News and Notes from Russell Museum
The roof garden of the Russell Museum on Cambridge Streeti n Boston is looking lush and green thanks to the new plants that were added this month. Please visit.
Officials are pleased to announce that beginning the week of Oct. 10, the Russell Museum will be open four days a week, Tuesday through Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm. Unfortunately, the Ether Dome continues to remain closed to the public.
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As Hurricane Ian continues to wreak havoc along the Southern coasts, we are reminded that September is National Preparedness Month. The MGH is an old hand at preparing for disasters. Take a look at some the pages of this 1942 hospital air raid and casualty preparedness pamphlet from the hospital’s archives. It provides detailed instructions for staff in how to plan for casualties during disasters and touts that “An Emergency Prepared For Ceases to be an Emergency.” These instructions could not have been timelier; later that year, a devastating fire at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub would shatter the city. The hospital’s high level of disaster preparedness was a key factor in managing and treating those who were hurt in the fire and admitted to the MGH.
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The Russell Museum lecture series will resume next month. We will send you the schedule soon. These lectures will remain virtual for the time being. We will keep you updated on changes on our website www.russellmuseum.org.
As always, we are interested in hearing from you. Please write to us at [email protected] with any questions, concerns or news you might have.
Local Post Office Will Be Closed for the Holiday
Post Offices across the Commonwealth will be closed on Monday, October 10, in honor of the federal holiday Columbus Day. Retail services will be unavailable and there will be no street delivery of mail on October 10. Full retail and delivery services will resume on Tuesday, October 11.
You can celebrate by exploring an expansive offering of job opportunities and discovering a new career path at usps.com/careers. Join the proud ranks of postal employees nationwide who take pride in being a part of America’s most trusted federal agency.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Fashion show coming to Otis House
Historic New England will hold an in-person fashion show, “Fashion on the Terrace: Zainab Sumu” on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the terrace of the Otis House at 141 Cambridge St.
This program is free and open to the public, and will also feature Sumu’s creations available for sale. Call 617-994-5959 for more information.
Family Art Tour at the Nichols House
The Nichols House Museum presents “Pumpkins & Paintings: A Fall Family Art Tour” – a new program for families that includes an art tour and pumpkin decorating – on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. at 55 Mount Vernon St.
Walking through the house, participants will explore different types of artwork with their eyes and imaginations and then use imagery from the house to inspire their own hands-on pumpkin decorating.
This program lasts approximately one hour and is recommended for youth around ages 6 and up, with a caregiver.
Space is limited. Tickets are on a sliding scale with options of $7, $11, and $15. Registration is required through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pumpkins-paintings-a-fall-family-art-tour-tickets-404850878877.
Upcoming Vilna Shul events
The Vilna Shul presents Gallery Night with Museum of Fine Arts Director Matthew Teitelbaum and visual artist Caron Tabb on Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Sukkah is one of the greatest pieces of public art in Jewish tradition. Join the Vilna for a private tour of its inaugural sukkah installation followed by a gallery talk, which will explore how Jewish art has played a central role in identity formation throughout Jewish history. Festive spirits and harvest hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Tickets cost $18 each; visit https://vilnashul.org/events/event/how-art-connects-us-to-place-self-and-history to register or for more information on the event.
Also, the Vilna will offer Jazz Night for Young Professionals on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Join young professionals from across the city for a private tour and welcome reception at the Vilna’s special sukkah designed by artist Caron Tabb followed by live jazz performed by The Warren Pettey Trio from The Berklee College of Music. Festive Foods and Spirits will be served, and all are welcome.
Tickets cost $18 each; visit https://vilnashul.org/events/event/sukkot-jazz-night-for-young-professionals to register or for more information on the event.
Finally, the Vilna will offer Sukkot on The Hill Small Group Tours on Fridays, Oct. 14 and 28, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Join the Vilna for a docent-led tour of its Come to the Sukkah public art exhibit and sukkah installation created by visual artist Caron Tabb. This tour will include many elements from the Vilna’s classic historic tours, which are offered year-round.
Upcoming Hill House offerings
Hill House will hold its annual Fall FUNdraiser on Friday, Oct. 21, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Alibi in the Liberty Hotel at 215 Charles St.
This year’s event theme is “Breaking Free,” which combines the history of the Liberty Hotel, once the site of the Charles Street Jail, with a Wild West sensibility, and guests are encouraged to wear their most festive Western-themed attire for the occasion. It will include Blackjack and Roulette, as well as prizes and country music. Guests can also expect an adults-only night out with an open bar offering specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, with all event proceeds going to support your “backyard in the city.”
Tickets for the Fall FUNdraiser are $300 each, with sponsorship opportunities starting at $1,000.
Also, , Hill House is also bringing back its annual Hill-O-Ween Party for local families and children on Monday, Oct. 31, from 2:30 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon Street Firehouse. This event will feature crafts, games, snacks, and a halloween-themed tableau perfect for a family picture, along with prizes for best costume, best family costume, and most crafty costume, respectively.