Education/What's New
Upcoming Saturday Programs for Adults And Families
CLIFTON WALKING TOUR
Saturday, April 20, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Join us for a walking tour of the Clifton neighborhood, starting at the historic 1883 building on the grounds of the American Printing House for the Blind. On the two-hour tour, we'll find evidence of the evolution of the area from a sparsely populated rural community in 1830 to a densely settled urban Louisville neighborhood. The event is free, but registrations are required. Call 899-2213 by April 18 to register. Best for adults and children 12 and up.
EXPLORING WITH ALL THE SENSES
Saturday, May 11, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Although we generally use our sense of sight when we explore the world around us, the park-like grounds of APH are a delight for all the senses. Children and their parents will be encouraged to take time for a sensory exploration-- smelling the new spring greenery, feeling the rough bark of trees and the smooth stone walls, identifying birds by their songs. Our guest leader for this event is a naturalist from the Louisville Nature Center.
The event is free, but registrations are required. Call 899-2213 by May 9 to register. Best for children ages 5-10.
BRAILLE FOR THE SIGHTED: WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
June 15, July 13, and August 10, 2013, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Young people will be inspired by the story of Louis Braille, who was only twelve years old when he began work on the writing system that changed the lives of blind people all over the world. They'll learn the basics of Louis's alphabet and practice writing on a braille slate and a braillewriter. Advanced students will learn more about braille contractions and whole word signs, as well as how to write music and do math with braille. Participants may attend one session, two sessions, or all three! Admission is free, but registration is required. Best for children ages 8-14.
BARDS AND STORYTELLERS: SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL
June, July, August, dates and times TBA
Explore how blindness has been depicted in Hollywood in our first APH Museum Film Festival. Each month this summer we will screen a film featuring a major character who is blind, followed by responses from our panel of experts and the audience. Among movies to be considered are Bright Victory (1951), A Patch of Blue (1965), Wait Until Dark (1967), Proof (1991), and The Book of Eli (2010). The film festival is part of Bards and Storytellers, our popular arts, folklore, and performance summer series. Best for older children and adults.
TEN BLIND PEOPLE EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
September 21, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Sure, you know about Helen Keller and Louis Braille, but other people who happened to be blind deserve recognition as well. What about Jacques Lusseyran, who worked with the Resistance in France during World War II? Or Morris Frank, who pioneered the use of dogs as guides for the blind in the U.S.? Or the harpist Turlough Carolan, Ireland's national composer? Come learn their stories and why we should remember them . The event is free, but registrations are required. Call 899-2213 by September 19 to register. Best for adults and children age 12 and up.
HALLOWEEN MASKS
Saturday, October 19, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Masks have been a part of many cultures throughout history. Masks made by the sighted usually depend on the visual for their effects, but textures and shapes can convey emotions as well. Museum staff will guide participants of all ages and abilities as they make a scary or friendly Halloween masks and headdresses using tactile materials. Free to the public but space is limited so registration is required. Call 899-2213 by October 17 to register. Open to all ages.
MAPHEADS
Saturday, November 16, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Mapheads are people who study atlases with endless fascination and who prefer to find their way with a diagram of streets rather than a list of directions. Maps are, for people who are blind or visually impaired, even more important, because maps help them understand the layout of any environment, from a room in a building to the countries of the world and the stars in the sky. In this workshop, we'll learn how the blind "see" maps with their fingertips, we'll examine some of the tactile maps used by the blind, and we'll make our own maps for our fingertips using tactile materials. The event is free, but space is limited, so registrations are required. Call 899-2213 by November 14 to register. Open to all ages.
FAMILY DAY OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, November 30, 2013, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Friends and relatives visiting for Thanksgiving? Looking for something special to show them? Bring them to APH's Museum on Saturday, November 30 from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m. Visitors can write their names in braille, see the book of Psalms from Helen Keller's Bible, play games designed for children who are blind, and enjoy many other activities in this award-winning museum. See Denver the Guide Dog, a Discovery Channel video about how a puppy becomes a dog guide and is matched with a new owner. Seasonal refreshments will be served. Open to all ages.
HOLIDAY CARD FACTORY
Saturday, December 7, 2013, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Come learn about the various ways people who are blind and visually impaired "see" with their fingers through tactile illustrations. Then make your own tactile holiday card to celebrate the spirit of Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, and add a message in braille. Free to the public, but registration is required. Call 899-2213 before December 5 to register. Open to all ages.