MOR presents final 2019 lectures, Season of Light’s festive return
Give the gift of MOR membership this holiday season! Share all that you love about Museum of the Rockies with friends and family. Members have the opportunity to experience diverse changing exhibits, the famous Siebel Dinosaur Complex, absorbing planetarium shows, as well as various programs and classes throughout the year. MOR also hosts regular public events, many of which are free of admission. Here’s a look at some upcoming happenings.
The Perspectives on the American West Lecture series continues on Monday, December 2nd with “Western Movies Today: History, Criticism, Production” at 6pm. Presenting will be Andrew Nelson, associate professor of film studies and chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts at the University of Utah.
We are accustomed to hearing great films discussed in terms of their influence on later movies, and Westerns are no exception. The makers of recent Western movies routinely discuss their works in relation to classics like The Searchers or Shane. But how, you might ask, were these filmmakers introduced to Westerns? By their grandparents? Or by someone else? In fact, the majority of filmmakers today were first introduced to the Western as an academic subject in the course of their professional training. How this influences the movies they make, and what it means for our understanding of the Western’s rich history, are just two of the topics covered in this exploration of the current state of the Western movie.
The Gallatin History Museum Lecture Series returns with “He Might Strike It Still: A Brief History of Cooke City” on Wednesday, December 4th. Historian Kelly Hartman, curator of the Gallatin History Museum, will present at 6pm.
With claims staked, 1870s prospectors at Cooke City patiently waited for adequate transportation to get their ore to market. Eager enough, they named the ton in honor of Northern Pacific tycoon Jay Cooke. Ironically, Cooke’s influence in creating Yellowstone National Park stunted the growth of the town, as the park blocked any efforts to support a railroad through its borders. For more than sixty years, residents waited for rail until a new economy took hold – tourism. The dreams of the miners still live on in tumble-down shacks and rusty old mining equipment. And the successful vision of entrepreneurs offering rustic relaxation at the doorstep of Yellowstone continues to lure visitors. Hartman will recount the saga that left hundreds battling for a railroad that never came.
Please note: All held in Hager Auditorium, public lectures have a limited capacity and are free of admission on a first come, first served basis. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each. Attendees may not save seats for others.
Also at MOR, the educational and visually stunning Season of Light returns to Taylor Planetarium in time for the festively inclined. Yule logs, Christmas trees, the Hanukkah Menorah, luminaries and Santa Claus were taken from different cultures to fill the dark months of the year with more light. Learn about the many holiday customs that make the winter more festive! Season of Light shows daily at 11am and 3pm through December 31st. These screenings are included with Museum admission or membership. Note: There will will no 3pm showing on Dec. 24th due to the museum’s early holiday closure.
For more information about the Museum’s current exhibits, Amazing Butterflies and Light on the Land: The Photographs of Albert Schlechten, as well as other upcoming events, visit www.museumoftherockies.org. •