the Artemis 1 mission. The sapling joined 25 acres of plantings, some of which have stood for as long as the museum building. The Moon Tree represents the museum's continued commitment to inspiring curiosity and fostering learning about science, the outdoors, space exploration and the interconnectedness of Earth and the universe, officials said. 'We hope that the community will join us in celebrating as we enter the next 100 years of serving Reading and beyond,' Flemming said. Refreshments will be available for purchase. The Reading Public Museum is supported in part by grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. If you go What: Reading Public Museum time capsule dedication Where: Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road When: May 1, 3 p.m. More information:
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Reading Public Museum again achieves national accreditation [Spotlight]
The Reading Public Museum has announced that it has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation's museums. The main entrance to the Reading Public Museum. (READING EAGLE) Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies and to the museum-going public. The museum has been accredited since 1982. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status. Of the nation's estimated 33,000 museums, roughly 1,100 are accredited. Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 50 years, the Alliance's museum accreditation program is the field's primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely and remain financially and ethically accountable to provide the best possible service to the public. 'It is an incredible privilege for the museum to receive re-accreditation,' said Geoffrey K. Fleming, the museum's executive director and CEO. 'The museum has been accredited by AAM for nearly a half century, and we as a board and staff are dedicated to maintaining the highest level of professional operation.' Accreditation is a rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum's operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM's Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. 'Accreditation is a monumental achievement,' said Marilyn Jackson, AAM president and CEO. 'The process demonstrates an institution's commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.' The Reading Public Museum was founded in 1904 as part of the Reading School District by Dr. Levi W. Mengel. With a comprehensive art and science museum, a planetarium and an arboretum, the museum's 25-acre campus provides a wealth of educational, social and cultural opportunities for residents and visitors alike. The museum's collection of nearly 300,000 scientific, cultural and art objects ranks among the largest collections in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Reading Public Museum is supported in part by grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and is located at 500 Museum Road, Reading. Admission per day is $10 adults (18-64), $6 children/seniors/college students (w/ID) and free to members and children 3 and under. The museum is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit for more information. About the American Alliance of Museums: The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration and connections they need to move the field forward. For more information, visit Wrestling Three Legacies Wrestling: Ascend, presented by Life Impact Community Services, is bringing the action to Wilson Southern Middle School on April 13 at 4 p.m. for a special matinee event — 'New Horizons.' This event marks the brand's exciting debut show in Berks County, and it's shaping up to be an unforgettable afternoon of high-flying, hard-hitting, family-friendly professional wrestling entertainment. Tickets start at $10 and are available at Fans will get the chance to witness a special appearance by former WWE superstar, current MLW star and Three Legacies Wrestling founder Ricardo Rodriguez. He'll be joined by a lineup of rising stars from the independent wrestling scene, including 'The Bombshell' Zoey Cannon, Al Snook and Super Generation. About Three Legacies Wrestling: Ascend: Three Legacies Wrestling: Ascend is the developmental brand of Three Legacies Wrestling, dedicated to showcasing the next generation of pro wrestling superstars. Many of the athletes featured train at the Three Legacies Wrestling Academy in Lancaster. Committed to community engagement and high-energy entertainment, 3LW: Ascend continues to make a powerful impact across the region with unforgettable, family-friendly events. About Life Impact Community Services: Life Impact Community Services is a nonprofit organization in Reading dedicated to fighting food insecurity in Berks County and beyond. Through a weekly soup kitchen, food distribution programs and compassionate support services, the organization provides meals, groceries and counseling to those in need. Committed to empowering the community with love and practical resources, Life Impact strives to bring hope and lasting change to vulnerable individuals and families. Music Reading A'Cappella Voices is a membership organization of women of all ages and from all parts of Berks County and the surrounding area who meet regularly to practice singing, performing, socializing and having fun. Reading A'Cappella Voices is seeking new members. (Courtesy of Liz Burcin) The main purpose of Reading A'Cappella Voices is to get out and sing for the community at long-term care facilities, local events, local churches, Reading Fightin Phils, Reading Royals, etc. Their goal is to perform at least once a month. They practice every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 300 Grace St., Reading. The group is looking for new members welcomes visitors to any of its practices if you want to check it. No experience is necessary, and you do not need to be able to read music (although it is helpful). Contact Liz Burcin at eburcin@ for more information.
