UM Museum Helps Families Get Active in the Great Outdoors

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Museum and Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi are teaming up to bring art alive during this weekend’s Let’s Move! Family Activity Day. Fun for the entire family awaits Saturday (April 12) with activities exploring art and nature along the Bailey’s Woods Trail.

The fun begins in the museum parking lot and continues down the trail leading all the way to Rowan Oak. Let’s Move! Family Activity Day is a drop-in event, from 10 a.m. to noon. It is free to the public, and transportation back to the museum will be provided.

“At the museum, we want to promote healthy programming inspired by our diverse collections and our natural assets, such as the trail,” said Emily Dean, UM Museum curator of education. “As part of the ‘Let’s Move’ initiative, this free program offers an engaging morning for families of all ages.”

Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi is sponsoring the Let’s Move! Family Activity Day and will have a table in the parking lot with prizes to give away.

“Baptist-North Mississippi encourages educating young children on the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices,” said Bill Henning, the hospital’s CEO. “The earlier we instill the importance of eating right and exercising, the probability of these children growing up to be healthier teens and adults increases.”

In 2011, the UM Museum joined the Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens initiative, overseen by the national Institute of Museum and Library Services. Let’s Move was launched in 2010 by first lady Michelle Obama to combat childhood obesity. Institutions participating in Let’s Move encourage their communities to fight childhood obesity using interactive exhibits and outdoor spaces.

“Museums and gardens are well positioned to make a difference,” said Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “Many of them have core missions that focus on creating healthy environments for children and their families.

“They are trusted institutions with deep community connections, knowledgeable staff and the ability to provide immersive interactive experiences that can help children, parents and caregivers to make healthy changes in their lives.”

For more information about Let’s Move! Family Activity Day, contact Emily Dean at esdean@olemiss.edu or 662-915-7073.

To learn more about the Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens initiative, visit http://www.imls.gov/lets_move_museums_gardens_webinar_wednesday_march_19.aspx.

The University Museum is at the intersection of University Avenue and Fifth Street. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Admission is free for UM students, UM Museum members and children under 5. Special rates are available for tour groups wishing to visit the museum. To book a tour, contact esdean@olemiss.edu. For more information, visit the museum online or call 662-915-7073.