Harn joins Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Museums & Gardens Campaign

September 14, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla.— The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida is teaming up with museums around the country to promote healthy eating and exercise habits in children by participating in the Let’s Move! Museums and Gardens Campaign.

The campaign is a comprehensive initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier. The Harn will offer multiple events throughout the year starting with a Family Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 17.

Family Day will invite families with children to move in various ways at more than 10 art stops throughout the museum. Assisted by UF “Dance in a Suitcase” student dancers, activities include stretching into the position of a figurative sculpture, drumming out a sound pattern in the African art gallery or circling around the Asian stupa tower while duplicating the hand positions carved on this monument. Visitors will also create art that moves while moving themselves from table to table, completing steps that lead to a finished mobile. Performances that encourage audience participation will be offered throughout the event by Hemisphere Dance, directed by Sasha Jimenez.

In the initiative, Obama stresses the important role that museums and gardens play in influencing and improving health in the lives of children.

“Museums are ideally situated to help families become aware of unique ways to incorporate more movement in daily activities, thus promoting increased physical activity in a fun way,” said Harn Curator of Community Programs Bonnie Bernau. “This Family Day is a great first step to introduce the Let’s Move! initiative to the Gainesville community.”

Visit www.harn.ufl.edu for updates on new activities organized to support the Let’s Move initiative. Family Day is free and open to the public