For more information, contact:

Crissy Smith

Obsidian Public Relations

Ph: (901) 461-3139

E-mail: crissy@obsidianpr.com  

 

Ø      The Smithsonian’s Music on Main Street exhibition New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music will soon be arriving to the Little Courthouse Museum, 215 E. Market St., in Bolivar, Tenn.

Ø      The New Harmonies traveling exhibit will run from Aug. 9 through Sept. 20, 2008, in Bolivar.

 

Ø      The exhibition includes instruments, photographs, artifacts, films and audio components and tells the story of America through its music and the original styles born here in this country. Blues, country, western, folk, jazz and gospel will all be featured.

 

Ø      The grand opening celebration will take place Saturday, Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to

4 p.m. in the historic Courthouse Square in Bolivar. Events include tours of the New Harmonies exhibit, live music, children’s activities, food and arts booths.

Ø      The Little Courthouse Museum will host tours of the exhibit on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. More information is available www.thepillars.info.

Ø      The exhibit will be open for school groups on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer free admission in addition to 30-minute songwriting workshops. Groups of 10 or more may schedule tours on this day, as well, by calling (731) 518-7148. Regular exhibit prices apply.

Ø      The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street has brought traveling exhibitions to more than 500 communities worldwide. The program exists to serve museums, libraries and historical societies in rural areas by providing exhibitions that can be supplemented by local heritage, history and traditions. It is a partnership of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the Federation of State Humanities Councils and state humanities councils nationwide.

Ø      The local New Harmonies exhibit is sponsored by Humanities Tennessee, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide public education in the humanities for all Tennesseans.

 

Ø      Six organizations are uniting with Humanities Tennessee to bring the New Harmonies exhibition across the state of Tennessee. They are Campbell County Historical Society & Museum/Campbell County Cultural Coalition in LaFollette; Green McAdoo Cultural Organization in Clinton; Free Hill Community Club, Inc. in Celina; Hardeman County chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities in Bolivar; Smith County Heritage Museum in Carthage; and the West Tennessee Discovery Museum in Jackson.

 

Ø      The Little Courthouse Museum was Hardeman County’s first log courthouse and jail built in 1824.

Ø      The Pillars and Little Courthouse Museum are owned and maintained by the Hardeman County chapter of the Association of Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities (APTA).