Weekend of events planned at museum

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There’s plenty to do this weekend at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History.

On Saturday, the museum will play host to a stained glass workshop, and on Sunday, History Talks will continue with a presentation by a paleontologist.

Gwen Jolley’s stained glass work is always on display at the Mayberry Antique Mall, said museum executive director Matt Edwards, and earlier in the year it was on display at the museum as part of an arts show the museum hosted.

“She’s a remarkable stained glass worker,” noted Edwards.

On Saturday Jolley will host a workshop. Those who participate will have the opportunity to make a piece to take home at the end of the day.

“It’s generally pretty fun,” said Edwards, who noted he has done some stained glass work in the past.

The cost to take part in the workshop, which runs from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, is $25 for museum members and $30 for non-members. Edwards said advance registration is not required. However, space is limited, so interested parties are encouraged to reserve a space.

Edwards said anyone interested may call the museum at 786-4478.

History Talks

The museum hosts its History Talks series of events every fall and spring. It includes three presentations throughout each season by historians or other scholars in that individual’s area of expertise.

Edwards said Sunday’s talk will highlight the traveling exhibit, Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, which has been on display at the museum since February.

Dr. Alex Hastings, who is the assistant curator of paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, will begin his presentation at 2 p.m. on Sunday on the third floor of the museum.

Edwards said Hastings is a vertebrate paleontologist who did a great deal of work on the titanoboa, a prehistoric snake which stretched 40 feet long. The paleontologist will be speaking about current field research.

Hastings’ biography notes his dissertation work at the University of Florida focused on adaptability in a group of crocodilians that survived the mass extinction which ended the age of the dinosaurs.

“He will be talking about digs — the adventurous side of things,” explained Edwards. “It will be a great event for folks with kids who might be interested in paleontology.”

Sunday’s program is free and open to the public.

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