Discovery Museum Commemorates Civil War Sesquicentennial

In 2011 the Lake County Discovery Museum is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War. The museum will host a special exhibition and a series of events that will illuminate this time period.

The sesquicentennial celebration kicks off with Civil War High Tech. This special exhibition is open now through  Aug. 21, and explores how the American Civil War was influenced by technological advances. Learn about submarines, reconnaissance balloons, ironclad ships, railroads and other technology in this interactive exhibit.

Programs highlighting various aspects of the Civil War will also be offered.

• History Explorers: The Underground Railroad - 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 12. Learn more about the signs and secret codes that led the way to freedom, and Lake County's place as a stop on the Underground Railroad. This program is for kids ages 9 to 11. Registration is required.
• Civil War Sesquicentennial - 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 21.
  Kick off the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War with a day of activities, presentations and interactive exhibits that explore this turbulent period in our nation's history. This program is for adults and families. No registration required. Free with museum admission.
• Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad - 5 p.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24. Visit the Discovery Museum  for an evening with professional actress Pamela Welcome as she portrays the life of Harriet Tubman and her involvement with the Underground Railroad. CPDUs are available. This program is for adults only. Registration is required.
• Medical Innovations and the Civil War - 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 16. Join Doug Dammann, curator of the Civil War Museum in Kenosha, WI, as he discusses the changes in medicine that occurred as a result of the war and how Civil War surgeons often receive an undeserved bad rap. CPDUs are available. This program is for adults and youth ages 13 and up. Registration is required.
• Food Revolution: How the Civil War Changed Food in America - 11 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 9. Hear Dr. Bruce Kraig, Professor Emeritus in History and Humanities at Roosevelt University and President of the Culinary Historians of Chicago, explain how what we eat today is a direct result of the Civil War. This program is for adults and youth ages 13 and up. Registration is required.
• Homefront to Frontline: Lake County in the Civil War - 7 p.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 11. Join Collections Coordinator Diana Dretske as she uses photos and letters from the museum's collections to explore how the Civil War affected residents of Lake County. This program is for adults and youth ages 13 and up. Registration is required.

The museums' Civil War Sesquicentennial celebration concludes with the twentieth annual Civil War Days event, held at the Lakewood Forest Preserve. The event takes place from 9 a.m. t0 5 p.m., Saturday, July 9, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, July 10. This two-day living history event features infantry, cavalry and artillery reenactors, as well as musicians, sutlers, medical personnel and civilians. A large-scale battle re-enactment takes place daily.

The Lake County Discovery Museum is located on Route 176, just west of Fairfield Road and east of Wauconda in Lakewood Forest Preserve. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for seniors ages 55 and older and students ages 18 to 25, and $2.50 for youth ages four to 17. Children three years and under are free. On Discount Tuesdays, admission is $3 for adults, and youth 17 years and under are free. Admission is always free for museum members.

For more information on Civil War Sesquicentennial events and to register for programs visit www.LCFPD.org/150 or call 847-968-3400.