Open Forum

Hi Alison,

We have a fun digital interactive at NMNH that might be an interesting idea starter for you that traces changes in spininess of Spondylus over populations and brings in variables like environmental conditions and predation. It's digital, but I think you could transition it to a manual one pretty easily. Email me if you'd like the script for it or more info - starrss@si.edu

Siobhan

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Siobhan Starrs
Exhibition Developer
National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution
Burke DC
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Hi Alison,

In 2006 our small museum created an ecology/environment area where the director wanted to show how diversity affected populations.
She and I designed and then I fabricated what we called the "crab box." Essentially we had a grid with drawings of crabs with small variations in size and claw size. A series of panels with holes "apparently" randomly distributed could then be overlaid to show the results of different environmental impacts (change in predator, introduction of a disease...) to show a change in the crab population due to the change. The panels are moved by sliding handles and can be added individually or stacked. The box is very popular with children (I had to repair and modify it a few times early in its life due to extensive usage). If it sounds of interest I would be happy to send a picture and discuss its design and construction.

Rich Paselk

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Richard A. Paselk,
Curator Emeritus, HSU Natural History Museum
Curator and Webmaster,
Robert A. Paselk Scientific Instrument Museum
Humboldt State University
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Original Message:
Sent: 5/15/2021 6:21:00 PM
From: Richard Paselk
Subject: RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

Hi Alison,

In 2006 our small museum created an ecology/environment area where the director wanted to show how diversity affected populations.
She and I designed and then I fabricated what we called the "crab box." Essentially we had a grid with drawings of crabs with small variations in size and claw size. A series of panels with holes "apparently" randomly distributed could then be overlaid to show the results of different environmental impacts (change in predator, introduction of a disease...) to show a change in the crab population due to the change. The panels are moved by sliding handles and can be added individually or stacked. The box is very popular with children (I had to repair and modify it a few times early in its life due to extensive usage). If it sounds of interest I would be happy to send a picture and discuss its design and construction.

Rich Paselk

------------------------------
Richard A. Paselk,
Curator Emeritus, HSU Natural History Museum
Curator and Webmaster,
Robert A. Paselk Scientific Instrument Museum
Humboldt State University
------------------------------

Hello Alison,
HHMI Biointeractive produced years ago a film about the evolution of Rock Pocket Mice that I find very effective in conveying the process of natural selection. The film shows very well how it is the selective factor-in this cases predators-that lead to the adaptive phenotypic change in the population by natural selection. I'm not sure how this example could be transferred to an exhibit but maybe it can be helpful as a generator of ideas.
https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/making-fittest-natural-selection-and-adaptation

Adriana

Adriana Aquino-Gerard, PhD
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Education
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York NY 10024
 
aaquino@amnh.org

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Adriana Aquino
Scientific Content Specialist
American Museum of Natural History
New York NY
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Hi Alison,
We created a donation station interactive for the Natural History Museum in London that explains natural selection in Galapagos Island Finches during a drought season. Visitors deposit coins at the top, and a pachinko mechanism sends the coin down through the pyramid of pins to an array of slots at the bottom representing different Finch species. Only one species slot (Finches with large bodies and beaks) "survives" (coin is returned in a coin return) to pass on their traits. All other coins drop into the cabinet and are donated. And typically, "surviving" coins are reinserted to play again are are ultimately donated. There's also a bill slot at the bottom for straight up donations. Images attached. Sorry I don't have better photos. This is all we were sent.

A simple, satisfying way to donate with a natural selection message.

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Kelly Fernandi
President/Creative Director
Minotaur Mazes
Seattle WA
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