Smithsonian Mobile Exhibit Explores the Human-Animal Bond
"Animal Connections" Comes to Delaware Museum of Natural History
From the cows that provide the milk for a bowl of cereal to the deer nibbling on a shrub in the park, and from sea lions working with their trainers at the zoo to puppies chasing balls in the yard, the connections humans have with animals are vast. This special relationship is explored in"Animal Connections: Our Journey Together," a new mobile exhibit from the Smithsonian, on view at the Delaware Museum of Natural History Friday, October 24 & Saturday, October 25, 2014.
"Animal Connections: Our Journey Together" is a custom-built exhibit housed on an 18-wheel truck that expands into 1,000 square feet of space. This free exhibit will be parked in the lot near the Museum's front entrance and will be open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The two-day stop will be highlighted by "MOOseum for a Day" on Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. This special event is free to the public and will explore the world of veterinary medicine with the Museum, local friends, and partners. Vets, farmers, and the animals they care for will be present to share the importance of veterinary medicine to animals, people, and the environment.
Divided into five sections, "Animal Connections" focuses on animals in the home, on the farm, at the zoo, in the wild and at the veterinary clinic. Visitors are offered a variety of ways to learn through informative displays, dynamic videos, and interactive experiences. In the home section, visitors will learn how to select the right pet and the possible dangers to pets, such as household items like plants and holiday decorations and giving them food prepared for family members. A display in the farm section highlights the mobile clinics that large-animal veterinarians stock with a variety of tools-from dental speculums to cow magnets-to ensure they are prepared for any procedure. A virtual clinic at the center of the exhibition provides visitors the opportunity to play veterinarian. Through touch screens, they can examine and diagnose what ails their virtual patients-a dog, a piglet, and a cheetah.
The exhibit explores the shared responsibility for animals' health and well-being. It also highlights the varied roles veterinarians play in the health of animals. Videos showcase that even suburban areas have a great diversity of wildlife-from the squirrels trying to break into a birdfeeder to a bear lounging in a hammock.
WHAT: Animal Connections: Our Journey Together & MOOseum for a Day
WHERE: Delaware Museum of Natural History, 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807
DATES: Animal Connections: October 24 & 25, 2014
MOOseum for a Day: October 25, 2014
MOOseum for a Day: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.ADMISSION: FREE
MORE INFO: Visit www.delmnh.org or call (302) 658-9111
