Journey Through the Arctic Refuge
October 17, 2009–January 10, 2010
Follow along on a photographic expedition through Alaska’s 19.2-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The exhibition tells the story from the perspective of a National Geographic-sponsored traverse in 2006 celebrating the 50th anniversary of a biological survey led by naturalists Olaus and Mardy Murie, which resulted in the protection of this stunning wilderness.
Exhibit images shot by John Burcham, Forrest McCarthy, George Schaller and Jon Waterman feature wildlife, wilderness vistas, evidence of Arctic climate change, and kayaking and trekking scenes within the refuge. Additionally, the exhibit includes archival items from the 1956 survey; ptarmigan, wolf, Grizzly, Caribou and sheep scat; casts of wolf and Grizzly tracks; whale bones; Caribou antlers; cotton grass, a favorite food of Caribou; an Arctic Ground Squirrel preserved by Olaus Murie in 1956; and a continuous video loop about the refuge.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge shelters nine marine mammal species, 45 mammal species and 180 bird species, each endangered by the prospect of oil development on the northern coastal plain. For several years, Congress has narrowly resisted bills to open the refuge to oil leasing because of a flood of letters, phone calls and e-mails from millions of Americans. Inspired viewers of this exhibit also will have an opportunity to speak out on this issue; the last station provides postcards on which to write a plea for wilderness bill protection.
Chocolate: The Exhibition
Saturday, May 9–Sunday, September 20, 2009
From rainforest treasure to luscious treat, immerse yourself in the story of chocolate.
A gift for the gods. A symbol of wealth and luxury. An economic livelihood. Bonbons. Hot fudge. Candy bars. For thousands of years humans have been fascinated with the delicious phenomenon that we call chocolate. Journey through history to get the complete story behind the tasty treat that we crave in "Chocolate".
You'll begin in the rainforest with the unique cacao tree whose seeds started it all. Visit the ancient Maya civilization of Central America and discover what chocolate meant nearly 1,500 years ago. Then travel forward in time and northward to the Aztec civilization of 16th-century Mexico, where cacao seeds were so valuable they were used as money. Discover chocolate's introduction into the upper classes of European society and its transformation into a mass-produced world commodity.
Chocolate will engage your senses and reveal facets of this sumptuous sweet that you've never thought about before. You'll explore the plant, the products and the culture of chocolate through the lenses of science, history and popular culture.
Official Chocolate: The Exhibition Website
Best of Wildlife in North Carolina Photos Exhibit
January 9-April 19, 2009
Including 65 outstanding images of the natural world in the old north state. Jared Lloyd, of Kitty Hawk, won the grand prize with his image of Tulls Creek in Currituck County at dawn, which graced the January cover of "Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine.
Established in 2005, The Wildlife in North Carolina photo competition is intended to encourage high-quality nature photography and to identify talented wildlife photographers working in North Carolina. The 2008 field totaled 6,368 photographs— the largest number of entries to date— submitted by 1,160 photographers, including 156 young nature photographers with entries in two youth categories. The most popular subject was Birds (1,069 entries); followed by Invertebrates (919); Peaks, Valleys and Plains (910); Wild Plants (809); Reptiles and Amphibians (660); Animal Behavior (615); Outdoor Recreation (576) and Mammals (481).
The competition is a collaboration between the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the NC Division of Parks & Recreation, with generous sponsorship by Great Outdoor Provision Co. More information about this and future competitions can be found at www.ncwildlife.org.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
June 28, 2008–January 4, 2009
The Dead Sea Scrolls — objects of great mystery, intrigue and significance — are widely acknowledged to be among the greatest archaeological treasures ever discovered.
The Dead Sea Scrolls date from 250 BCE to 68 CE and are our bridge to a period that laid the foundation of western traditions, beliefs and practices throughout the past two millennia. Among the Scrolls are some 207 biblical manuscripts that represent nearly every book in the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament) and that predate any previously known copies by more than 1,000 years.
The Museum of Natural Sciences displayed 12 authentic Dead Sea Scrolls over the six month exhibition representing portions of the books of Genesis, Isaiah, Deuteronomy, Exodus and others.
Also included in the exhibition were more than 100 authentic artifacts (primarily coins and pottery) from Qumran, the ancient settlement on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea in Israel closest to the caves where the scrolls were discovered.
In addition to biblical manuscripts, sectarian (non-biblical) manuscripts were recovered that reflect a wide variety of literary genres: biblical commentary, religious legal writings, liturgical (prayer) texts and compositions that predict a coming apocalypse. These Scrolls, some of which were on exhibit, reveal the fascinating transition between the ancient religion of the Bible and Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity.
Dead Sea Scrolls FAQ
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries
October 27, 2007–March 2, 2008
Imagine the thrill of discovering something brand-new about a creature that lived millions of years ago. Ever since the first dinosaur fossil was identified almost 200 years ago, people have wondered how these fascinating animals lived, moved and behaved. At first, dinosaur hunters used only such tools as a keen eye, shovels and compasses.
Today, scientists also rely on everything from satellite technology to scanning electron microscopes. Prepare to take a journey of discovery into the exciting world of modern paleontology, where new discoveries, new technology and new ideas are helping today's scientists piece together what these living, breathing dinosaurs were really like.
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries Web site
Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life
June 30–September 16, 2007
Whales compose, bullfrogs chorus, songbirds greet the dawn and people everywhere sing and dance. What do we all have in common? “Wild Music” explores evidence for the biological origins of music through highly interactive exhibits and exceptional sound experiences, and — in the process — expands our understandings of what makes music. Wild Music Web site
Hunters of the Sky
March 10, 2007–May 28, 2007
SPACE: A Journey to Our Future
October 7, 2006–February 11, 2007
Space: A Journey to Our Future official site
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2005 From the British Museum of Natural History
June 17–September 10, 2006
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Web site
BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head
January 28–May 7, 2006
- http://www.pfizer.com/brain/adults.html - K–12 Teachers Guide provides pre- and post-activities to enhance your classes visit to the exhibit. Activities are multidisciplinary encompassing lessons in science, math, language arts, performing arts and art.
- http://www.pfizer.com/brain/exhibit.html - Click here for a tour of the exhibit with photos and text.
- http://www.pfizer.com/brain/bgames.html - Find brain games here. Test your knowledge about the mysteries of the brain. Solve brain puzzles. Play a video game to find out what’s going on in your brain as you walk down the street.
- http://science.howstuffworks.com/brain.htm - Learn more about how your brain works at this fantastic Web site.
Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall
October 15, 2005–January 10, 2006
Teacher's Guides to CSI
June 25–September 18, 2005
- Exhibit Overview (Word Document)
- Classroom Activities (Word Document)
Treasures Unearthed: North Carolina's Spectacular Gems & Minerals
July 17, 2004–June 12, 2005
- Gems & Minerals Interactive
Note: This interactive requires Flash 7.0 or above and was designed for a touch-screen kiosk; please substitute "click" for "touch" and "drag" for "drag finger" throughout the activity. - Rockhound's Guide to Selected Specimens (.pdf*, 600k)
Titanic: the Artifact Exhibit
August 2, 2003–April 18, 2004
- Titanic Educator's Guide (.pdf*, 1.1MB)
SuperCroc
March 15–May 26, 2003
COLORING SHEETS
- American alligator (.pdf*, 142k]
- Indian gavial & American crocodile (.pdf*, 208k)
MATH WORKSHEET
WORD SCRAMBLES
LINKS
- National Geographic: Crocodile Quiz
- National Geographic: SuperCroc News release
- National Geographic Kids Magazine: SuperCroc Brainteaser Quiz
- Project Exploration: The Science of SuperCroc
- Staab Studios making the ‘SuperCroc’
Powers of Nature
October 19, 2002–February 16, 2003
- www.fi.edu - Franklin Institute
- www.weatherworks.com - How Weather Works
- www.wral.com/weather - WRAL Weather Center
- www.noaa.gov - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Genomic Revolution
April 20–September 2, 2002
- The Gene Scene - Children's guide to genetics from the American Museum of Natural History.
- http://www.kumc.edu/gec - The Genetics Education Center from the University of Kansas Medical Center is a link bonanza.
- http://genome.gov - Home of the Human Genome Project online.
- http://www.dnalc.org - Gene Almanac of news in the world of genetics.
2001 Wildlife Photographer of the Year
February 2–March 3, 2002
Hubble Space Telescope
June 2–September 3, 2001
- HubbleSite - Space Telescope Science Institute's online guide to the universe as seen through the eye of the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble exhibit, news, picture gallery, discoveries, technical information, educational materials, and fun & games.
- Amazing Space - From STScI, "a set of web-based activities primarily designed for classroom use, but made available for all to enjoy." Galileo to HST, Solar System Trading Cards, Hubble Deep Field Academy and more.
- Hubble a view to the edge of space - View webcasts on various topics, see an animated explanation of Redshift, find out why space is such good real estate for a telescope, and learn about the people and technology that make the telescope work. From the Exploratorium.
- Hubble Primer: Basic information about the telescope from the folks at STScI. WEB VERSION | PDF FORMAT (304k, grayscale)
*NOTE: These files are not located on the Museum's Web site. Please contact the STScI staff if you have trouble accessing the files.
Extreme Deep
February 7–May 6, 2001
- Extreme Deep Educator's Guide (.pdf*, 544k)
The Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park
September 27, 2000–January 5, 2001
PDF files require free Acrobat Reader
