Cowgirl Museum to host 'Family Day'

By JULIET BRISKIN | Staff writer

May 13, 2004 -- The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame will host their first Family Day from 1 to 4 p.m. on May 22 in honor of Barbara Van Cleve's new book "Holding the Reins." According to Lisa Davis, director of education for the museum, the event is designed to be a ranch life discovery day for children of all ages and bring to life Van Cleve's book.

"I'll tell you, this is going to be really a great day," said Davis. "There is going to be all kinds of things going on including hands-on activities, interactive activities, a stuffed animal auction, demonstrations and a small animal exhibit.

"We want to teach kids what it is like to live on a ranch and the realities of this type of life. They will learn what it takes to run a ranch and what it costs to raise animals."

As children arrive at the museum for the Family Day event, each will receive a "Discovery Day Hunt Sheet," Davis said.

To start off the event, from 1-1:30 p.m., questions will be be answered by four "ranch" girls, ranging in age from 9 to 17. Each of these girls have grown up on a ranch or farm and will share their experiences.

"The (Discovery Day Hunt) sheet will list all the different activities the children can do during the day, a list of questions they need to have answered by visiting with the ranch girls, visiting the Kinship With The Land Gallery in the museum, and the Barbara Van Cleve photography exhibit," she detailed. "For each of the answers they get correct, and activities they complete, they will earn Cowgirl Bucks that they can then spend at the stuffed animal auction."

The auction will be from 3 to 4 p.m., and each child can earn a total of 50 Cowgirl Bucks throughout the day that be spent during the auction.

The auction will be hosted by a real auctioneer, Ward Heide, and he will discuss how an auction works and how to understand what an auctioneer is actually saying.

The hands-on activities include learning to clean tack, rope, churning butter, hau grain, and make a brand.

The event will take place at the museum located at 1720 Gendy St., Fort Worth. Admission is $4 for kids and $6 for adults. For more information contact the museum at 800-476-3263.