
Seven downtown organizations have joined together to offer a Spring Break
Passport to Fun, which offers activities for the family during spring break week, March 25-29,
The Oregon State Capitol, Willamette Heritage Center, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, World Beat Gallery, the Salem Art Association, Oregon State Archives and the City of Salem Library have teamed up to offer families a fun and free way to fill the week off school with activities.
The passport is free and available at every stop. Passport stamps will be given at each location after the activity listed is completed. Once participants have all seven stamps, they can enter a drawing for a prize basket. This year there will be three winners chosen.
The Capitol will offer free building tours at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily. Free tower tours are offered to the observation platform daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting. Children must be accompanied by an adult to go to the tower and a waiver must be signed.
The Willamette Heritage Center is offering their passport stamp in the Orientation Center. Participants can go on a scavenger hunt to find Shawn the Shorn Sheep. To tour the rest of the historic site, a special family Spring Break admission pass can be purchased for $15.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art (HFMA) is offering “The Hunt is On,” a guide that provides clues to find and learn more about the amazing artwork in their collection. Pick up the guide at the front desk and win a prize when you complete the hunt. If you have your passport in hand, the HFMA is also offering free museum admission during Spring Break week.
The World Beat Gallery is at a new location this year, inside Pringle Plaza at 390 Liberty Street SE. Families are encouraged to “Discover Paradise” with their new free exhibit Samoa: The Heart of Polynesia.
The Salem Art Association’s Bush Barn Art Center is hosting three exhibits: The Young Artists’ Showcase, which comprises hundreds of pieces of art by K-12 students from Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties; abstract wood carvings and detailed prints by Totem Shriver; and colorful 3-dimensional paintings inspired by nature from Jennifer Kapnek. The Salem Art Association is in beautiful Bush’s Pasture Park, with a playground just outside and lots of nature to explore. Admission is free.
The Oregon State Archives has a new exhibit, Booze, Bars, and the Boot; Faces of Prohibition, 1920-1933. Learn about a time when alcohol was against the law. Images of Rum Runners and Bootleggers that were incarcerated in the Oregon State Penitentiary are featured along with the infamous Oregon Boot. The “Boot” is a brutal shackle that weighed up to 28
pounds and was invented by the warden of the Penitentiary, J. C. Gardner.
You can get your passport stamped any time during the week at the front desk or the Teen Scene desk in the City of Salem Library. The library is also offering specific free programming during the week, including:
• A Family Concert featuring Penny’s Puppets – 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 26 in Loucks Auditorium. Join Penny and her puppets on a magical musical journey. This program replaces our regularly scheduled morning storytime. Free and open the public.
• Introduction to Tabletop Role-Playing Games for Teens – 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 in Anderson Rooms A&B. Learn Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and more from experienced players. All supplies provided. Open to middle and high school-aged youth. Sign up online or at the Teen Scene Ask Here Desk: http://bit.ly/RPG-Teen-Workshop
• Spring Woodworking for Elementary-Aged Kids – 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in Anderson Rooms A&B. Elementary aged kids are invited to construct a wood race car with kits donated from Home Depot. All tools provided. Sign up online or at the Children’s Ask Here Desk.
• Wednesdays with the Stars: Movies in Teen Scene – 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in Teen Scene. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (PG-13; 134 minutes; 2018). Open to middle and high school-aged youth. Fresh popcorn and drinks are served.
• Garden Crafts for Kids – 2 p.m. Thursday, March 28 in Anderson Rooms A&B. Welcome Spring! Elementary-aged kids are invited to get their hands dirty planting seeds and creating garden art. No sign up is needed.
• Murder Mystery Night for Teens – 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28 in Anderson Rooms A&B. Teens act as both characters and detectives, unknotting the mystery behind the Murder at Poe’s Raven Party. Sign up online or at the Teen Scene Ask Here Desk.
• Spring Break Family Film – 2 p.m. Friday, March 29 in Loucks Auditorium. Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG; 111 minutes; 2018). Ralph and Vanellope jump into a new adventure after finding a wi-fi router. Free. Doors open at 1:45 p.m.
For more information about the Passport to Fun please contact Visitor Services at the State Capitol at 503-986-1388 or see the Facebook event page. Phone numbers and addresses for each location are printed on the passport. You can print the passport under the Spring Break event HERE.
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