Gold! HMNS Adult Education ProgramsThis article is also available as a two-page Word DOC file. America’s First Gold Rush and the Double EagleBrent Glass, Ph.D., director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American HistoryTuesday, March 1, 6:30 p.m.$12 members, $15 nonmembersIn 1799, John Reed found a large metallic rock on his farm in North Carolina. For three years, this chunk of metal was used as a door stop, until a jeweler recognized it as a 17-pound gold nugget! This event launched America’s first gold rush—years prior to the more famous gold rush in California. Brent Glass, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, will tell the story of how gold transformed North Carolina and made way for the later gold rushes in the western United States. Glass will also tell the intriguing story of the 1933 Double Eagle, one of the world’s rarest and most sought after collector coins. Exploring Florida’s Earliest Spanish GalleonRoger C. Smith, Ph.D., Florida Bureau of Archaeology Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m.$12 members, $15 nonmembersIn 1559, a fleet of Spanish galleons led by Tristan de Luna y Arellano brought the first European immigrants to the Southeast in an attempt to colonize Florida. Scholars have long known that Pensacola Bay was the site of such a colony, but no remains from the Spanish colonial period had been found until recently. In 1992, Roger C. Smith and a team of underwater archaeologists discovered the remains of one of Tristan de Luna’s galleons, which sunk in a hurricane off of the coast of Pensacola. The shipwreck, the earliest to be discovered in Florida, has proven to be an invaluable resource in reconstructing the story of the nearly 2,000 colonists and soldiers who made the trip to Florida. Thousands of artifacts have been recovered, including pottery, cannonballs and coins.Smith is the state underwater archaeologist with the Florida Division of Historical Resources in Tallahassee. He has directed a number of underwater surveys and excavations throughout Florida, and has worked extensively in the Caribbean, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Africa. Smith specializes in 15th and 16th century Spanish and Portuguese maritime history, and he has participated in the excavations of several of the earliest European shipwrecks in the New World. He has also been instrumental in establishing several shipwreck preserves in Florida.Cultural Feast; A Taste for Gold Tuesday, March 8, 7 p.m.Hosted at the Warwick HotelNearly every culture has myths associated with gold, a long-coveted metal that has influenced the world since ancient times. A Taste for Gold will explore the historical figures and legends that celebrate the noblest of metals, including greedy King Midas of Turkey; the legendary City of Gold, El Dorado; the mythical Jason and the Golden Fleece; and King Louis XIV of France. A glittering menu will feature dishes and banqueting lore inspired by these renowned golden stories. Participants will also indulge in a feast of information as they dine. The guest of honor will be gold itself, as it is incorporated into various dishes throughout the meal. Join us for a sparkling celebration of gold and those it has inspired to greed, folly, intrigue and greatness. Behind-the-Scenes TourGold! Natural Treasure, Cultural ObsessionMarch 8, 6 p.m.April 5, 6 p.m.May 10, 6 p.m.June 7, 6 p.m.Tour the special exhibition Gold! Natural Treasure, Cultural Obsession with Mark Mauthner, associate curator of Gems and Minerals. This special tour through the dazzling exhibition will give participants an insider perspective through background stories about the pieces on display as well as how the Houston Museum of Natural Science created the exhibition.Hands-On ClassJewelry MakingTuesday, April 12, 6 p.m.Local artist Margaret Hardman-Muye will introduce the basic techniques and tools used to create jewelry pieces from Precious Metal Clay ®, a clay-like material created when microscopic particles of silver or gold are suspended in an organic binding agent. The clay is shaped and heated in a kiln to form solid metal that can be worked with conventional tools. Participants will complete a piece of sterling silver jewelry that will be ready to wear at the end of the evening. Limited to 12 participants, adults only. For more information on HMNS programs or to purchase tickets, visit www.hmns.org or call 713-639-4629.