Reading Eagle: Museum announces 2022 exhibits; Christian McBride booked for Miller Center [Spotlight]

Jan. 16—The Reading Public Museum has announced its slate of 2022 exhibitions as it looks to welcome visitors with a full operating schedule for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The series includes the world debut of "Dinosaur Explorer," running Feb. 19 to May 8, which provides a look into the daily lives of dinosaurs, seeking to make connections between the similarities in their behavior and our lives today.

"Real Bodies," a global phenomenon, also makes its debut in Reading on May 21 and runs through Sept.18. The heralded exhibition explores the intricacies of the human body, and for the first time looks at the complex effects of COVID-19 on the human body.

In the fall, the Reading Public Museum will unveil "Da Vinci: The Exhibition," which brings alive inventions and works by Leonardo Da Vinci in a hands-on display running Oct. 1 to Jan. 8.

"We could not be more excited to share our 2022 exhibition schedule with our community," said John Graydon Smith, museum director and CEO. "We are bringing world-renowned exhibitions and collections to Reading, and our Museum will debut new facets of collections that have been on display at some of the most prominent museums in the world.

"We will bring dinosaurs to life for children and their families. We will explore what it means to be human and the impact of disease on our bodies. We will let students touch Da Vinci's greatest inventions and imagine how they connect to the tools we use today."

Since 2020, the Reading School District has banned field trips due to COVID-19. The museum will welcome field trips back from all Berks County school districts in 2022 and continue to provide free access to Reading students as intended by founder Dr. Levi Mengel.

The museum is typically open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults (18-64), $6 for children/seniors/students (w/ID) and free to members and children 3 years old and under. For more information, see www.readingpublicmuseum.org.

Music

Christian McBride and Inside Straight will perform at the Miller Center for the Arts at Reading Area Community College on May 22 at 7 p.m.

McBride is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and bandleader. He is the artistic director of the historic Newport Jazz Festival, New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

McBride is also a respected educator and advocate as the artistic director of Jazz House KiDS, and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions. In addition to consistent touring, McBride hosts NPR's "Jazz Night in America" and "The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian" on SiriusXM.

McBride's backing band, Inside Straight, features Carl Allen (drums), Steve Wilson (saxophone), Peter Martin (piano) and Warren Wolf (vibraphone).

Tickets are $45 at millercenter.racc.edu/christian-mcbride.

----The Winter Jam concert of Christian music that had been scheduled for last Sunday at Santander Arena, Reading, was postponed due to weather and travel issues and rescheduled for March 17 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Skillet, Tauren Wells, KB, Colton Dixon, I Am They, NewSong and more. Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, see www.jamtour.com.

----Jerry Heere is stepping down after 10 years as president of Local 135-211 American Federation of Musicians and will be replaced by Alan Rochlin. In addition, Charles "Chip" Breaux III is stepping down as secretary treasurer and will be replaced by Julie Drey.

Heere will remain on the executive board and continue being the liaison with the Musicians Performance Trust Fund who provides most of the funding for union-sponsored free concerts each year, plus all the streaming concerts performed during the pandemic.

Rochlin and Drey have been on the executive board and are experienced with the responsibilities and procedures of their office.

The new executive board will comprise Breaux, Heere, Chris Heslop, Brian Holt and Paul "Skip" Moyer.