Children's Theatre of Charlotte 1017 East Morehead Street - 704/376-5745 www.ctcharlotte.org
Children are enthralled and delighted when seeing the colorful productions staged by the Children's Theatre of Charlotte. If it inspires their creative inclinations as well, they can take advantage of the drama, theater arts and dance classes taught by the theatre's professional staff.
Discovery Place 301 North Tryon Street - 704/372-6261 www.discoveryplace.org
Each year over 500,000 people visit Discovery Place, Charlotte's award winning science and technology museum. Major attractions include the OMNIMAX Theater and the Morphus Motion Simulator. Other major attractions are a three-story rain forest, aquariums featuring boh fresh and salt water exhibits, Our Living Planet and Kid's Place, an early childhood learning area. Many hands-on exhibits are also featured which teach basic principles of science. Live demonstrations by Discovery Place staff help visitors understand these principals and show why they're important in our everyday lives.
Tryon Center for Visual Art 721 N. Tryon Street - 704/332-5535 www.tryoncenter.org
Tryon Center for Visual Art is a progressive organization committed to enhancing and promoting the visual arts in Mecklenburg County and has built the Charlotte region into a recognized visual arts center offering exhibitions, artists' services, artist-in-residencies, workshops and classes held at Spirt Square in drawing, ceramics, decorative arts, fibers and more.
Mint Museum 2730 Randolph Road - 704/337-2000 www.mintmuseum.org
This regional museum, originally located on West Trade Street, was the first branch of the Philadelphia Mint, coining currency from 1837 -1861 and operated as an assay office from 1867 - 1913. A grassroots effort saved the building from demolition and moved it to its present Randolph Road site in 1936 as the state's first art museum. The Mint's many important collections include European and American paintings from the Renaissance, porcelain, period clothing, pre-Columbian art, African art, and antique coins and money. In addition, the museum hosts prestigious touring exhibitions such as "Rameses the Great: The Pharaoh and His Time" and "The Gilded Age: Treasurers from the Smithsonian American Art Museum." The museum also organizes major exhibits that tour nationally including "Michael Lucero, Southern Arts and Crafts 1890-1940" and "The Sport of Life and Death: The Mesoamerican Ballgame."
On the social side, museum goers can enjoy a summertime jazz and film festival, independent film series, a Rites to Spring party and a Faux Arts Ball which are all sponsored by the Mint's Young Affiliates group.
Mint Museum of Craft + Design 220 N. Tryon Street - 704/337-2000 www.mintmuseum.org
Hailed as a leader in the field, The Mint Museum of Craft + Design features a permanent collection that documents contemporary studio craft, tracing the movement's historical roots in the 19th century and its relationship to traditional decorative arts and industrial design. The techniques and inspiration of artists throughout the world are showcased in collections of ceramics, fiber, glass, metal and wood. Of note are three architectural commissions: a glass chandelier by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly and an architectural glass wall by Massachusetts artist Tom Patti and Czechoslovakin artists Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova.
Levine Museum of the New South 200 7th Street - 704/333-1887 www.museumofthenewsouth.org
The Levine Museum of the New South houses the nation's most comprehensive interpretation of post-Civil War Southern history. The Museum features interactive, multi-sensory exhibits which engage visitors of all ages. With vibrant, inviting spaces, the museum presents history that inspires and challenges, educates and delights.
The core exhibit traces the growth of Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont from 1865 to the present. The exhibit will offer visitors a comprehensive look at the region's post-Civil War history through a myriad of voices and views.
Great Aunt Stella Center 926 Elizabeth Avenue - 704/339-0125 www.stellacenter.org
A community-supported organization, the Great Aunt Stella Center is housed in the renovated historic Tabernacle ARP Church. Music and entertainment, lectures, and dialogues, the Great Aunt Stella Center incorporates and promotes activities in art and culture, education, human services, religion and spirituality.
The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center 130 North Tryon Street - 704/333-4686 www.performingartsctr.org
Another impressive example of Charlotteans' commitment to the arts lies with the corporate and private gifts to build the dazzling $55 million North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center designed by world-renowned architect, Cesar Pelli & Associates, this breathtaking performing arts center showcases the best in opera, symphony, chorus, dance and theater. Home to many of the community's arts organizations, it also hosts many national touring companies and famous entertainers such as Ray Charles, Whoopie Goldberg and Winton Marsalis.
Located in the Bank of America Corporate Center and Founders Hall, this dazzling facility rivals anything seen in New York or San Francisco. Featuring dramatic marble and tile, it offers a plush, elegant ambiance. Its centerpiece is the 2,100 seat Belk Theater reminiscent of the European horseshoe fashion with four levels of seating alt offering a wonderful vantage point. The farthest seat is less than 135 feet from the stage.
Complementing the performance hall is a 440 seat Booth Playhouse with its courtyard style proscenium capable of cabaret performances or theater-in-the-round. The center also houses a Studio Theater for even smaller performances.
Ovens Auditorium 2700 East Independence Boulevard - 704/372-3600 www.independencearena.com
This 2,600 seat facility was built as part of a Coliseum-Auditoriurn complex in the mid 1950s and still serves the community well. A wide variety of performances are held including the ballet, the opera, the Philharmonic Orchestra and touring Broadway shows.
Afro-American Cultural Center 401 North Myers Street - 704/374-1565 www.aacccharlotte.org
Black history and cultural values are nurtured and celebrated in the Afro-American Cultural Center. Originally the Little Rock AME Zion Church, the building was spared from demolition due to citizen outcry. The center now houses a performance place, an art gallery, a research and resource center, and educational classes.
Spirit Square 345 North College Street - 704/372-1000 www.performingartsctr.org
Spirit Square, formerly home of the First Baptist Church, is managed by the Performing Arts Center. The twice renovated Spirit Square has been a multi-arts complex since 1976. This ornate facility is a focal point for innovative theater productions, probing exhibits, exciting performances and wonderfully diverse educational opportunities for all ages. Three interconnected buildings house three performance theaters, seven galleries, six studios, and various classroom spaces. The 700 seat McGlohon Theatre continues to be the pride of Spirit Square. Originally the church's sanctuary, the theater offers intimate and regal surroundings with pure acoustics.
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