October 11, 2008
I went to the Maryland Science Center in order to evaluate the exhibits in terms of their accuracy and efficiency in presenting scientific information. The trip was a lot of fun, mostly because the museum was full of interesting and entertaining displays that were both educational and interactive. Most of the exhibits were incredibly kid-friendly, inviting visitors to learn by using a hands-on approach. This seemed to be a very effective way of capturing people’s attention and, in most cases, it appeared to successfully convey the scientific concepts.
The first display that caught my eye was called “How do you forecast a tornado?” in the Terralink gallery. This exhibit discussed the formation of tornadoes, but focused on how tornadoes can be predicted. People are drawn to this display because it uses air vents and steam to create the illusion of a tornado, so it efficiently attracts attention and brings people to the exhibit. However, the illusion itself was not really portraying how tornadoes are predicted, so it did not very accurately express the scientific concept, but it was still fun to observe. Another demonstration that captured my attention was “Newton’s first law of motion” on the Demo Stage. Here, inertia was being illustrated through the act of pulling a table cloth out from under three teacups. This presentation was accurate because the demonstrator stacked the liquid-filled cups on top of one another to show that more mass meant that there was more inertia, and when she yanked the table cloth, the cups did not fall. The demonstration was also efficient because it got the audience involved, by allowing volunteers to try, and by holding their interest.
The Dinosaur Mysteries gallery had several fascinating exhibits that drew visitors to the area. “Did dinosaurs protect their eggs?” was a display that explored dinosaur egg-laying patterns by showing replications of different dinosaur nests. These models accurately depicted egg-laying patterns because, for instance, the large pterodactyl nest replica did not have any eggs in the center of the nest. All the eggs lined the edge of the nest because they would get crushed otherwise. This exhibit had models that compared nest and egg sizes, thus providing visuals and efficiently drawing attention. Another display in this gallery was “Why does this dinosaur look like T. rex?” which compared the Asian Tarbosaurus to the American Tyrannosaurus rex. To do so, the two dinosaurs’ skulls were shown, as were maps from millions of years ago. The skull models provided visuals that efficiently drew people to the exhibit, while the maps accurately offered reasons for the similarities between the two dinosaurs, showing the Pangaea, or the one-continent earth, to describe the dinosaurs’ proximity to one another millions of years ago.
Newton’s Alley was perhaps my favorite gallery because it contained numerous interactive displays that were very entertaining. “How does the ball float in mid-air?” was an exhibit that discussed differences in air pressure. The display was composed of a blower and a bright orange smiley face ball that was suspended in mid-air, which efficiently attracted peoples’ attention. The explanation provided accurately described the phenomenon, stating that the ball was caught between the lower pressure of the blower’s air stream and the higher pressure of the room air, causing the ball to float in mid-air. “How does this harp make music?” was my favorite exhibit and it was also located in Newton’s Alley. The harp had laser beams for strings, and it worked by the beam sensors sending signals to a computer, which then set off musical tones. Each beam sent a different signal and made a different tone, accurately portraying the concept being discussed. Visitors can hear this effect for themselves, and they can see the laser beams on their hands when they place them inside the harp, so the exhibit is very efficient at catching peoples’ interest and informing them about the concept.
The interactive displays at this museum definitely had a lot of benefits, particularly the ability to attract and engage peoples’ attention, but they can have disadvantages, as well. For instance, since interactive exhibits are so entertaining, people tend to focus on playing with the displays rather than on learning the scientific concept involved. Also, in a museum which has some interactive displays and some non-interactive displays, people might completely bypass the non-interactive exhibits so that they can find and experiment with the interactive ones. In order for a museum like the Maryland Science Center to stay competitive in terms of attracting families, not being too expensive, and staying true to a mission of education, interactive exhibits are very helpful. Children enjoy them, so families gravitate towards this type of a museum rather than a “specimens in a case” type of museum, and interactive displays are still highly capable of teaching scientific concepts. Additionally, private children’s museums like the Maryland Science Center could offer special discounts to schools so that entire classes of children could come and be exposed to the museum. As a result, they would hopefully discuss the museum with their parents, who would be willing to bring them back since it is an educational facility. Personally, I was impressed with the Maryland Science Center’s ability to attract, engage, and educate visitors, and I have already told my family that I want to go back with them soon.
I strongly encourage people to visit the Maryland Science Center, so check it out! Maryland Science Center Website