UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's Pasto Agricultural Museum will celebrate 25 years of preserving the history of agriculture and rural living during Ag Progress Days, Aug. 19-21, at Rock Springs.

The museum will feature a special exhibit titled, "Twenty-Five Years and Growing." Twenty-nine photographs and accompanying text will illustrate the growth of the museum's collection to over 900 items since 1978.

The idea to gather and preserve pieces of agricultural history began in 1974 with the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society, according to the museum's volunteer curator, Darwin Braund. With $1,500 and a few display cases in the Agricultural Administration Building, the Pasto Agricultural Museum was born.

In May of 1978, the Ag Alumni Society decided to move forward with a building project, and a year later the building at Rock Springs was dedicated. It was officially opened to the public on Aug. 22, 1979 during Ag Progress Days.

Starting with an initial collection of about 150 items, the total collection of over 900 items now far exceeds available exhibit space in the museum. "In honor of our 25th anniversary, many larger items, including several horse-drawn vehicles, will be moved from storage and displayed in an adjacent tent," says Braund. "Less than two-thirds of the collection can be exhibited in the museum at any given time."

In 1980, the museum was named for its first curator, Jerome K. Pasto, associate dean emeritus of the college and professor emeritus of agricultural economics. In 1998, Darwin Braund, professor emeritus of animal science at North Carolina State University and 1956 Penn State alumnus, took over as curator. The Pasto Agricultural Museum serves between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors per year. Visitors during the 2003 Ag Progress Days who sign the guest book will receive a special bookmark.

The Pasto Agricultural Museum serves between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors per year. Visitors during the 2003 Ag Progress Days who sign the guest book will receive a special bookmark.

Tours can be scheduled from April 15 through October 15 by calling 814-863-1383, by sending an e-mail to pastoagmuseum@psu.edu or by registering on the Web at http://pasto.cas.psu.edu.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 19; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 20; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 21. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free until August 21 or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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Contact:

Cheryl Anthony cka106@psu.edu 814-863-0938 814-863-9877 fax

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #201