T199 Museum-College Connections: Rich Opportunities for Earth Science Education (Posters)

BUILDING CAPACITY, BREAKING DOWN WALLS: INNOVATIVE MUSEUM PARTNERSHIPS AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EARTH-SURFACE DYNAMICS

Paper number: T199-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (NCED), an NSF Science and Technology Center, in conjunction with academic and agency partners, has developed a wide range of museum exhibits and experiences. Our goal in each of these ventures is to engage the public in the dynamic nature of the landscapes around them using research-grade visualizations and experimental methods. Spanning a wide range of museum venues, each project has enhanced our ability to bring research, as well as landscapes, to life for the public. Our projects include a 1.75-acre source-to-sink park and miniature golf course at the Science Museum of Minnesota, classroom residencies investigating dam removal on Washington's Elwha River, installation of anaglyph maps in indoor and outdoor museum settings, bringing an experimental flume to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and developing Water Planet, a major traveling exhibition. Each experience has led us to increasingly view the museum as an extension of the laboratory and we continue to develop and explore new models for university/museum collaboration.