T178 Geology for the Masses: Engaging the Public through Informal Geoscience Education in Parks, Monuments, Open Spaces, and Public Lands

Tuesday, 9 November 2004
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM

CREATION OF AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER DISPLAY FOR VISITOR CENTERS AT RED ROCKS AND DINOSAUR RIDGE, MORRISON, COLORADO

Paper number: T178-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM

Authors

Abstract

Red Rocks Park, Dinosaur Ridge and Parfet Prehistoric Preserve are popular venues in the Denver area for viewing and learning about the geology of the Colorado Front Range.

The Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, and the Popular Geology Committee of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists are sponsoring the development of an interactive computer display that will educate and entertain visitors to these venues. The display will be installed in kiosks at the visitor centers at red Rocks and Dinosaur Ridge.

The display is multimedia, integrating sound, charts, diagrams, maps, photographs, animations and virtual reality tours. It is organized into five main categories: Lands before Time, Rocks, Fossils, Walk through Time, and Virtual Tours of Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge and Parfet Prehistoric Preserve. Most of the geological information is from guidebooks published by Friends of Dinosaur Ridge and “Messages in Stone” a publication of the Colorado Geological Survey (2003).

A self-explanatory touch screen navigation system enables the viewer to reach any of the five main categories from anywhere within the display.

The goal of the project is to create a tool that will educate and intrigue, and thus encourage visitors to visit personally the geological and paleontological sites they have toured virtually.