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Natural History Exhibition

  • 1.  Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-05-2016 01:26 PM
    Other than the wonderful Wild Center, please share examples of strong natural history exhibitions.

    Terry McDonald, Executive Director
    Roberson Museum and Science Center
    Find Roberson on FaceBook


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  • 2.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-16-2016 09:48 AM

    I'm not sure I'm clear about what you're after, so perhaps a definition of "strong" would be helpful? The first ones that come to mind for me are those at the American Museum of Natural History (NY), the National Museum of Natural History (DC), The Field Museum (Chicago), never minding hundreds of others right down to botanical gardens, zoos and aquaria (if you include those as "live" exhibits). Is there something specific you're looking for information on or to emulate?

    ------------------------------
    Kirsten Nicholson
    Curator
    Museum of Cultural & Natural History - Central Michigan University
    Mount Pleasant MI

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  • 3.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-18-2016 07:58 AM

    Thanks for pointing this out, Kirsten. I'm looking to create an immersive "environment" that utilizes our extensive collection of mounted specimens. Our gallery is approximately 3,000 sq ft and I'm imagining a semi-permanent installation that mimics a dense natural habitat that allows for children to climb, crawl and burrow. I'm hunting for exhibition designers.

    ------------------------------
    Terry McDonald
    Director/CEO
    Roberson Museum & Science Center
    Binghamton NY

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 4.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-18-2016 10:25 AM

    I've worked with Chase Studio in Missouri many times.  The did beautiful immersive dioramas for the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma during the 12 years I was there. Terry Chase is great.

    http://www.chasestudio.com/

     

     

    Linda DeBerry

    Senior Copy Editor / Publications Manager

    Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

    600 Museum Way
    Bentonville, AR 72712

    479.418.5772 (direct)
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    CrystalBridges.org

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  • 5.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-22-2016 09:55 AM

    Thank you, Linda. This is an excellent lead!

    ------------------------------
    Terry McDonald
    Director/CEO
    Roberson Museum & Science Center
    Binghamton NY

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 6.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-19-2016 08:11 AM

    Terry,

    The rainforest exhibition at the Milwaukee Public Museum is massively immersive; the Biodiversity Hall at the American Museum of Natural History centers around a walk-through habitat of a central African rainforest (modeled after a site in the CAR); and the Chicago Academy of Sciences - Notebaert Nature Museum includes two galleries - 'Wilderness Walk' and a early learner's space - with walk-through and crawl-through habitats. All include preserved/mounted animal specimens and replica plant material.

    best regards,

    Kevin

    ------------------------------
    Kevin Coffee
    Chicago IL

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 7.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-22-2016 09:56 AM
    Terry,

    The walk through biodiversity forest here at AMNH is very immersive but very one directional also. The larger exhibit mixes several elements in it, and their rest part is making a specific point about deforestation, and requires some patient observing to see everything that is going on in the three sections. It's a great teaching tool.

    There's a brand new museum called MUSE in Trento, Italy that has a very modern walkthrough natural history exhibit. It has mounted specimens which are up close and not behind glass, plants represented with both 3D models and flat panels and video screens which fit seamlessly into the fore- and background with some animations and extra info. Really tight turns in it allowed for visitors to change habitats rather quickly, and audio helped simulate different environments also.

    I have some pictures if you'd like - email me back individually. And ECSITE 2015 was held there, I'm sure at least a few others on here have seen it :-)

    -Brian

    ---
    Brian Levine
    Manager of Youth Programs
    Astrophysics Educator
    AMNH Education
    212-313-7172
    Sent from my iPhone, please excuse any type Os.


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  • 8.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-19-2016 07:37 PM

    Terry, there is a gem of a natural history museum in northeast Alabama. The Anniston Museum of Natural History has wonderful habitat settings with mounted African animals and birds from around the world (gained from an estate long, long ago), and they have a recreated cave with running water that has captivated visitors and students for many years. These and other exhibits are along a winding pathway. Anniston, Alabama is 1 1/2 hour drive west of Atlanta.

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    Joseph Hines
    Principal
    Project Arts & Ideas
    Dearborn MI

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  • 9.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-22-2016 09:58 AM

    Notebaert Nature Museum sounds like has a great immersion environment. Thank you, Kevin!

    ------------------------------
    Terry McDonald
    Director/CEO
    Roberson Museum & Science Center
    Binghamton NY

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 10.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-22-2016 10:08 AM

    Joseph, the cave with running water sounds wonderful. Who doesn't want a museum exhibit to transport you to another world? Thanks for your input!

    ------------------------------
    Terry McDonald
    Director/CEO
    Roberson Museum & Science Center
    Binghamton NY

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 11.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-22-2016 05:59 PM

    Hi Terry, we have completed many natural history immersive environments in our 25 year history. A recent installation was at Horicon Marsh in Horicon, WI, Holiday Park Nature Center in Indianapolis, Dillon Nature Center in Hutchinson, KS and many more. We would be happy to send you examples, budgets, process and the like. You can see examples on our website and social media sites. Plus we offer a 10 year warranty on all our design/build projects. Please feel free to email me or Drew Levan (dlevan@taylorstudios.com) if we can provide you with any assistance.

    Sincerely,

    Betty Brennan

    ------------------------------
    Betty Brennan
    President
    Taylor Studios, Inc.
    Rantoul IL

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 12.  RE: Natural History Exhibition

    Posted 02-23-2016 01:16 PM
    Edited by Sarah Haft 02-23-2016 01:17 PM

    Hi Terry,

    The Extreme Zone section of the California Science Center has great examples of immersive environments that are also interactive - Extreme Zone

    California Science Center remove preview
    Extreme Zone
    Peer into some of the world's harshest environments-deserts, poles, the rocky shore and deep-sea vents-and see how life adapts to survive.
    View this on California Science Center >

    You also might check out the Nature Lab at the Natural History Museum of Los Angels. They have modernized a traditional taxidermied collection by using the animals as a tool to enhance vivid stories of urban biodiversity. Prioritizing storytelling over the collections themselves seems to be a very powerful and effective way to engage visitors. - LA Natural History Museum / Nature Lab

    Vimeo remove preview
    LA Natural History Museum / Nature Lab
    Did you ever wonder why there were so many squirrels in L.A.? Or just how those funny-looking oppossums survive? The true stories about plants and animals in the Nature Lab will surprise you! http://www.nhm.org/nature/visit/nature-lab
    View this on Vimeo >

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Haft, M.S. | Exhibit Development
    California Science Center
    700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037
    OFFICE: (213) 744-7462
    CELL: (310) 699-9026
    shaft@cscmail.org

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