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| What can we do to keep earth a healthy place to live? The Children's Museum of Houston, My Home, Planet Earth reveals the answers |
 There are a series of difficult challenges that affect us all. One of them is the environment. What can we do to keep earth a healthy place to live?
Debuting May 24 through Sept. 20, 2008 at the Children's Museum of Houston, My Home, Planet Earth reveals the answers. This bilingual, hands-on exhibit is designed for children to understand how the environment can be affected by the way we choose to live, and how these environmental changes ultimately affect us in return.
“We want kids to start noticing the environmental issues that are out there and affect them directly or indirectly, “ said Karen Milnar, director of gallery programs. “That way, they can begin taking steps to becoming environmentally-friendly.”
“It's little things, like not leaving the water running, buying recycled products, not using aerosol products, dumping trash in trash bins, which as a whole, will make a big difference for the future.”
Join in the journey of Riff and Rosie, two delightful squirrels on a mission to trace the source of pollution in their town of Bright Water Corners. Alongside their beaver-scientist friend, Castor Slaptail, they'll use science as a tool for investigating the environment and finding a solution.
“Through inquiry, investigation and problem-solving activities children experience the scientific process and expand their understanding of how to tackle environmental health issues,” said Milnar. “They will see it's not all gloom and doom. You really can make the world a better place.”
Three main messages are explored: how to identify the problems and the science behind it, keeping our brains in gear to find little and big solutions, and working together to communicate those solutions.
TRACKING THE SOURCE
My Home, Planet Earth is broken down into three components which explore the contaminants that hurt the environment that are invisible to the naked eye. Water and air pollutants, dust mites and mold spores are revealed in Rosie's Tree House, the Marigold Marsh, and Mr. Slaptail's House. These particles require scientists to rely on the use of microscopes and specials tools to be able to see them.
By stepping into Rosie's Tree House, kids will get a glimpse of what scientists have to do to collect and identify these samples. They can view images of dust mites with a video microscope while learning about common allergens. They can use special black light technology to detect hidden allergens and pollutants lurking in Rosie's doll house. Or, they can find out what makes Rosie sneeze while playing The Allergies: True or False? game. They'll even get to navigate dust particles through a gigantic nasal passage in The Big Achoo!
“Through Riff and Rosie, kids can make a connection and make these environmental concepts tangible,” said Milnar. “They'll experience an 'Ah-Hah!' moment.”
Fish for clues and find out why the Marigold Marsh is so polluted while learning how to properly get rid of trash. Conduct mucky water experiments on samples taken from the Marsh and Mr. Slaptail's well. Race and filter out water pollutants before these reach Riff and Rosie's swimming hole in Clean it Up!, and fill up Riff's model to see how his body uses water for digestion and perspiration.
Get grossed out in Mr. Slaptail's House! Inspect a real mold colony and watch a time lapse video of how food decays (you might want think about clearing out your fridge from days-old leftovers after this). Learn how food can make you sick and Race to the Peak making healthy food choices!
Then, hang out with Riff or Rosie when they make special appearances!
CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD ALONE
My Home, Planet Earth was created by the Children's Museum of Houston, in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine. Funds for the project's design, development, construction and maintenance were provided by a $1.58 million grant from the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program of the National Center for Research Resources.
Some visitors will already be familiar with the adventures of Riff and Rosie through their exposure to My Health, My World, a National Institutes of Health-funded curriculum developed in 1997 by Baylor College of Medicine faculty. This elementary school curriculum, which is geared toward children ages 5 to 10, parents, caregivers and teachers, has been disseminated nationally though university and museum partners and is also available from the Carolina Biological Supply Company.
ABOUT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON
The Children's Museum of Houston is rated one of the top two Children's Museums in the country by Child magazine and No. 1 by a survey of top youth museums on MSN.com. Serving more than 750,000 people annually, the Children's Museum of Houston is the highest-attended youth museum in the country for its size. The Museum is dedicated to transforming communities through innovative, child-centered learning and offers 14 galleries of hands-on exhibits and innovative bilingual learning programs for kids ages birth to 12 years. The Children's Museum is located at 1500 Binz in Houston's Museum District. Admission is $5 per person and $4 for seniors 65 years and older. Children under two and Museum Members receive free admission. Free Family Nights are offered Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. courtesy of The Wortham Foundation, Inc. and Kathrine McGovern and the late John P. McGovern, M.D. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed Mondays but open on Federal Holidays, during Houston Independent School District's Spring Break and during the summer months from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.cmhouston.org or call (713) 522-1138.
New Hours beginning June 2: On June 2, hours will be changed to: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 6 p.m. Thursday Free Family Nights will remain the same (5 – 8 p.m.) |
Childrens Museum of Houston |
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