START Things worth knowing
DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE OPENS THIS MONTH LaFATE GALLERY HOSTS CAREGIVING ART WORKSHOP
O
n Friday, May 6, LaFate Gallery and DelCare Health Solutions will partner on an event called “Caregiving… A Work of Heart.” Opening remarks will be made by DelCare Health Solutions founder and CEO, Dr. Nadine Lindsay. Awardwinning folk artists will then lead attendees in creating art revolving around the theme of caregiving. Proceeds from an art sale that night will be donated to DelCare Health Solutions. For more information, call LaFate Gallery at (302) 656-6786.
A
fter an extensive $10.8 million, 17-month renovation project, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science opens to the public on Monday, May 23. The museum, formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History, closed at the end of 2020 for the project. All the exhibits — many in place since 1972 — were removed and the walls were taken down to the studs. Installation of the new exhibits has been ongoing since the end of 2021. “We’ve completely shed that dusty, old museum perception,” said Executive Director Halsey Spruance. “The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science is dynamic, engaging, interactive, relevant, and modern. Our focus is on what we know about nature and science, why it matters to us, and what we can do to protect the environment.” Three new galleries will feature a giant floor map of the state that gives visitors the chance to explore everything from the Bald Cypress Swamp to the Delaware Bay; a giant floor map of the world showcasing three different ecosystems; an exhibit that gives visitors an up-close look at the creatures that lived in the Mid-Atlantic during the Cretaceous Period — from dinosaurs to flying bat lizards. Other features include a Tree of Life, hands-on exhibits and a relax-andrecharge café. Visit Delmns.org.
WILMINGTON GRAND PRIX MAY 13-15
O
ne of Downtown Wilmington’s biggest spring traditions returns after a two-year break due to COVID restrictions as the three-day Wilmington Grand Prix cycling event and festival is set for May 13-15. For the 13th year, the event is part of USA Cycling’s National Race Calendar and is considered one of the premier criterium-format races in the U.S. In 2019, the last year the event was held, cyclists from 21 states and seven countries participated. Grand Prix Weekend opens with the Monkey Hill Time Trial and Kick-off Party in Brandywine Park on May 13. The event features the nationally known cobblestone climb up Monkey Hill while the crowd enjoys live music by What The Funk, food trucks and a tailgate atmosphere. The competition kicks off with a lighthearted Commuter Challenge benefit for Urban Bike Project, in which contestants riding weighted-down commuter bikes traverse the course — including climbing Monkey Hill. The Major Taylor Community Ride will kick off activities on Sat., May 14. The public is invited to join regional Major Taylor cycling clubs and pro racers for a recreational ride of the Grand Prix race course. The amateur and pro races will follow with free activities and course-side cafes lining Market Street. Sunday sees the return of the nationally acclaimed Governor’s Ride and Delaware Gran Fondo, where local riders join out-of-towners and pro racers for a scenic ride of the Brandywine Valley that starts at the Delaware Art Museum and takes cyclists past a dozen cultural attractions — including oncea-year opportunities to ride through the grounds of Hagley and Winterthur museums. Visit WilmGrandPrix.com. MAY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 11
