Exploratorium/AMNH: play and learn

Natural History, Feb, 2004

The American Museum of Natural History is pleased to announce a special exhibition that will add an exciting and creative dimension to the way visitors learn science at the Museum.

Opening January 31,2004, Exploratorium/AMNH will feature a collection of engaging interactive displays, on loan from the renowned Exploratorium science center in San Francisco, that invites visitors to explore concepts and phenomena in the natural sciences. Hands-on displays clustered around themes such as motion, light, pendulums, and rotation encourage audiences of all ages and all levels to investigate and play.

Myles Gordon, Vice President for Education, explains, "Exploratorium /AMNH brings scientific principles and phenomena to life. Museum visitors can literally get their hands on abstract fundamentals that underpin our world and the universe. Exploratorium /AMNH is a captivating experience that extends our mission of education, amplifies the impact of our exhibitions, and provides a springboard to discovery for school groups, families, and the curious of all ages."

Almost 40 exhibit elements and a cadre of well-trained explainers will beckon children and adults alike to engage their minds, bodies, and senses in learning. For example, at the Aeolian Landscape exhibit, you will be able to create miniature dunescapes with a simple adjustment of a fan, demonstrating how sand dunes and snow drifts are shaped by wind and the landscape. At the Everyone Is You and Me exhibit, a "mirror/window," experience how light is reflected and transmitted as your face merges into a composite with that of the person on the opposite side. At the Pendulum Snake, set in motion a line of pendulums of different lengths, and observe how the underlying mathematics cause patterns to appear and disappear.

Emphasizing the presentation of authentic experiences and working demonstrations of observable phenomena, Exploratorium/AMNH promises to be a popular exhibition that will spark curiosity, encourage inquiry, and extend and enhance the level of experiential learning at the American Museum of Natural History. Come explore for yourself--you'll be amazed by what you'll learn!

Exploratorium/AMNH January 31-August 15 Galery 3