Category Archives: Attractions

Visit Battleship North Carolina in May

The All-Service Color Guard hold flags while the Second Marine Division Band plays during the recognition of the armed forces at the 45th annual Memorial Day Observance at the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington Monday, May 31, 2010. For a gallery of photos from the event go to www.StarNewsOnline.com.     Staff Photo By Matt Born/Wilmington Star-News.

The All-Service Color Guard hold flags while the Second Marine Division Band plays during the recognition of the armed forces at the 45th annual Memorial Day Observance at the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington Monday, May 31, 2010. Staff Photo By Matt Born/Wilmington Star-News.

May 16, 2015
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
$40* per person. $35* for Friends members or active military.
*plus tax

As the first of the 10 fast battleships which served in WWII, NORTH CAROLINA paved the way for those battleships that followed. Hampered by treaty restrictions, naval architects still managed to weave the various ship systems together into an efficient and elegant naval weapons system – the first battleship constructed in sixteen years. LtCol Ken Rittenmeyer, USAF (Ret) will provide participants with an insightful afternoon program explaining these various shipboard systems – armor, fuel, propulsion, electrical, etc. – that make NORTH CAROLINA an effective warship and how they are skillfully incorporated into this engineering wonder. A one-hour presentation followed by a two-hour shipboard exploration comprise this engaging program.

The tour is limited to 12 participants age 18 and older. It is not appropriate for those who have difficulty climbing narrow ladders or over knee-high hatches. Wear comfortable, washable clothing, sturdy, rubber-soled shoes and bring a camera! Water and light snack provided. Registration and payment are due by Thursday, May 14th. Tour is $40/$35 plus tax for Friends of the Battleship or active military. Call 910-251-5797 extension 3001 for reservations.

50th Annual Memorial Day Observance
May 25, 2015
Time: 5:45 pm
FREE

On Memorial Day, May 25, 2015, at 5:45 pm, people of all generations from across the State will gather together on the deck of the Battleship to pay their respects. This moving and meaningful ceremony includes Duke Ladd Music performing military and patriotic arrangements. The Battleship is honored this year to have guest speakers Major General Gregory A. Lusk, Adjutant General, North Carolina National Guard, and Senator Richard Burr. The Executive Director of the Battleship, Captain Terry A. Bragg and members of the USS NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Commission invite the public to this free event.

USS NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Association Annual Crew Reunion
May 27th – 30th, 2015

The crew of the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA and their families return for their annual reunion. Reunion activities open only to those registered for the events. However, the public is cordially invited to attend the Battleship crew’s annual memorial service on Saturday, May 30 at 10am on the Battleship’s fantail (back deck). For information, contact museum@battleshipnc.com or call 910-251-5797.

Summer Hours

Starting Friday before Memorial Day, May 22, 2015, going through Labor Day, September 7, 2015, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA will be open 8:00 am until 8:00 pm with the last ticket sold one hour before closing.

Two new exhibits open at Brookgreen Gardens May 9

Brookgreen Gardens will present two new indoor exhibits in the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion. They will be on display daily from May 9, 2015, through July 26 and are free with garden admission.

Carolina Roots: Works by Sigmund Abeles and Grainger McKoy
This exhibit examines the art of two renowned “Sons of Carolina” having special ties to Brookgreen Gardens: printmaker, painter, and sculptor Sigmund Abeles and sculptor Grainger McKoy. Each hailed as a master of his respective media, their work in this exhibit will include paintings, prints, and drawings, and sculptures in wood, bronze, and resin.

Antebellum Waccamaw: Paintings and Drawings by Emily Esdaile Weston
This collection of pencil and pen and ink drawings and watercolors, dating from the 1840s to the 1860s, was made by Emily Frances Esdaile Weston (1810-1886), the British wife of Plowden C. J. Weston, a 19th century owner of Laurel Hill Plantation, the north section of Brookgreen Gardens’ property. The collection provides unprecedented views of the buildings, structures, and grounds of Laurel Hill and Hagley (Weston’s Waccamaw Neck properties), of Snow Hill at Conway, and his seashore residence, “Weston’s Zoyland”, known today as Pelican Inn on Pawleys Island. In addition to the landscape paintings and architectural drawings, there are a number of watercolors of native flora and fauna, many accompanied by a dried, pressed plant. Emily Weston also made drawings of Camp Marion during the War Between the States. The paintings and drawings are on loan from the collection of Dr. and Mrs. Hal B. Holmes, Jr.

The exhibits are sponsored in part by The Folline-King Group/Merrill Lynch, The Lachicotte Company, John and Trena Draughn, and an anonymous donor.

Though born in Brooklyn, NY, Sigmund Abeles grew up in Myrtle Beach, SC, where he watched the new Brookgreen Gardens grow into the magnificent institution that it is today. He refers to it as the place where he caught the “spark” of figurative art, and as his “art womb”, in reference to the many hours he spent here as a young boy and teenager, sketching the sculptures and learning about the artists. Abeles went on to study art and to make it his life’s passion, earning numerous awards and honors. His drawings, prints, paintings, and sculptures are found in museum and private collections throughout the United States. Visitors to the exhibit will see several of his sculptures never before exhibited as well as other works that reflect his special bond with the South Carolina Lowcountry.abeles

 

Grainger McKoy, a renowned sculptor living and working near Sumter, SC, has a special relationship with Brookgreen Gardens. It has been a touchstone for him – a source of subjects and ideas for his unparalleled depictions of native birds. In 1999, his first museum exhibition in South Carolina took place here. In 2012, he was instrumental in helping Brookgreen Gardens acquire an amazing gift of his work from the collection of the late Earl Slick. Containing several of McKoy’s landmark sculptures, such as Covey Rise, Sandpipers, and Least Bittern, the gift included 11 major wood and bronze pieces from the 1970s to the 1990s and several are to be shown in the exhibition. The sculpture was the gift of the Family of Earl Slick. On view with the sculpture will be some of McKoy’s rarely seen sketches and small scale models.mckoy exhibits

Brookgreen Gardens Announces Its Participation in Lowcountry Giving Day 2015

Online fundraising event will unite donors, nonprofits from across coastal South Carolina on May 5

Brookgreen Gardens, a 501 (C)(3) non-profit, is please to announce its participation in Lowcountry Giving Day 2015, a 24-hour online fundraising event sponsored by Coastal Community Foundation. Thanks to the generosity of the Waccamaw Community Foundation, Brookgreen Gardens will be eligible to receive incentive funds, which will help support Brookgreen’s educational programs and special initiatives throughout the gardens in 2015.

“Brookgreen Gardens is pleased to participate in the second Lowcountry Giving Day,” said Bob Jewell, Brookgreen’s president and CEO. “We hope that many of our current supporters and new donors will make gifts online to Brookgreen Gardens on May 5th, helping us reach our fundraising goal and receive incentive funds designated for Brookgreen by the Waccamaw Community Foundation.”

Through its participation in Lowcountry Giving Day 2015, Brookgreen Gardens will reach out to its 8,300 member households as well as new online donors through a variety of email communications and social media messaging. Brookgreen’s goal is to enhance its visibility among online donors and increase online donations, a rapidly growing source of annual gifts to support the mission and programs of Brookgreen Gardens in our community.

Some 180 nonprofits are participating along with Brookgreen Gardens in Lowcountry Giving Day 2015, nearly doubling participation from last year’s event, which raised over $4 million for communities across coastal South Carolina. Lowcountry Giving Day is part of Give Local America, a national day of local giving held in partnership with more than 8,000 nonprofits and 80 community foundations from across the country. Due to this broad partnership, Give Local America 2015 is gearing up to be the largest fundraising event in history.

To support Brookgreen Gardens on Lowcountry Giving Day 2015, please visit this website, https://lowcountrygivingday.org/#npo/brookgreen-gardens, on May 5th to make your gift. A full list of Lowcountry Giving Day participants is available at https://lowcountrygivingday.org/#leaderboard. Questions about other ways to support Brookgreen Gardens through Lowcountry Giving Day 2015 may be directed to Wendy Belser, Director of Philanthropy, at wbelser@brookgreen.org or (843) 235-6047.

Former Crew Member to Visit Battleship NORTH CAROLINA

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is going to have special guests on Sunday, April 26, 2015. Retired Lt Colonel Duncan Jewell USMC, former battleship crew member, and his family are coming to visit what Jewell used to call home. While serving on BB55 from 1942 – 1944, he was the Marine commanding officer. Now, at the young age of 95, Jewell will take us all through a trip down memory lane. Please help us welcome him aboard.

Dria Jewell and Nori Shaw, daughters of Duncan Jewell state, “We are so delighted to reconnect our father with his WWII battleship. This is a truly remarkable day for him to share this most important part of his life history with three generations of his family, who will all cherish these moments and pass their memories to future generations. It is occasions such as this that will keep the Greatest Generation’s legacy alive.”

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is self-supporting, not tax supported and relies primarily upon admissions to tour the Ship, sales in the Ship’s Store, donations and investments. No funds for its administration and operation come from appropriations from governmental entities at the local, state or federal levels. Located at the junction of Highways 17/74/76/421 on the Cape Fear River. Visit www.battleshipnc.com or follow us on Facebook.com/ncbb55 and Twitter.com/battleshipnc for more information. Relive with the crew on the Battleship Blog http://seastories.battleshipnc.com/. The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is an historic site within the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (www.NCCulture.com).

Brookgreen Gardens Hosts Earth Day Forum

Green Amphorae ca. 2012 by Karen HackenbergOn Wednesday, April 22, in conjunction with the current exhibit, Environmental Impact, Brookgreen Gardens will host a forum to discuss the work of area organizations, businesses, and individuals that clean-up, re-plant, and find new ways to protect and preserve our environment. The program is at 3 p.m. in the Lowcountry Center Auditorium and is free with garden admission.

The speakers include representatives from the North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Santee Cooper, SC Environmental Law Project, Waccamaw Riverkeepers, and Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. The forum and Environmental Impact are sponsored by the Waccamaw Community Foundation and Green Assets, Inc.

“The exhibit has been traveling the United States since 2013, and we are fortunate to be able to present it to our Grand Strand audience,” said Robin Salmon, Vice-President of Art and Historical Collections at Brookgreen Gardens. Environmental Impact includes 75 works of art by 38 artists from seven countries. Their works present powerful messages about the environment as shown in paintings, prints, sculpture, drawings, and photographs. Environmental Impact is produced by David J. Wagner, LLC, David J. Wagner, Ph.D, Curator/Tour Director, davidjwagnerllc.com.

Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit organization located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, is open daily to the public. For more information, visit www.brookgreen.org or call 843-235-6000.

Art Museum Display Recalls Golden Age of Mapmaking

Following the discovery of the New World in the 15th century, European mapmakers scrambled to document and map the new territories, using centuries-old technology. In contrast to today’s mass-produced, utilitarian maps, early European cartographers recruited renowned painters and miniaturists of their times who created maps that were truly works of art, richly colored and intricately decorated.Antique Map #6. A Map of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands...Antique Map #6. A Map of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands...

From March 11 through April 12, 2015, the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum will display a collection of these magnificent works in an exhibit titled The Mapmakers’ Art: The Bishop Collection of Antique Maps: 1608-1863. The artworks, a 1999 gift from Mrs. George Bishop in memory of her late husband, a local entrepreneur, are part of the Museum’s permanent collection.

The Mapmakers’ Art includes 15 maps illustrating what has been termed the golden age of cartography plus a selection of complementary historical prints. During that era of rapid discovery – and hence, extensive production of new maps – cities as far-flung as Paris, Amsterdam, Florence, Venice and London competed as mapmaking centers of the world.

Since early maps often relied on unverified and often unreliable information from native populations, unsubstantiated reports and hearsay, the maps illustrate the evolution of both exploration and documentation of geographical information.

Among the historic gems included in the collection is An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina by Henry Mouzon, an enormous copperplate engraving of four joined sheets created in 1775. The earliest map in the collection, produced in 1606 by Gerard Mercator and engraver Jodocus Hondius, was based on a 1590 map of Virginia and a 1591 map of Florida. The 1825 map of Horry District by Robert Mills, considered the first American architect, and a map created by naturalist Mark Catesby for his celebrated 1731 work A Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands are other highlights.

Among the historical prints accompanying the maps are four Civil War scenes from Harper’s Weekly and a collection of steel engravings from The Portrait Gallery of Eminent Americans, published in 1863, which include our country’s founding fathers.

Regular gallery hours are from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission to the Museum is free but donations are welcomed. For further information, call 843-238-2510 or visit www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org.

Tibetan Monks to Create Sacred Work of Art at Myrtle Beach Art Museum

Beginning on Monday, March 30, the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in conjunction with a Pawleys Island family (selected to host the Sacred Art Tour group) will host the creation of a mandala over a five-day period by a team of Tibetan monks from Drepung Gomang Monastery. In keeping with Buddhist tradition, upon completion, the mandala will then be dispersed into the Atlantic Ocean in a ceremony of worldwide healing. The monks’ visit and work is being underwritten by Gabriella Plaza-Goldschmidt and Dr. Leonard Goldschmidt, Esq. of Pawleys Island.
mandalamandala2mandala3
When Chinese Communists invaded Tibet in 1959, they forced the closure and destruction of the country’s 6,500 monasteries, among them Drepung Monastery, at that time home to more than 7,000 monks and said to be the largest in the world. A few hundred monks managed to escape the holocaust and reestablish their institution in southwest India. Today about 2,000 monks reside at Drepung Gomang and another 3,000 at Drepung Loseling, both located in Karmataka state, India. (A few hundred monks have returned to what remains of the original Tibetan monastery but remain under tight control – and censorship – by the Chinese government.) These surviving monks continue to work to keep the ancient cultural traditions alive.

Among the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, that of painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite. Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks in geometric shapes and ancient spiritual symbols to form an intricate work of art called a mandala, a Sanskrit word meaning cosmogram or “world in harmony.” Despite its intrinsic beauty, the mandala is created as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants.

In addition to its Indian campuses, the monastery has affiliated facilities in Russia, France, Taiwan, and the United States, and conducts periodic Sacred Arts Tours around the world. The mission of these tours is to promote world healing and peace by sharing unique Tibetan Buddhist teachings, while furthering awareness of the endangered Tibetan civilization and human rights abuses by the Communist Chinese since 1959.

The opening ceremony, including the beginning of the sand mandala construction, will be at the Art Museum on March 30 from 2 to 6:30 p.m. The monks will continue construction of the mandala the following day, working from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, through Friday, April 3. A closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 4, will include a procession carrying the sand painting to the ocean for the ritual of healing.

“The Mandala ceremony is about creating spiritual harmony,” said local tour coordinator Gabriella Plaza-Goldschmidt. “With all our concerns about armed conflicts around the world, and the degradation of our physical environment, we are all striving for that kind of harmonious existence. This is an extraordinary opportunity to experience an ancient ritual of reconciliation and healing, as well as to view the creation of an exquisite work of art.”

While the monks are constructing the mandala, the Art Museum will offer visitors an opportunity to work on a community mandala, mirroring the ancient art form. The Museum will also offer children’s art activities to coordinate with the event. For information about these activities, call the Museum at 843-238-2510.

Yoga in Common, located in the Market Common complex, will also hold meditation workshops while the mandala event is in progress. Visit their website, www.yogaincommon.com, for further information.

Brookgreen Hosts Garden Festival “Diggin It”

Just as Spring Arrives Brookgreen Hosts Garden Festival Saturday, March 21, 2015
Diggin’ It, the annual garden festival, offers a full day of expert and entertaining gardening advice. Dr. Allan Armitage will be a featured speaker. Engaging as well as knowledgeable, he has lectured worldwide and will offer a morning and afternoon program. Dr. Armitage is professor emeritus at the University of Georgia and a prolific author. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Medal of Honor from the Garden Club of America and the National Educator Award from the American Horticultural Society. armitage

Dr. Robert Polomski will present two lectures. As a horticulturist and arborist, Dr. Polomski has educated commercial and consumer audiences for more than two decades on a wide range of topics in a variety of media that includes radio broadcasts and television appearances. He has published his research in scientific journals and authored regional gardening books.polomski

Diggin’ It Programs in the Wall Lowcountry Center Auditorium

Dr. Robert Polomski
10 a.m. – 11a.m. – Learn to avoid these top 10 landscape mistakes.
An attractive landscape can add beauty and value to your home. Avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary effort to create a landscape that’s easy on the eyes and easy to manage. Learn about these “Top 10 Landscape Mistakes” and create a healthy, attractive landscape that looks good and saves money.

Dr. Allan Armitage
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Tales From The Gardens: Who in the World is Nellie Stevens?
Where do plants come from? How does our garden grow? Why is yarrow called woundwort? How do the spots of lungwort affect medical research? How did unmarried men let available girls know their marital status? These are stories your mother never told you, and they may include plants you are not familiar with, but they are fun to hear.

Dr. Robert Polomski
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Have you checked your trees recently? Learn how to inspect your trees to keep them and you safe.
Trees provide numerous benefits to our homes and communities, but they may become liabilities when they fall or break apart. Some tree failures are unpredictable and cannot be prevented, but others can be avoided with a simple tree inspection. Many potential failures can be corrected before they cause damage or injury. He will address seven common structural tree defects that often result in failures, such as uprooting and trunk and branch breaks.

Dr. Allan Armitage
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Color – People Never Get Tired Of It
Dr. Armitage will present recommendations on color in the garden, showing off the latest and greatest annuals that will take the heat of a southern summer and still look great in the fall.

Between lectures, the Brookgreen Horticulture staff and volunteers will  offer activities and tips on how to become a better home gardener.

Representatives from Waccamaw Audubon Society, Waccamaw Riverkeepers, Georgetown Daylily Club, and more will have informational tables throughout the day outside the Lowcountry Center. All the programs, speakers, and exhibits are free with gardens admission.

Brookgreen Summer Camps Offer Education and Summer Fun for Children

Camp Brookgreen provides one-week activities with an emphasis on connections to the natural world, animals, and art. Summer fun and educational enrichment at Brookgreen Gardens include hands-on activities, zoo and garden exploration, live animal encounters, crafts, games, stories, projects and more. Registration for Camp Brookgreen begins March 16 for members of the gardens and March 23 for guests. Please call (843) 235-6049 to register or visit www.brookgreen.org for more information. The dates, themes, and fees for Camp Brookgreen are:

  • K-1st graders:  June 15-19 (“Fur, Feathers, and Scales”) and 22-26 (“Plant-astic!); Registration for Members: $85 Non-members; $100; Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Arts Camp for 6th and 7th graders: June 29 – July 2; (“Let the Sun Shine In – an exploration of light in artwork”) Registration for Members: $130; Non-members: $150; Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m
  • 2nd -3rd graders: July 6-10 (“Animal Adaptations”) and 13-17 (“You Choose the Adventure”) Registration is $160 for Members, $185 for Non-members, and the time is 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • 4th-5th graders: July 20-24 (“Junior Zookeeper”) and 27-31 (“Environmental Super Heroes”) Registration is $160 for Members, $185 for Non-members, and the time is 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is open to the public daily. For more information, www.brookgreen.org or call 843-235-6000.

 

Brookgreen Gardens Gullah Programs

Reign of Rice lecture Series
Saturday, March 14 at 2 p.m.
Joseph McGill, Jr., Founder of The Slave Dwelling Project, will present “Rice Beyond the Fields: Examining the Dwellings of the Growers.” McGill has spent nights at several former rice growing plantations such as: Magnolia, Middleton, Mansfield, Hopsewee, Frienfield, and Hobcaw Barony. He will have spent a night under the stars at Hampton Plantation a week prior to the lecture and will be coming in from a sleepover and morning program at Laurelwood Plantation in Eastover, SC. The program is free with garden admission; reserved seating is required by calling (843) 235-6016.

Gullah Geechee Program Series
1 p.m. on March 18
Guest speaker, Richard Dwight Porcher, Jr., will give a lecture presentation  about his book, The Market Preparation of Carolina Rice, An Illustrated History of Innovations in the Lowcountry Rice Kingdom, which he co-authored with William Robert Judd (USC Press). Copies will be available for sale.
Porcher is professor emeritus at the Citadel and adjunct professor of biological sciences at Clemson University. Judd—a self-taught draftsman, artist, archaeologist, and historian—is retired from the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. The presentation is free with garden admission; however, seating is limited. Call 843-235-6016.