Press

On February 20-22 the New York State Museum will host "New York in Bloom," its annual celebration of flowers and fund-raiser for its award-winning after-school programs.

"New York in Bloom" will be open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, February 20; Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22. The event will feature floral arrangements, designed by more than 90 exhibitors, to complement the Museum's exhibitions.

A special attraction this year, made possible by Seagroatt Riccardi, LTD, will be a tropical plant and flower display centered around a 1999 Acura NSX, Zanardi edition, one of only 50 such automobiles manufactured worldwide. Also, students in the Museum's after-school programs -- the Museum Club and Discovery Squad -- will transform the Museum's lobby into a Greek garden, integrating self-made busts of themselves as Greek gods. Faddegon's Nursery will donate plants and flowers and assist the students in creating the display.

Demonstrations will be held all three days on a variety of topics including spring table decorating; low-maintenance, high impact perennials; hand-tied bouquets; creating flowers using dried materials, making fossil garden stones and more. There also will be children's workshops and a fresh flower market, while supplies last, with flowers donated by Seagroatt Riccardi. A gala reception, with musical entertainment by the Joe Sorrentino Quartet, will be held Friday evening. The public may call (518) 474-0068 to request an invitation to the gala. Reservations are required.

"New York in Bloom" is one of the most heavily attended of the museum's annual programs.

Garden club members and amateur and professional designers from across the state will create inventive floral arrangements that thematically complement the museum's permanent and temporary exhibitions including Let It Shine: Improvisations in African-American Star Quilts; Form Structure Place: Minimal

Art from the Guggenheim Museum Panza Collection; Lost Cases, Recovered Lives: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic; Dreaming of Timbuctoo; Bound for the Promised Land: Albany's Rapp Road Community and Ancient Life in New York: A Billion Years of Earth History.

New York in Bloom is a primary funding source for the Museum Club, a nationally recognized, educational after-school program for youths, ages eight through thirteen. Since 1987 the club has provided tutoring and educational enrichment opportunities for youths from Albany's underserved neighborhoods. Children receive homework help and reading support and participate in interactive, thematic projects involving museum exhibits. The Discovery Squad is the teen extension of the Museum Club. Teens work with younger Museum Club children while developing professional skills with the assistance of adult mentors. Students receive essential job training, academic and personal support, explore higher education opportunities and gain confidence as they serve the Museum in a variety of work-based capacities.

The admission fee for "New York in Bloom" is $3 for adults. There also will be a $5 combination ticket available that will also include admission to the 11th annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale, which will be held at the museum the same weekend on Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22. Admission is free for children 12 and under, accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Volunteers are needed to assist Museum staff during the three-day event. Anyone interested may call Brian Malloy at 402-5869.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be limited free parking in the East Garage (corner of Eagle and Madison) and in the Cathedral lot and Museum parking lot.

The State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. Started in 1836, the museum has the nation's longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey. The museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. Further information is available by calling 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

The New York State Museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. It is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week throughout the year except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.