BRIDGEPORT — The Discovery Museum is “Celebrating Black History” with live music, dance and thoughtful discussion during the Sunday Celebration on February 13 at 4450 Park Avenue in Bridgeport.

Performances start at 2 pm with Mikata and The Fire & Water Dancers. This powerful percussion group and dance troupe, dressed in colorful native fabrics, presents a joyful concert of music from Africa, the Caribbean Islands and Brazil, played on authentic handcrafted instruments.

African-American artist James Montford will create his own kind of energy in his 3 pm discussion. Mr Montford’s exhibit, “HATEwords: Sticks and Stones…,” on view in the museum’s Balcony Gallery through February, seeks to create dialogue about racial and cultural stereotypes by presenting words and phrases used by young people toward each other.

Mr Montford’s lecture will be an opportunity to hear the passionate artist and instructor from Rhode Island School of Design discuss the experiences that have led him to create this series of exhibits and his hopes for societal changes that his work might bring about.

Following Mr Montford’s lecture, there will be a reception to talk further with the artist and view his exhibit. Music for the reception will be provided by The Tom Crean Jazz Trio, from the African-American music department of Hartt School of Music.

Sunday Celebrations are a series of concerts and workshops offered at The Discovery Museum each month from September through April. They are free with museum admission, courtesy of grants from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and Guardian Life Insurance. Seating is first come, first served.

The Discovery Museum, Connecticut’s adventure in art and science, is the largest hands-on art and science museum between New York and Boston. The museum is located one mile south of Exit 47 off the Merritt Parkway. Its Sunday hours are noon to 5 pm. Sunday admission, including the music, lecture, exhibit and reception, is $7 for adults; $5.50 for children age 3-18, students with ID, and senior citizens; and free for children under 3.

For more information, call the museum at 203/372-3521 extension 115 or visit the Web site www.discoverymuseum.org.