Carnegie museum to host scavenger hunt, yarn spinning

FAIRFIELD – The Carnegie Historical Museum in Fairfield is participating in the state’s “Family Week” by hosting a week’s worth of activities for young and old alike.

For the first time ever, the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union have announced a moratorium on high school sports and activities for a week this summer. This week, from July 25 to Aug. 1, these organizations are encouraging families to prioritize time outside of sports, rest and relaxation.

The Carnegie museum is using this week to invite the public to get acquainted with the museum with activities from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of this week, the museum’s director Mark Shafer will host a “Lewis & Clark Scavenger Hunt” where patrons will peruse the museum looking for items similar to those found on the Lewis and Clark expedition from 1803-1806. Those who complete the scavenger hunt sheet can enter it in a drawing for a free T-shirt.

On Wednesday and Friday, Therese Cummiskey and Kathy Tollenaere will host a program on wool. Families can try their hand at “carding” wool by making it straight so it can be spun into yarn using a drop spindle. This program is recommended for children fourth grade and above.

Cummiskey said sheep’s wool has knots in it just like a person’s hair is tangled when they get out of bed. Those knots have to be combed out of it, in a process called “carding,” so that all the fibers lie in the same direction, which makes it easier to spin. Cummiskey said drop spindles have been used for millennia and are a good “beginner’s way” to spin yarn.

Cummiskey added that the museum may experiment with staying open 20 hours per week, and that this week during Family Week is a test run to see if it can remain open that long. She said the museum board would like to have the building open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday every week.

While visiting the museum this week, kids will have a chance to take some "historical photos" with a prop or two that will make their visit memorable.