October 2025 Gazette

info423968
Sep 27
4 min read

The South County Museum Gazette - October 2025 Edition

Finishing Our 2025 Season in Style!

Hello members and friends,

It’s hard to believe we’re heading into the final month of our 2025 season! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our September fundraisers. We’re back to our ordinary operating hours for all of October, open Thursday-Saturday from 10-4, through the last day of the season, November 1^st. But we also have a pretty extraordinary lineup of events to celebrate this beautiful autumnal month …

Change to Our Fall Lecture Series

First, a programming note: due to unforeseen circumstances, we unfortunately need to cancel the “Selections from the Collection” lecture scheduled for October 1^st. We look forward to hosting Tim Cranston at another time!

Learn a Cozy New Craft This Fall!

If last month’s quilt show sparked a new passion for piecing, join us on Friday, October 10^th, from 11-1 for a beginner’s quilting class! Guest instructor Lynn Murphy will teach the classic “Log Cabin” block, to be used as the base for either a small quilt or a table runner. All skill levels welcome. Space is limited, so click the link here to register. The class costs $55 and includes all supplies.

By the Pricking of Our Thumbs …

… Something Wicked This Way Comes! All through October, celebrate spooky season with a display of early twentieth-century Halloween costumes. Assistant Curator Emma Manning has transformed our eighteenth-century tavern into a 1930s living room, where parents and children don their costumes and decorate for a family party. Peek around the rest of the Metz Exhibit Hall and you might just find a few other seasonal surprises, from vintage decorations to fun facts about the history of Halloween traditions.

If you can’t get enough of jack-o’-lanterns and witches, join us on Wednesday, October 15^th, at 6pm for Emma’s lecture “Disguised: Unmasking Early Mass Market Halloween Costumes.” Emma will discuss the surprising history of the costumes in the museum’s collection, and what they reveal about the evolution of Halloween as a holiday. Doors open at 5:30. RSVP at info@southcountymuseum.org. Free to members, $10 to non-members. Light refreshments will be served.

Leave Your Mark in “America’s Tapestry”!

Have you had the chance to stitch yourself into “America’s Tapestry”? To celebrate America’s 250^th anniversary, stitchers across the original thirteen colonies have been collaborating on embroidered panels showcasing their state’s history. The Rhode Island panel will return to the South County Museum on Saturday, October 18^th, for a special event featuring a series of lectures. From 12:30-3pm, attendees will hear from Christian McBurney (author and member of the Battle of Rhode Island Association), Stefan Romero (director of America’s Tapestry), Rebecca Kelly (director of the South County Museum), and Karen Katin (director for the RI Panel).

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the tapestry project, the Rhode Island history it represents, and the long tradition of preserving narrative history in textiles. This event is free to the public, though donations to support both the museum and the tapestry project are appreciated. Please RSVP to rebecca@southcountymuseum.org so that we can ensure an accurate head count.

Celebrate Slow Fashion

If you’ve visited the Museum recently, you may have watched our artisans in the Fiber Shed spin, weave, and dye using traditional techniques. If your visit left you craving more fiber craft, join us on Saturday, October 25^th, from 10-3 for a mini-conference and workshop. Textile Traditions: Preserving the Past, Considering the Future will feature presentations, craft demonstrations, a textile swap, and a pre-owned clothing boutique, all to invite reflection on how the traditions and craftmanship of the past might inform our approach to the twenty-first century fast-fashion cycle.

Admission to the workshop will be $12 and as seats are limited, registration is required. Click this link to claim your spot!

Halloween Party at the Museum!

Join us on Saturday, November 1^st, from 1-3pm, for one last Halloween celebration. Come in costume and bring the kids to enjoy treats and crafts, our Halloween exhibition, and a final stroll on our beautiful grounds before we close for the season.

Join the Museum! Becoming a member of South County Museum is more than just a way to support the Museum—it’s a way to explore local history and traditional craft. As a member, you’ll enjoy benefits like free admission, early access to workshop registration, and special members-only events. Your support helps us preserve the history of South County and the traditional skills of printing, blacksmithing, woodworking, spinning, weaving, and natural dyeing, ensuring that these skills are passed down to future generations. Join our community of history lovers and artisans today and help keep these time-honored traditions alive!

Plans are already underway for an exciting 2026 at the Museum. Please contact Lynn@southcountymuseum.org if your business would like to sponsor a 2026 season event.