EcoTarium- Environmental Exhibit Collaborative

MEDIA CONTACT: Sally Anne Giedrys
Communications Manager
sgiedrys@ecotarium.org
(508) 929-2738

NEW ENGLAND MUSEUMS JOIN FORCES TO BUILD ECOLOGY EXHIBITS
Jane's Trust awards grant to seed important collaborative effort

(WORCESTER, MA)&emdash; The EcoTarium announced today that it has received a grant of $840,000 from Jane's Trust to create a collaborative of mid-sized natural science museums in New England that will build traveling exhibits.

Over the next four years, the grant will fund the development of five innovative traveling exhibits about key topics related to the New England environment. Founding members of the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative include the EcoTarium, the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, New Hampshire, and the ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. The Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont, is also involved in the regional project, playing an advisory role.

Working together, members will develop conceptual ideas; share design, fabrication, and staff resources; and exchange collections and expertise to create high-quality interactive exhibits designed expressly for small and mid-sized museums. Each exhibit will be about 1,200 square feet in size and will be displayed at each of the museums for up to six months. In addition, exhibits will be designed to tour and will be available to travel to other museums, nature centers and aquariums in the region.

New England is fortunate to have a rich array of small and mid-sized museums that play unique roles in their communities. These institutions work with schools, provide a place for families to take part in fun and educational family experiences and offer opportunities for lifelong learning.

"Creation of this collaborative through generous funding from Jane's Trust addresses one of the key challenges faced by small and mid-sized museums&emdash; the need to provide a regular program of fresh and engaging exhibits," said Alexander Goldowsky, Director of Exhibits & Programs at EcoTarium. "Museums of this size have limited resources for in-house exhibit development, and most traveling exhibitions are currently designed for larger metropolitan museums.

Jim Eckert, Director of Exhibits for Squam Lakes said the collaborative's benefits are immediate and tangible for the Center as it has just created a new area for traveling exhibits to enhance the visitor experience. "Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is excited to be included in this collaborative effort," Eckert said. "In the long run, all of us will be able to do a better job educating our visitors about their roles and responsibilities in the natural world."

Exhibits designed by the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative would:

Focus on New England ecology topics that are central to the missions of the participating organizations. Exhibit topics under discussion include such diverse subjects as treehouses and habitats, bloodsucking animals and insects, the environmental and social effects of farming declines, ecological stories of turtle species in the region, and whales
Include a variety of interactive exhibits that go beyond "push buttons" to engage visitors in fun "hands-on/minds-on" investigations and in family interaction and learning
Showcase the science behind the headlines and provide a dynamic view of environmental science relevant to our daily lives
Incorporate "green" exhibit fabrication practices

"ECHO is extremely pleased and honored to be part of the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative," said Phelan Fretz, Executive Director of ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. "This leadership gift from Jane's Trust will enable us to tell very important stories about the ecology, culture and history of New England through the powerful medium of science exhibitions."

About the Collaborative Partners

EcoTarium (www.ecotarium.org) is an indoor-outdoor museum dedicated to exploring the natural world. The museum and its extensive grounds offer three floors of interactive exhibits, wildlife habitats, nature trails, ponds, an award-winning meadow, a planetarium, and a narrow-gauge railroad. The museum, located at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester, Mass., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 12 to 5 p.m. Open selected Monday holidays and Mondays during school vacation weeks.
Contact: Sally Anne Giedrys, (508) 929-2738, sgiedrys@ecotarium.org

ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain (www.echovermont.org) is Vermont's premier lake aquarium and science center, located on the Burlington Waterfront encompassing nearly 30,000 square feet and featuring over 60 species of fish, amphibians and reptiles in addition to 100 hands-on interactive exhibits. ECHO is open daily from 10 a.m. &endash; 5 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Thursday nights with a gift shop and seasonal café
Contact: Katrina Roberts, (802) 864-1848 ext. 127, kroberts@echovermont.org

The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (www.nhnature.org) is a private, non-profit educational institution located on a 200-acre sanctuary in Holderness, N.H., at the south end of Squam Lake. This natural science center with 3.5 miles of interpretive and live animal trails featuring otters, bobcats, raptors, deer, black bears and mountain lions in enclosures similar to the animal's natural habitats provides visitors with an opportunity to see wildlife close up and learn about their habitats. Through trails, programs and lake cruises, the Center educates the public about the importance of our natural world.
Contact: Lori Healy, (603) 968-7194 ext. 34, lori.healy@nhnature.org

###