University Circle will offer a variety of events and activities on Monday, January 17, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Because many local residents will have the day off from work and school, the day is an ideal opportunity for Circle institutions to celebrate Dr. King's life by inviting the community to explore, discover and learn as one. University Circle Inc. will provide a free shuttle bus to Circle institutions hosting events on Monday. The ice rink at Wade Oval will be open from noon until 5 p.m., with free admission and $3 skate rental.
Begin the celebration of Dr. King's life with the Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute at Church of the Covenant on Euclid Avenue, featuring renowned operatic bass-baritone Robert Cantrell and the Cleveland School for the Arts Concert Choir. Cantrell will also conduct a master class with CSA students and speak on the legacy of African American singers.
On Monday, Circle museums will be open for business, some with special or free admission. The Children's Museum of Cleveland will offer half-price admission and the opportunity to explore Egyptian Sands, the museum's annual winter sand exhibit. Families will also find kid-friendly activities at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, where children can enjoy a make and take a craft activity celebrating the achievements of African Americans. Admission to the Garden on MLK day is free.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History will also offer free admission, plus mini planetarium shows for just $1 and all-day flat-rate parking for $5. The Museum's Smead Discovery Center's program for the day is "Meet an Entomologist," where kids can meet a scientist who studies bugs, ask questions and examine insect species. Admission to the special exhibit Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, Smallest and Most Amazing Mammals of All Time will be $5. Across Wade Oval, the Cleveland Museum of Art will feature its special exhibit, Treasures of Heaven, for the last day. Also available are gallery tours, a faith-based panel discussion, music, hands-on art activities a dance workshop and many other activities. Outside the Circle, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage will also offer free admission on Monday. (The free shuttle will not travel to the Maltz Museum.)
The Cleveland Orchestra will hold its Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Open House from noon to 5 p.m. The event is free and features instrumental, vocal and spoken-word performances, including appearances by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. At 1 p.m., the Cleveland Public Library's Martin Luther King, Jr. branch presents its 26th annual commemorative program "Remember, Celebrate, Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off!" Guest speaker and networking authority George Fraser will discuss building effective relationships, and the photography exhibit Women of a New Tribe: Soul of the Village will be on display.
For more information on these events, visit www.universitycircle.org.
