Gallery Floor Plan
Featured Exhibits
|
Through interactive exhibits and wet labs, explore the Connecticut River, the stories of its past, ways we study and understand it in the present, and how we can maintain the life of the river in the future. The Connecticut River is an ever-changing ecosystem whose health can be assessed by monitoring its biological, chemical and physical makeup. Join us as we embark on a virtual journey through the life of the river.
|
Connecticut Watershed System
 A watershed is a region of land where water flows into a specific body of water, and in our case that’s the Connecticut River. In the Connecticut Watershed System exhibit, you can learn about our own watershed and by using a large curving water table, change the strength of the water flow, move the grit to change topography, build bridges and dams, and experiment with their ‘cause and effect’ relationships. This is a must-see exhibit; watersheds provide habitats for animals, prevent erosion, and contain flooding, making it extremely important for us to understand how to care for them.
The River Over Time
Turn the pages of a super-sized book to discover fascinating stories about the Connecticut River over time. With each turn of the page you will catch an animated glimpse of the changing shape of the Connecticut River and the valley surrounding it. You may choose a storyline to follow the history of the river as told from various perspectives, helping you understand the river’s history and how it relates to the many social, ecological, and technological changes it has experienced.
Home on the River
We are not the only ones connected to the Connecticut River. Our river is home to a number of diverse species that are all connected in the intricate balance of our shared waterway. The Home on the River exhibit will allow you to observe, up close, the rich collection of animals that are sustained by the Connecticut River. And we really mean up close! You will be able to crawl under and stick your head into multiple tanks and windows in the “Wet Zone” to experience the variety of living creatures within the River’s ecosystem. At the exhibit’s “Wet Lab” you will have the opportunity to use your scientific skills to correlate water quality measurements to the life support system needed to maintain the tanks’ water quality. Caring for our River helps not only us, but also the multitude of life forms sustained by the River’s many ecosystems.
|
