The Staten Island Children's Museum Will Celebrate Black History Month With Special Programs In February

The Staten Island Children's Museum will celebrate Black History Month in February with cooking classes, art workshops and a special science program sure to engage, inform and inspire visitors.

The celebrations begin with ShopRite Kidz Cook sessions on Fridays at 3:00 & 4:00 pm when young chefs will get to taste a variety of Caribbean-inspired dishes. Sessions are free with admission and tickets will be available at the front desk.

The work of Kenyan-born artist Wangechi Mutu is the focus of the Weekend Art Studio. Visitors will be able to create their own surrealist collages inspired by her work. The Studio will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Children will "Soak Up Some Science" in the Con Edison Second Saturday Science! workshop on Saturday, February 9 from Noon - 1:00 pm. Visitors will experiment with water pressure using the Super Soaker while learning about the life and work of its inventor, Lonnie Johnson, a groundbreaking entrepreneur and engineer. Participants will then fill some soakers with paint to create abstract pieces of art. The workshop is free with admission.

Midwinter Recess Week Activities

The Children's Museum will have a full week of activities during the NYC Public Schools Midwinter Recess Week, Monday, February 18 - Friday, February 22.

Monday, February 18: Visitors will learn about the life and work of Kehinde Wiley, the artist who painted President Barack Obama's official portrait. They will then get to create their own portraits using Wiley's style in this Presidents' Day Art Workshop, open from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.

This is also "Pay with a President!" day, and visitors can use their $1 and $5 dollar bills and pay the special discounted $5 admission price, sponsored by the Staten Island Children's Museum Trustees.

Tuesday, February 19 - Thursday, February 21: Guests will get a glimpse into the "Future of Fashion" and celebrate the work of iconic stylist André Leon Talley and model Duckie Thot and then create paper dolls in this art workshop, open from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm on each day.

Wednesday, February 20: The Sandy Ground Historical Society will share the history of the Underground Railroad and lead guests in a special art workshop during sessions at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 & 4:00 pm.

Friday, February 22: The Children's Museum will offer additional ShopRite Kidz Cook sessions on this school holiday at Noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm.

Free timed tickets for these Midwinter Recess Week activities will be available at the front desk.

"These special programs celebrating Black History Month build on the work we are doing at the Children's Museum, as we strive to offer even more inclusive and inspiring programming," said Dina Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Staten Island Children's Museum. "We will continue to share the perspectives, experiences and traditions of our diverse community for all of our visitors to experience and enjoy."

Please note that programming is subject to change; visit sichildrensmuseum.org for updates.

The Staten Island Children's Museum is located on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. The Museum's hours for September - June are Tuesday- Friday from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. For more information, call 718-273-2060, email info@sichildrensmuseum.org, or visit sichildrensmuseum.org.