DOYLESTOWN, PA (January 7, 2010) – The James A. Michener Art Museum continues its free admission program for school tour groups in 2010 through the support of The Rose Group, a restaurant management company which owns and operates fifty-nine Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar locations in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Rose Group has offered this generous gift to kindergarten through 12th grade students since 2008.

 

"We're delighted that The Rose Group is continuing this incredible support for the third year in row," says Adrienne Romano, the Museum’s Curator of Education. "In 2008 and 2009, The Rose Group enabled 16,145 students and chaperones to experience the Museum as an extension to their classroom learning despite limited school budgets and continued challenges with covering bus costs. An average of 5,500 students a year visited the Museum prior to this funding, so obviously the free admission program is making a big difference in our ability to serve children in our community and beyond."  

 

Harry T. Rose, Chairman and CEO of The Rose Group adds, "We are honored to partner with the Museum in assisting the youth in our communities to participate in the arts. We have sponsored many programs that support education and this is a fantastic opportunity for schools to get involved regardless of budget restrictions. We know that participation in the arts opens the mind and world of a child and look forward to seeing that happen through this program."

 

Tours at the Museum meet national and state standards in education, and are tailored to focus on school curriculums. Inquiry-based discussions promote language development, observational abilities and critical thinking skills.

 

"Our visits to the Michener Art Museum have always been extraordinary and our students benefit on so many levels -- culturally, socially and cognitively," explains Marialyce Keane, a special education assistant at Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown. "I am so enthusiastic about The Rose Group and their unending contribution to the Central Bucks School District. Without their astounding generosity, some of our students would not be able to participate in visits to the Museum. The Rose Group is not only helping to develop curiosity and creativity in our community's young people, but is fostering an interest in lifelong learning."

 

Maryanne Gutknecht, a 1st grade teacher at Cornwells School in Bensalem who brought 103 students to see Jim Henson's Fantastic World adds, "By getting to experience the world of the Muppets first-hand, we were able to enrich our work on the Jim Henson unit we had been studying in our classrooms. We greatly appreciate The Rose Group for sending us to a place where Kermit, Rowlf and Oscar could teach us about their very best friend and our Muppet hero, Jim Henson! It was gratifying to expose the students to a museum visit and the educational and social activities that such a field trip provides." 

 

To make a reservation for a school tour at the Michener Art Museum, teachers must contact Melissa Sandquist at (215) 340-9800 x124 or msandquist@michenerartmuseum.org. Tours are offered beginning at 10:00 a.m. Only pre-booked docent-led or self-guided groups are included in the free admission program. Chaperones in the allotted 1 to 6 ratio are free; a reduced admission fee of $9.00 per adult applies for any additional chaperones. Teachers are encouraged to contact the Museum at least three weeks in advance. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first served basis. More information about specific school tours and teacher programs is available online at www.michenermuseum.org/teachers/.

 

Each student who visits the Museum with a school tour receives a free pass for a child’s return visit, along with an Applebee’s coupon good for a free kid’s meal or $5.00 off an adult entree.

 

The Rose Group, headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, is the 35th largest restaurant franchise company in the United States. The company currently owns and operates fifty-nine Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bars in eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland. Recently selected as the first franchisee for the Corner Bakery Cafe, The Rose Group has five and plans to expand in the Philadelphia and South Jersey markets. The Rose Group also co-owns and operates The Shannon Rose, an independent Irish pub and restaurant in North Jersey. More information is available at www.therosegroup.com.

 

 

The James A. Michener Art Museum is an independent, non-profit institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of the Bucks County, Pennsylvania region. In addition to hosting a changing schedule of exhibitions from around the country, the Museum is home to the largest public collection of Pennsylvania Impressionist paintings. The Museum offers a diverse program of educational activities that seek to develop a lifelong involvement in the arts. The Museum is located at 138 South Pine Street in Doylestown. For current Museum hours and admission information, visit our website at www.MichenerArtMuseum.org or call the main phone number: (215) 340-9800. Group Tours: extension 117 / School Tours: extension 124.

 

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