THE LEGACY NEWS from THE M.S. HERSHEY FOUNDATION I FALL 2008 I ISSUE 7 Bonsai Exhibition to Visit Hershey Gardens THE HERSHEY STORY Prepares October 26 through December 27 FOR GRAND OPENING Featured trees are courtesy of New Museum on Chocolate Avenue to Open in January Susquehanna Bonsai Clubs tioner bounced from failure to fiasco before hitting on a winning recipe. In the first gallery of the exhibition, visitors follow Hershey’s bumpy path to success through a series of evocative settings that evoke key points in his early life and career. Stepping through the door of Hershey’s birthplace, visitors are surrounded by three addi- tional facades: a recreation of Hershey’s first shop or well over 100 years, the word “Hershey” has in Philadelphia, the thriving Lancaster Caramel Fbeen synonymous with the Great American Company, and finally his chocolate factory in Her- Chocolate Bar. Now, The Hershey Story takes shey, Pennsylvania. Activities, images, and artifacts Nature and creative expression will con- visitors on an inspirational journey through the life at each site capture Hershey’s ambitions, setbacks, verge at Hershey Gardens October 26 through of Milton S. Hershey, the man, his chocolate com- and the unquenchable entrepreneurial spirit that December 27. The third annual exhibition, pany, the town that bears his name, and his generous overcame the odds. “Bonsai: Living Art of the Susquehanna Bonsai legacy. The journey begins at the Hershey Home- Club”, will feature 35 bonsai trees of various From the interactive Museum Experience to stead, introducing Hershey’s family and appren- shapes and sizes as well as information on bon- the Chocolate Lab, the results of Mr. Hershey’s en- ticeship. Next it recreates Hershey’s first, sai, what they are and how they are grown. trepreneurship, ingenuity and philanthropy are short-lived shop in Philadelphia. Visitors then “Bonsai is an art form that is composed guaranteed to inspire all who enter… step into his office of the Lancaster Caramel Com- partly of horticulture and partly three-dimen- pany, where Milton Hershey finally found the for- sional design,” said Jane Black, member of the mula for success. Susquehanna Bonsai Club. “To qualify as a The last stop is at Hershey’s great chocolate bonsai, the growing miniature tree must be factory in the town that bears his name. It was both a representation of nature and creative ex- here that Hershey perfected his process of mass- pression.” producing milk chocolate, transforming an elite Bonsai, developed by the Japanese more sweet into a treat for all. than a thousand years ago, is derived from the Be fascinated, inspired and filled with wonder continued on page 2 Chinese practice of growing miniature plants. as you explore the state-of-the-art Museum Experi- In bonsai cultivation, woody plants are kept ence. Telling a tale of innovation and entrepreneur- small and in true proportion to their natural ship, this second floor experience is devoted to models by growing them in small containers, telling the many stories of Hershey - the man, the feeding and watering them only enough for company and the town. healthy growth, pruning, and training branches in the desired shape by the application of wire Area 1: Failures to Fortunes coils; the term bonsai also refers to the plants “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” dwarfed by this method. That adage might have been coined with Milton “We’re thrilled to showcase this amazing Hershey in mind. America’s most famous confec- exhibition at Hershey Gardens again,” noted Craig George, director. “Bonsai represent art and horti- culture, New Hershey Theatre Program to Recognize Student Excellence so it’s a perfect fit ou’ve heard of the Tony Awards and the Acad- for the emy Awards. Now meet a new award... Hershey Gardens YTheatre proudly announces the creation as well as a of the Apollo Awards. Developed specifically to great op- recognize excellence in local high school drama and portunity musical productions, this new award program will for visitors of all ages to learn about this fasci- applaud talented student performances. Produc- nating technique.” tions from high schools in Dauphin, Cumberland A preview reception will be held on and Lebanon counties and Elizabethtown Area Sen- Saturday, October 25. The reception, requiring ior High School will be eligible for the award. Al- advance registration, will feature a special though the program is still in its formative stages, the many fresh initiatives created by Hershey presentation, as well as allow guests to preview first Apollo Awards ceremony will be held May 18, Theatre’s new education department. the exhibition before it is open to the public. 2009 at Hershey Theatre. The Broadway Tony- The Apollo Awards are named after the For more information or to receive an style ceremony will include musical numbers by mythological Greek god Apollo who is a promi- invitation, please call 717.508.5972. nominated casts and will be hosted by a master of nent design element in the Theatre’s Grand Lobby. The Gardens’ outdoor Butterfly House, ceremonies. Apollo was known as the patron god of music, which is not currently featuring butterflies, will An advisory committee has been organized poetry and the arts. house the exhibition. Admission to the exhibi- to develop award categories, which will include For information on Apollo Award volunteer tion is included in Hershey Gardens’ general outstanding performances by lead and supporting opportunities, please email admission price. actors and actresses. The awards program is one of [email protected]. THE LEGACY MSHersheyFoundation.org Five freestanding pillars highlight various fasci- travels abroad, as well as the Hershey mansion and nating themes, from Hershey’s emphasis on the pu- life in the factory. Displays also spotlight Hershey- rity and health benefits of his chocolate to the Park and other attractions that made the “Sweetest unprecedented way he used the town of Hershey to Place on Earth” a truly extraordinary community. promote his products…and used his products to promote the town. These fully interactive displays Area 5: A Living Legacy invite visitors to explore both the extraordinary art- “One is only happy in proportion as he makes work and the innovative ideas that made Hershey’s others feel happy,” wrote Milton Hershey as a young promotions so powerful. man. Many years later, Hershey had a chance to put Exhibits focus mostly on the decades before that philosophy into practice. Sweet Innovations The Hershey Company began using mass media in In the final gallery, visitors meet Milton Her- the 1970s. A particular highlight is a streetscape shey the philanthropist, whose helping hand touched Area 2: Sweet Innovations with three early 20th century era storefronts. Each countless lives—and whose legacy lives on. They see Cocoa was around for centuries before Milton features elaborate window displays designed to at- the fruit of the remarkable M.S. Hershey Founda- Hershey came along. But his innovations—and the tract customers into shops. These original artifacts tion, which has supported educational and cultural creativity he nurtured in others—revolutionized will change seasonally—just as they once did in real opportunities since 1935. And they discover ex- the confection. shop windows. traordinary local resources, from the Community Visitors get a taste of these inspired ideas, be- Gardens and ChocolateTown Square to the Com- ginning with Hershey’s groundbreaking approach munity Archives, and of course, The Hershey Story. to milk chocolate. They will see a working Kiss Displays highlight Hershey’s support of public wrapping machine, engineered by two self-taught schools, his gifts to local churches in the depths of brothers at the Hershey factory, and try to guess the the Depression, and the Penn State Hershey use of eccentric tools invented by factory workers. Medical Center, established after Milton Hershey’s The centerpiece of this area, a conche machine death, but reflecting his concern for the community’s for mixing chocolate, comes to life with a roar and a wellbeing. rumble. Panels detailing the chocolate-making Power of Promotion Milton Hershey’s most enduring legacy, how- process, plus archival footage of the Hershey factory ever, may be Milton Hershey School, which nurtures in the 1930s, surround the authentic equipment. The Power of Promotion concludes with a children in social and financial need. Through video, This exhibit area also explores the 1893 timeline of products from 1894 to today. Find out photos, and text, visitors will hear about the School Columbian Exposition, which provided a pivotal when your favorite Hershey product made its debut. from those who understand it best: students and “aha!” moment for Milton Hershey: It was at that alumni whose lives it continues to change. celebration of ingenuity and invention that Hershey Area 4: Hershey Builds Hershey bought his first chocolate-making machines. Other Milton Hershey didn’t just build a factory in displays evoke the Philadelphia soda fountain that the town that bears his name. He built a commu- Hershey operated, a savvy way to keep his name in nity. He chose the area for practical reasons—its the public eye between the sale of his Caramel proximity to dairy farms, available land, and good Company in 1900 and the unveiling of his choco- rail transportation. But he also had sentimental rea- late factory in 1905. sons: this was his birthplace. For nearly 40 years, The area concludes with a spirited look at var- Milton Hershey devoted himself to creating a gra- ied products Hershey manufactured from the cious, enriching, and congenial home for his employ- byproducts of chocolate making, from cocoa butter ees, for tourists, and for himself. soap to cocoa shell mulch. At the heart of this gallery is a spectacular, in- teractive mini-theater experience that combines a Hershey Builds Hershey Area 3: Power of Promotion multimedia experience with artifacts and images.