Center for a Livable Future provides assistance for "Water Exhibit" The American Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition, Water: H2O = Life, will give visitors an in-depth look at one of the most important substances and environmental issues that we face. This exhibition illuminates one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century: humanity’s sustainable management and use of the life-giving, but finite, resource‹water. Opening November 3, 2007, Water: H2O = Life will be a most compelling exhibition devoted to water in all its forms and phenomena. It will remain on view at the Museum until May 25, 2008, after which it will begin an international tour until 2011. The exhibition is informed by a 2006 Museum survey sponsored by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine what Americans do and do not know about water. The survey revealed both a strong nationwide concern about water, as well as a surprising lack of knowledge‹only 4 percent of respondents knew that less than 1 percent of the Earth's water is readily available for human use. The American Museum of Natural History gratefully acknowledges the Tamarind Foundation for its leadership support of Water: H2O = Life, and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future for its assistance. Water: H2O = Life is supported by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation. The Museum extends its gratitude to the Panta Rhea Foundation, Park Foundation, and Wege Foundation for their support of the exhibition's educational programming and materials. Water: H2O = Life is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and Science Museum of Minnesota in collaboration with Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland; The Field Museum, Chicago; Instituto Sangari, São Paulo, Brazil; National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; San Diego Natural History Museum; and Singapore Science Center. The exhibition is curated by Eleanor Sterling, Director of the American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC) and an expert in marine biodiversity conservation. "Water is vital to our survival as individuals, to the welfare and sustainability of human societies, and, indeed, to the health of all ecosystems on Earth," said Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History. "Yet, in the 21st century, water usage and population growth patterns are straining our planet's precious and finite water resources. Building on the Museum's longstanding tradition of educating the public about pressing and topical issues, Water: H2O = Life will present the comprehensive story of water from scientific, cultural, and environmental points of view while also celebrating the beauty and inspiration humans have found in water." Water: H2O = Life will explore the beauty and wonder of our planet's "lifeblood" using an innovative combination of cutting-edge presentation techniques, including live fishes and frogs, images projected on a curtain of fog, a six-foot globe displaying satellite images of Earth, immersive dioramas, and interactive exhibits that will allow visitors to experience firsthand the power of water. The exhibition will also examine the most compelling challenges that people and ecosystems around the globe face with respect to water quality and availability. Artifacts from the Museum's and other collections will highlight diverse cultural and spiritual aspects of water. Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be challenged to reconsider the way they view water to see it not as a limitless resource to be taken for granted, but as the limited and life-sustaining resource it truly is. American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world's preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its global mission to explore and interpret human cultures and the natural world through a wide-reaching program of scientific research, education, and exhibitions. The Museum accomplishes this ambitious goal through its extensive facilities and resources. The institution houses 46 permanent exhibition halls, state-of-the-art research laboratories, one of the largest natural history libraries in the Western Hemisphere, and a permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and cultural artifacts. With a scientific staff of more than 200, the Museum supports research divisions in Anthropology, Paleontology, Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology, and the Physical Sciences. The Museum shares its treasures and discoveries with approximately four million on-site visitors from around the world each year. AMNH-produced exhibitions and Space Shows can currently be seen on five continents in engagements that reach audiences of millions. In addition, the Museum's Web site, extends its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs to millions more beyond the Museum's walls. |
