Museum of Science and Industry

In October 2007, we debuted the all new Earth Revealed exhibit for Museum guests. Authentic data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is used to create an animated view of our planet on a solid carbon fiber, interactive globe that is six feet in diameter. Guests observe the forces that affect climate change, storm formation and other large-scale global phenomena. But the most impressive feature of this new exhibit is the level of interactivity it offers our guests.

Live demonstrations turn into active conversations among guests of all ages and backgrounds about topics such as climate change, natural disasters and the possibility of life on other planets. A Museum demonstrator has control over the data sets, images and rotation of the globe, so if a fourth-grade student asks a question about Mars, he or she can return to the correct image and answer the question.

“We are also able to get a near real-time look at the Earth from satellite images from NOAA,” said Melanie Walker, a Museum exhibit facilitator for Earth Revealed. “With these images, we can create custom programming for our guests in response to major tropical storms or hurricanes. The power of this exhibit is in the dialogue the guests engage in when they see our planet in a new light. Based on the energy and passion of the discussions, I believe these conversations continue even after our guests return home.”