Nutcracker Museum

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www.kidslovenutcrackers.com and www.nutcrackerday.com


July 2017 Newsletter from The Nutcracker Lady

July 1st our annual Nutcracker Day at the museum, a day dedicated to that useful tool which has helped for centuries to provide food for the human race.

In addition to other activities for this day, the Nutcracker Museum held its first contest for students to create a working nutcracker---a utensil that would open the hard shell of a hazelnut. Instructions stated that design must be the student’s own, using his or her own imagination and creativity. Any help from parent or other adult in construction was to be written in detail so judges could take this into consideration.

Judges were Bill Wells, board member of the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, and John Ressler, retired school teacher. It was difficult for them to pick the best, but after much deliberation, these nut cracking devices were selected as the winners of the kid's nutcracker making contest:

First Place - Grades 1 through 6

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Olyn Schultz

The nut is placed under the dowel in a pit on the base, then is cracked when the stone hammer strikes the top of the dowel.

Second Place ~ Grades 1 through 6

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Kaia Tande, Eliza Tveton, Naomi Tveton

A rock is tied between two sticks which are fastened to a hinge. This forms a lever which will drop the rock onto the nut.

First Place ~ Grades 7 though 9

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Cate Bailey

The nut is cracked between two pieces of petrified wood when the pressure from the spring is released.
 

Second Place ~ Grades 7 through 9

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Estefaney Vazquez, Karina Alejandre

The nut is placed in a recessed circle on the large block and is cracked as the smaller block slides down the dowels.
 

First Place ~ Grades 10 through 12

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James Young, Luke Hafermann

A very creative nutcracker! The sloth, with weighted head, slides down the tree trunk cracking the hard shell of the nut.
 

Second Place  ~ Grades 10 through 12

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Will Piers

The eagle head and neck is lifted and nut is placed inside the hole carved in the body. Striking the head will then crack the nut.
 

Really great, aren’t they? Everyone present was very impressed with all sixteen entries and are already looking forward to the 2nd Annual Kids Nutcracker Making Contest next year. So students---start thinking about a creative way for opening that hard shell of a hazelnut.

Arlene Wagner, The Nutcracker Lady

Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum
Email: curator@nutcrackermuseum.com

 

 

 07/23/21

Quick Links


Dogs that are able to be carried at all times may come into the museum.

Service animals are always welcome.

 

Contact Us

735 Front Street
P.O. Box 2212
Leavenworth, WA 98826

(509) 548-4573

MUSEUM HOURS
11:00PM - 5:00PM Daily

We suggest visitors arrive at the museum at least 30 minutes before closing.

Nutcracker Lady Gift Shop

Nutcracker Museum Mission Statement:

"To foster and encourage the interest of the general public of the importance of nuts in the diets of humans throughout history and in the evolution of the nutcracker. No other tool or collectible has shown such a wide diversity of material and design as the implements used to crack the hard shell of a nut".

Museum Admission:

Adults  - $5.00  (Ages 17 - 64yrs)
Seniors - $3.50  (Age 65yrs +)
Youth   - $2.00  (Ages 6 - 16yrs)
Child    - FREE   (Ages 0 - 5yrs)
Active Military - FREE (Spouse & Children Free with ID)

 

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