Erie Art Museum Offers Free Admission on Smithsonian Magazine’s 5th Annual Museum Day

Erie, PA, August 14, 2009 --(PR.com)-- On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, the Erie Art Museum will participate in the fifth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian magazine. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Smithsonian’s Museum Day reflects the spirit of the magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington-DC-based properties. Doors will be open free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors at museums and cultural institutions nationwide.

“The Erie Art Museum thinks that it is important to participate in this national celebration of Museums. The Erie Art Museum’s mission is to connect with the community and this is a way for us to expand our reach,” said Erie Art Museum Director of Marketing & Development Tammy Roche.

Last year, upwards of 200,000 people attended Museum Day, with all 50 states plus Puerto Rico represented by over 900 participating museums, including 84 Smithsonian affiliate museums. This year, the magazine expects to attract over 1,000 museums.

On view at the Erie Art Museum will be selections from the Edinboro University Permanent Collection in the Main Gallery, Roger Hane: Art, Times and Tragedy in the Frame Shop Gallery, Ancient Alloy: Bronzes from the Collection in the Ground Floor Gallery and Takezasa-do in the Annex Gallery.

Visit www.smithsonian.com/museumday to download the Museum Day Admission Card. Attendees must present the Museum Day Admission Card to gain free entry to participating institutions. Each card provides museum access for two people, and one admission card is permitted per household. Listings and links to participating museums’ can also be found at www.smithsonian.com/museumday.

About the Erie Art Museum
The Erie Art Museum anchors downtown Erie’s cultural and economic revitalization, occupying a group of restored mid-19th century commercial buildings, including an outstanding 1839 Greek Revival Bank. It maintains an ambitious program of 15 to 18 changing exhibitions annually, embracing a wide range of subjects, both historical and contemporary and including folk art, contemporary craft, multi-disciplinary installations, community-based work, as well at traditional media.

The Erie Art Museum also holds a collection of over 6,000 objects, which includes significant works in American ceramics, Tibetan painting, Indian bronzes, contemporary baskets, and a variety of other categories.

The Museum offers a wide range of education programs and artists’ services including interdisciplinary and interactive school tours and a wide variety of classes for the community. Performing arts are showcased in the 24-year-old Contemporary Music Series, which represents national and international performers of serious music with an emphasis on composer/performers, and a popular annual two-day Blues & Jazz festival.

The Erie Art Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members, free on Wednesdays, $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students and $2 for children under 12.

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Erie Art Museum
Tammy Roche
814-459-5477
erieartmuseum.org
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