Museum to host Spring Family Day

BATESVILLE — Celebrate the spring season at the 2017 Spring Family Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Old Independence Regional Museum, 380 S. Ninth St. in Batesville. The event is free and open to the public.

This year’s program will feature Wild Arkansas, with special programming that includes Rodney Paul of Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas, who will bring various species of birds. Tamara Walkingstick with the Cooperative Extension Service will talk about wild, edible plants. Sandra Chandler, a geologist with the Education Outreach program of the Arkansas Geological Survey, will be available to talk about rocks and minerals, and Nancy Kohn of Lyon College will provide information on Arkansas amphibians.

In addition to the featured presenters, there will be opportunities to create various crafts related to Arkansas and its natural history.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for kids of all ages to come to the museum and learn about some of the amazing creatures, plant life and features of our state,” said Vicki Garland, humanities educator.

The Museum Gift Shop will be open for the day with many items for kids and families. The shop stocks items from local artists, authors and crafters, as well as plush animals, educational toys and historical books.

This humanities program is supported by Independence County and the city of Batesville, as well as by Challenge Grant Endowment funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities.

Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White and Woodruff counties. Parts of these present-day counties compr i sed the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.