Napa Valley Museum Launches A-MAZE-ING Summer Next Month

We have Lift-Off! Napa Valley Museum launches its A-MAZE-ING Summer on May 12, with a Mother's Day weekend packed with family-friendly, inspiring programs and exhibitions. The fun kicks off at 11 am on Friday, May 12 with the opening of our star attraction in the Main Gallery: Paul Dresher's "SOUND MAZE," a hands-on interactive exhibit featuring wildly inventive oversized musical instruments creating a cacophony of sound - including a pendulum 17 feet high! Meanwhile in our Spotlight Gallery, stellar mother and son artists Geoff and Phoebe Ellsworth's show "Like Mother Like Son" begins a one-month exhibition and art sale to benefit the Museum's education programs. And on the Museum Terrace on the starry evening of Friday May 12, the Museum hosts a conversation with one of NASA's first female astronauts and "First Mom in Space" Anna Lee Fisher, with her daughter, Emmy-award winning Washington, DC news correspondent Kristin Fisher, sharing stories of the trailblazing women and their families in the space program.

"We are so excited to be hosting the boisterous "SOUND MAZE," because it's the perfect way to pump up the volume on the Napa Valley Museum, as we aim to thrill all the senses, break through boundaries, and defy expectations of what people think this Museum might be" said Laura Rafaty, the Museum's new Executive Director. "We've put together exhibitions and programs to demonstrate that creative inspiration knows no limitations, whether it's a beloved artist inspiring her son to define his own style, a pioneering astronaut inspiring her daughter to blaze her own trail, or a brilliant composer and inventor redefining the concept of musical instruments and the music they make. For our visitors and for our talented and excited Museum team, it is going to be a summer to remember."

Friday, May 12 at 7 pm: In Conversation: First Mom in Space. Launch Mother's Day Weekend at the Museum, with America's "First Mom in Space," astronaut Anna Lee Fisher, and her daughter Kristin Fisher, an Emmy Award-winning Washington, DC correspondent for the Fox News Channel, sharing stories of the trailblazing women and their families in NASA's space program. Sponsored by Jaffe Estate Wines, Wine Country Inn, and the Napa Valley Opera House. Tickets are $20; Members $15; Age 16 & under $10. Doors at 6 PM for wine and sparkling cider; admission between 5 and 7 pm to "SOUND MAZE" AND "Like Mother Like Son" is included in the ticket price.

May 12 through August 11: Sound Maze by Paul Dresher. Listen, play, and discover sound anew as you improvise with a dozen newly invented musical instruments in an interactive installation created by renowned composer and inventor Paul Dresher in collaboration with Daniel Schmidt. Designed for all ages, all levels of musical experience, and all types of minds, this hands-on installation lets you experiment with extraordinary inventions to discover new ways of creating sound and music. Paul Dresher will be performing and appearing at special events throughout the exhibit's run. Admission is $10; age 16 & under $5; Members get FREE admission.

May 12 through June 11 in the Spotlight Gallery: Like Mother Like Son: Phoebe Ellsworth & Geoff Ellsworth. Beloved Napa Valley artists Phoebe Ellsworth and Geoff Ellsworth are an extraordinary mother-son duo based in St. Helena, whose vibrant and colorful artwork has inspired generations of adoring fans. Meet Phoebe and Geoff in person on June 10 from 4 to 7 pm. Select works will be for sale throughout the exhibit to benefit the Museum's education programs. Admission to Spotlight Gallery is FREE with Museum admission.

The Napa Valley Museum (NVM) is located at 50 Presidents Circle in Yountville, and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 to 4 pm. The second Saturday of each month is a "Family Fun Day" when you may pay what you wish, and include fun and educational events for the whole family. For more information, call 707.944.0500, email info@napavalleymuseum.org, or visit our website at www.napavalleymuseum.org.

The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing unique experiences that enrich the cultural fabric of our community through exhibitions and educational outreach. The Museum places the Napa Valley in a worldwide context by inspiring residents and visitors to learn about art, history and the environment. NVM enriches the community by collecting, preserving, and displaying art and artifacts.

Admission & Tickets:

Tickets to "First Mom in Space" on Friday May 12 are $20 Adult/$15 Members/$10 Kids 16 and under, available through the museum website at www.napavalleymuseum.org and at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-mom-in-space-astronaut-anna-lee-fisher-with-daughter-kristin-fisher-tickets-33649057236. General Admission to the Museum, including SOUND MAZE and Like Mother Like Son is available in person at the Museum box office.

Photo courtesy of Anna Lee Fisher