For Immediate Release:
April 9, 2024
Contact:
Marie Cheek
Community Relations Coordinator
Culture & Heritage Museums
www.chmuseums.org
803.909.7312 mcheek@chmuseums.org
Discover the fascinating world of the Carolina Piedmont’s woodland ecosystems and agents of decomposition at Museum of York County
“Decomposers Glow,” an art exhibit with larger-than-life glowing snails and mushrooms, is the centerpiece for the museum’s summer programming and events
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Nature, art, and technology come together for “Decomposers Glow,” an awe-inspiring larger-than-life landscape of illuminated snails and mushrooms. Created by Meredith Connelly, a Charlotte, N.C. based and award-winning multidisciplinary artist, the site-specific exhibit portrays the agents of decomposition through an interplay of light and technology. A curving path leads visitors through a soft glowing, otherworldly environment to observe over one hundred hand-constructed and 3D printed sculptures. Decomposers Glow is open from May 10 – Nov. 10, 2024.
Leading viewers into Connelly’s “Decomposers Glow,” a concurrent exhibit highlights the variety and importance of nature’s agents of decomposition. “Return to Earth” features photographs of actual fungi by Mike Hammer, painted mushroom models, a Carolina Piedmont snail shell collection, and two-dimensional cut paper works by Meredith Connelly that reference nature’s microscopic structures. “Return to Earth” on exhibit at Museum of York County from May 4 – Dec. 15, 2024.
More of Mike Hammer’s photography is on exhibit in the museum’s Nature Nook Gallery. “Endless Trail” features the natural settings of the Carolina Piedmont and beyond, capturing the uniquely beautiful moments of each season. “Endless Trail” opens at Museum of York County on May 18, 2024.
WHAT: “Decomposers Glow”
WHERE: Museum of York County, 4621 Mt. Gallant Rd., Rock Hill, S.C. 29732
WHEN: May 10 – Nov. 10, 2024 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WEBSITE: chmuseums.org. Free with general admission.
SPECIAL EVENT: “Family Day – Fascinating Forests” on June 1
Museum of York County kicks off the summer with a special event – “Family Day – Fascinating Forests.” Celebrate our fascinating Carolina Piedmont forests and the incredible plants, animals, and bugs that live there. Fun, engaging activities show learners of all ages about all the things that make our forests grow and ways to help preserve forests for future generations. Online pre-registration required with timed-entry ticketing register here.
Summer 2024 is full of learning adventures at Museum of York County.
“Wonderful Wednesdays” are creative sessions where young learners ages 7 and up can engage in nature-themed activities.
Registration required; email scheduler@chmuseums.org .
Wonderful Wednesdays for June:
June 5 — Let’s get Woodsy!
June 12 — Snazzy Snails!
June 26 — Fun with Fungi!
See the full calendar of programs, events, and planetarium shows on Culture & Heritage Museums’ website: chmuseums.org
WHAT: Museum of York County — Summer 2024 programs and events
WHERE: 4621 Mt. Gallant Rd., Rock Hill, S.C. 29732
Hours of Operation: Tues. – Sat. from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sun. 1 – 5 p.m.; excluding holidays
PHONE: Visitors Services – 803.329.2121
IMAGE: Art, nature, and technology create an otherworldly experience through an exhibition of grand-scale, illuminated snails and mushrooms in “Decomposers Glow” at Museum of York County. Credit: Meredith Connelly
GOOD TO KNOW: As part of the Museums for All initiative, Museum of York County offers year-round access with reduced rates for low-income families; visit museums4all.org for more information.
Museum of York County is KultureCity® Certified and Sensory InclusiveTM.
About Museum of York County: Museum of York County highlights the natural history of the Carolina Piedmont through award-winning exhibits, planetarium shows, and special programs. The major permanent exhibit “Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past” is a journey-back-in-time experience that features the strange, gigantic, and fantastic beasts that once roamed the Carolinas. The Naturalist Center, with over 2,500 natural history specimens, provides hands-on opportunities for self-guided discovery and educational programs. The Settlemyre Planetarium presents a changing array of full-dome digital planetarium shows. The Museum Store has a selection of local handmade pottery and goods, locally produced food products, and nature-themed gifts. Outside, the museum has a picnic facility and a three-quarter mile nature trail.
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