NEWS July 21, 2016 Contact: Lauren Berlin

508-228-9198 or lberlin@mariamitchell.org

Maria Mitchell Association to Host Maria Mitchells 198th Birthday Party August 1st

Nantucket, MA The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is excited to announce that it will host Ma-
ria Mitchells 198th Birthday Party on Vestal Street for island residents and visitors on August 1. The
Birthday Party is a free event, and will offer free admission to all of the Maria Mitchell Association
Museums, including the Aquarium, and a free Open Night at Loines Observatory. Join Maria Mitchell
Association staff, interns, members, and friends for punch and cookies, live animal displays, research
demonstrations, astronomy activities, live period music by Susan Berman, and a falconry demonstra-
tion by Nantuckets own Tom Mulholland.
Maria Mitchells gold medal, awarded to her by the King of Denmark in 1847 for her discovery of a
telescopic comet, will be on display. The gold medal is only on display once a year on Maria Mitchells
birthdayan opportunity that you do not want to miss.

The Birthday Party will be held Monday, August 1 from 1pm 4pm on Vestal Street; with the lower
portion of the street closed to traffic. Refreshments have been generously supplied by the Nantucket
Bake Shop, Wicked Island Bakery, and Petticoat Row Bakery. The NMMA encourages island families
and visitors to come out for an afternoon of learning, fun, and festivity. Maria Mitchells birthday has
been celebrated by the NMMA since its founding and has come to be an event looked forward to by
adults and children alike. Come join us in celebration of Maria Mitchells 198th Birthday!

The Maria Mitchell Association is named after Americas first female astronomer, Maria Mitchell. She
is known for discovering a comet over Nantucket in October 1847. She went on to become the first
professor at Vassar College. The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve her
legacy of scientific achievement and to carry on her passion for hands-on learning. Today, the Maria
Mitchell Association operates two observatories (Loines and the Maria Mitchell Observatory), as well
as the MMA Aquarium, the Natural Science Museum, and the birthplace of Maria Mitchell. More infor-
mation about the Maria Mitchell Association can be found at www.mariamitchell.org.

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