Clarina Nichols, Carry A. Nation and Katherine Richards were three Kansas women who spoke out, took action and influenced their communities. J. Karen Ray will introduce you to these women and discuss their positions on key issues of the time, as well as how Kansans today can learn from them to influence their communities. Ray is a retired professor of English with a keen interest in the history and culture of Kansas. This free presentation is offered at the Smoky Hill Museum, Thursday, March 3, from 5:30-6:30 pm.

The search for Amelia Earhart can finally be called off! Scholar/performer Ann Birney of Ride into History will offer a first person interpretation of Amelia Earhart, taking you back to 1937, just before Earhart’s disappearance over the Pacific Ocean. Ride into History is an historical performance touring troupe that has performed from the Smithsonian to Saipan. Don’t miss this entertaining and intelligent first person interpretation. This free presentation is offered at the Smoky Hill Museum, Thursday, February 3, from 5:30-6:30 pm.

Kansas Celebrates 150 Strike up the band and put 150 candles on the cake. This is the big one! On January 29, 1861, Kansas officially became the country’s 34th state. Celebrate our state’s birthday at the Museum, on Saturday, January 29, from 1:30-4:30 pm. Come for refreshments, activities and more!

This unique traveling exhibition developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center contains images and video taken from the Hubble Space Telescope of planets, galaxies, black holes and many other fascinating cosmic entities. Plus, opening night festivities will include guest speaker Russell L. Werneth with presentations at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Mr. Werneth is an aerospace engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and was the Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Project. Seating for Mr.

The Friends of the Smoky Hill Museum are proud to announce the return of a Salina son who really has made it “to the stars!” Shuttle astronaut Steve Hawley is coming to Salina to talk about his missions in space. Tickets are on sale now for the February 17th presentation at Pioneer Presidents Place, in the old Lincoln School auditorium, 245 South Eighth Street. Hawley will also hold a special autograph signing session following his presentation. Photographs may be purchased at the Museum Store in advance for Hawley to sign the night of the presentation.

June 1 - June 3rd is our special Homeschool Week. During this program, your guide will talk all about compost and the role that worms play in composting! What is compost?, How to you compost?,What do the worms do for compost?, are some of the questions that will be answered during the barn class. Bring a baggie of old food scraps as we go through the actual steps of making a compost pile! Everyone will pot a plant to take home with them. A hayride and feeding the farm animals is also included. Come join us for one or all of the programs. Register on or before May 31st.

Beginning at noon, we will take the hayride down to the Cattail Creek. Make sure you wear old tennis shoes or water shoes, as we will go into the creek to catch a variety of critters that live there. After spending some time catching them, we will gather together to discuss where the critters live in the creek, what they eat, what is their life cycle, and much more. After releasing the critters, we will take the hayride back to the barnyard where we will spend some time feeding the farm animals. Register on or before May 12th. $7.00/child (Adults are free)

During this program, your guide will instruct the children on how to make a birdhouse using one of the birdhouse gourds that was grown and dried on the farm. All supplies are included and all participants will take their new birdhouse home with them to hang in their yard! Feeding the farm animals and a hayride is also included! Register on or before June 1st. $8.50/anyone making a birdhouse.

Come join the fun as we take the hayride to the Cattail Creek. Wear old tennis shoes or water shoes, as we go into the creek to catch a variety of critters by using nets. After taking time to catch them, we gather together to discuss what we have found, where they live in the creek, who they might eat, and their various life cycles! After releasing the critters, we take the hayride back to the barnyard where we feed the farm animals! Register on or before June 2nd. $7.00/child (Adults are free)

We cordially invite you to join us for our "Spring Is Growing" program. Learn about the parts of a seed and how plants grow. Take a tour of our working greenhouse and observe plants at various stages of growth. We also will feed the farm animals and take a hayride! Everyone will pot a plant to take home with them! $6.50/child Adults are free Register on or before May 12th by calling 410 489-2572 or e-mailing us at farmquestions@sharpfarm.com