AUGUSTA — The Friends of the Maine State Museum begins its 2015 lecture series “Treasures of Maine’s Natural History at the Maine State Museum” on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. with a talk by Susan Wegner, associate professor of art history at Bowdoin College. The talk is free.
Wegner’s illustrated lecture, “The Passenger Pigeon in New England Life: From Micmac Cosmic Cycles to 19th Century Children’s Games,” takes its inspiration from the recent 100th anniversary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon, according to a news release from the museum. Wegner’s talk will draw from material she curated for a Bowdoin College exhibit on the passenger pigeon, as well as from information presented in a new Maine State Museum exhibit featuring the story of passenger pigeons in Maine’s past.
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“My current research focuses on art and science, including passenger pigeons’ large role in North American culture,” said Wegner in the release. “I became interested and very involved in the commemoration of the anniversary of the passenger pigeon’s extinction, including a new film on the subject, so I am pleased to be able to share related observations and images during my talk.”
Wegner received her Ph.D. in art history from Bryn Mawr. She has been on the faculty at Bowdoin College since 1980, where she teaches courses on art of the Italian Renaissance and arts of ancient Mexico and Peru.
The Maine State Museum is in Augusta in the State House Complex at 230 State St. For more information, call 287-2301 or visit the museum’s website www.mainestatemuseum.org.
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