Thursday, March 20, 2025 | 5-8pm
Tickets: $10 | $12 at the door | MMAM Members Free
About
Step back in time and experience the enchantment of 1848! Join us at MMAM on Thursday evening to celebrate the opening of A Spectacle in Motion, an exhibition that breathes life into one of America’s most remarkable artistic panoramas. Designed to be an unforgettable night out, this event promises history, fun, and entertainment against the scenic backdrop of the Mississippi River.
Highlights of the Night:
Historical Interactions in Period Dress: Our museum staff will be dressed in 1848-inspired attire, ready to share stories of the past! They’ll guide you through the life and times of the whaling industry and the marvel of the original moving panorama experience.
Live Sea Shanties by Loreweavers: Adding to the ambiance, the Loreweavers will serenade us with the maritime sounds of yore! Enjoy lively sea shanties at 5:30 and 7:00 PM, transporting you to the very decks of a 19th-century whaling ship.
Themed Food & Bar: Sip on a selection of themed drinks and taste treats inspired by life at sea. Our bar will be open throughout the night to keep the revelry afloat!
This event is perfect for anyone interested in art, history, or simply looking for a unique way to spend a Thursday night. Bring friends, share a drink, and immerse yourself in the captivating world of A Spectacle in Motion. Don’t miss this chance to journey through a bygone era!
About the Musicians and MMAM Curatorial Staff
Loreweavers
Loreweavers, Bards of the Modern Age, focus their efforts on bringing tavern and fantasy soundtracks to a wider audience. Inspired by the tavern music presented in video games such as The Witcher and Skyrim, as well as traditional Irish tunes and sea shanties, Loreweavers seek to immerse their audience in a world of wonder and adventure. Showcasing a wide variety of musical talents and instrumentation ranging from accordion and fiddle to bodhrán and guitar, Loreweavers are sure to grab the attention of any crowd and pull them in to ensure an experience they'll never forget.
Dave Casey
Dave Casey is the Director of Engagement at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM). Casey has served in a number of roles at MMAM over the past 13 years; including managing visitor services and the MMAM Store and serving as Assistant and Associate Curators, before taking on his current role in early 2024. Casey and been involved with the creation and production of numerous exhibitions, as well as the development of accompanying educational content and programming to inform and engage museum visitors, volunteers and staff. He as a BA in History from Winona State University.
In addition to his work at the museum, Casey has been involved with a number of arts and cultural organizations in the region. He has served on the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council Arts Advisory Panel for the past six years, as a board member of Sanbor Storytelling since it’sinaugural season in 2022, as a Artist Residency Review Panelist for the Anderson Center in 2023, for three years on the City of Winona’s Herritage Preservation Committee, and for four years as the Assistant Director of Mid West Music Fest. He has contributed artistically to the community as a musician, performing extensively in the region.
Heather Casper
Heather Casper has been the Curator of Education at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN since February 2007. In this position she has developed a variety of public programming, touring programming, school partnerships, and educational resources for the galleries. Casper holds a MS degree in Art Education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a BFA in Ceramics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Casper is an active member of the SPARK! Alliance of cultural institutions promoting programming for people living with memory loss, a member of the American Association of Museum’s EdCom committee, the National Art Education Association, and the former chair of the Winona Association of Volunteer Administrators, and former member of the Ready, Set, School board. She currently sits on the board of the Elizabeth Callender King Foundation, and serves on the board for the Spanish Language Immersion Parent Association.
In 2011, Casper won “outstanding community educator award” from the Winona Area Education Association. She was selected to participate in the Teaching in Museum Education Seminar at the School of the Chicago Art Institute in August of 2014 which was made possible by the Samuel Kress Foundation.
Casper is passionate about making museums matter to everyone in her community, and works hard to accomplish this through innovative programming, relationship building and training volunteers to create a welcoming and friendly environment for visitors.
Jon Swanson
Jon Swanson is the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM). Since the opening of the Museum in 2006 he has created and produced more than 180 exhibitions of great art inspired by water, featuring historic and contemporary art by regional, national and international artists. Swanson has a BFA in Fine Art from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, a MA degree in the History of Art from the University of London, Courtauld Institute of Art, and completed the Nautical Archaeology/ Anthropology program at Texas A&M University. He has worked as nautical archaeologist with the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA), an archaeological conservator with Conservation Research Laborator, and a curatorial intern at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum prior to his position at MMAM.
Swanson is a passionate supporter of regional art and has served on many planning commissions, the Winona Fine Arts Commission, and and a former panelist and current board member for the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC). His personal interests include photography, woodworking, gardening, and travel.