HARRISBURG PA – The presentation of a rare document, a birthday party for a civil rights leader, and watercolors galore lead the program schedule for January (2013) at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.  Next month’s line-up, announced Thursday (Dec. 27 2012), includes:

The Emancipation Proclamation

• Emancipation Proclamation Exhibit and Lecture. To mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, a rare copy of the document signed by President Abraham Lincoln will be on display at the museum from Jan. 12 to Feb. 3. The proclamation copy is on loan to the museum by the Union League of Philadelphia. The museum will kick-off its exhibit, titled “Emancipation: Lincoln and His Proclamation,” with a special presentation by author Harold Holzer on Jan. 11 (Friday) at 7:30 p.m. It focuses on Holzer’s book, “Emancipating Lincoln: The Proclamation in Text, Context and History,” sponsored by the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. The event is free and open to the public.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Nate Gadsden’s Writers Wordshop will host a Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration Jan. 12 (Saturday) from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

• Pennsylvania Watercolor Society‘s 33rd Annual International Juried Exhibition. The exhibition features 120 top paintings chosen from nearly 600 entries. It includes works from the United States, Hong Kong, India and Canada. Paintings by Watercolor Society founding member Nicholas Ruggieri will also be on display. They were recently donated to the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibit is on display through Feb. 3.

• Special Art Exhibit. “Where There is Light” is a multi-disciplinary exhibit organized by the Susquehanna Art Museum. It features photographs by Kevyn Bashore, sculpture and painting by Freiman Stoltzfus, and glass sculptures by Through The Fire Glass Studio, Aspen Glass Studio and Katherman Glass Studio. The exhibit is on display through Feb. 15.

• Artists Conversations. The museum hosts a special edition of its popular insiders’ art tours for Harrisburg’s “Third in the Burg” arts and entertainment event Jan. 18 (Friday) at 6:30 p.m. Awarding-winning artists and Lancaster County-based teachers Deb Watson and Richard Ressel will discuss their featured works, as well as other traditional and emerging art perspectives showcased in the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society’s Juried Exhibition. The tour is free and open to the public.

• Bigger, Brighter, Bolder! Museum planetarium shows during January include “Legends of the Night Sky: Orion” (for pre-kingeraten to grade 2), and “Ice Worlds” (grade 4 and up). Show days and times vary. Planetarium shows are $2 per person, in addition to general admission; free to State Museum Affiliate Members.

The museum, located next to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s heritage. Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults; $4 for children and senior citizens.

Photo from Google Images