HARRISBURG PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania will welcome 2013 with its annual Noon Year’s Eve celebration for young children and their families next Thursday (Dec. 27, 2012) from 10 a.m. to noon. The family-friendly event is free with museum admission, and no reservations are required.

Noon Year’s Eve provides an opportunity for kids to ring in the New Year with their families. The event features playtime, snacks and a firefly and balloon drop in Memorial Hall at noon. This year’s celebration focuses on the arts with special crafts and fun demonstrations by Daniel Vangeli, a Lebanon artist featured in the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society exhibit currently on display at the museum.

The museum, located near the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

The museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s heritage. Its exhibits examine the dawn of geologic time, the Native American experience, the colonial and revolutionary era, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the Commonwealth’s vast industrial age. Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and senior citizens.