Welcome to a universe where your superpower may be to withstand the power of an earthquake unharmed.
Elementary school students: Get ready to have fun while learning about the forces of nature.
Force Factory, a new children’s discovery exhibit, is being planned at Anniston Museum of Natural History to engage children and families in unique learning experiences.
The exhibit will introduce the forces of nature and how to be protected from their awesome power. And the creative and engaging environment will encourage free play and problem-solving skills.
Cross-generational participatory exhibits will incorporate science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) standards from the Alabama Course of Study for children in pre-K through elementary school.
“We’ll introduce our youngest patrons to how these forces affect the natural world, how to protect life from nature’s power and its importance to the development of life,” said Alan Robison, executive director of the Anniston Museums and Gardens.
Through moving imagery, hands-on activities and interactive experiences, Force Factory will demonstrate the interconnection of natural forces and how they affect every aspect of life.
The center of the exhibit will feature digital art stations, magnet stations, microscopes and Keva plank stations. Four quadrants are planned – each focused on a different “force” with its own interactive experience.
The Air station, for example, will put visitors in the eye of the storm to experience a tornado’s fury. In the Earth quadrant, children can feel the power of an earthquake under their feet in a simulator that allows them to select the severity of the temblor.
In the Water quadrant, visitors can dive deep below the ocean’s surface in a submarine to see an aquatic world come alive and learn how to keep oceans clean for a healthy ecosystem. In the Fire quadrant, students can take control of a helicopter to help manage controlled burns and extinguish out-of-control fires.
“We are very excited about introducing this new exhibit to our region,” Robison said. “I’m most grateful to the Alabama Power Foundation and our other corporate sponsors for financial assistance.”
Construction of Force Factory is expected to take about a year when funding is secured.
The Anniston Museum of Natural History offers more than 2,000 natural history items on permanent display. It is accredited through the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).
The museum dates to 1930, when H. Severn Regar gave his collection of historical objects and biological specimens to the city of Anniston. The gift formed the foundation of the museum’s Birds of the Americas exhibit hall, which has more than 400 specimens of North American birds displayed in their habitats. The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
To learn more about Anniston Museums and Gardens, visit www.ExploreAMAG.org.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
