Connecticut Science Center Premieres New Climate Change Exhibit

The Connecticut Science Center this month opens a timely new and exclusive exhibition, Our Changing Earth. Coming as public interest is noticeably increasing – particularly among young people - regarding the immediate and long-term impact of climate change, the new exhibition explores the science driving change throughout Earth’s history and looks ahead at what might happen next.

An array of new and enhanced exhibits will feature the most up-to-date scientific data and trends creating an immersive experience, focusing on earth science, its impact on humans, and the influence of humans on the environment. Our Changing Earth, sponsored by Pitney Bowes Foundation, is being unveiled during the Connecticut Science Center’s 10th anniversary year.

“The Earth has been sculpted over hundreds of millions of years by powerful forces, including volcanoes, earthquakes, erosion, ice, floods, and storms,” said Connecticut Science Center President and CEO Matt Fleury. “While some changes occur rapidly - even suddenly - others develop extremely slowly. There is no question that our environment is still changing today – and that humans have risen to the level of a geologic force influencing those changes. Our Changing Earth uses data to explain why, and how, in ways that will bring our world’s story and our role in its future very close to home.”

"We are pleased to support this exciting new center of learning at the Connecticut Science Center ; one that has been thoughtfully designed to engage students with innovative, engaging and effective learning approaches," said Kathleen Ryan Mufson, Director, Global Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy, Pitney Bowes, and President of the Pitney Bowes Foundation.

Visitors to the new exhibit gallery will have an opportunity to explore:

• Connecticut’s changing landscape and look back at the state’s geological history from the Great Crunch of 500 million years ago to the Great Crack of 200 million years and on to the Ice Age, the present, and the future. The presentation includes contemporary landscapes shaped by volcanism and tectonics, storms, flooding, and global climate change.
• Ice age glaciation that once covered Connecticut ─ over a mile deep ─ in a giant simulated ledge of ice. Towering over visitors, this immersive experience will help visitors understand the correlation between global temperatures and ice flow. Visitors can also take a video tour of highway outcrops around the state where it is possible to see examples of rock formations representing different points in the geologic past.
• An iconic journey to the center of the earth inside a giant geodesic dome (complete with vibrating core). Visitors will discover the relative fragility of the Earth’s life-bearing crust, and better understand magma flow, continental shift, and plate tectonics through augmented reality, hands-on tactile experiences, and interactive touchscreens.
• Historical flood heights on a scale version of the nearby Bulkeley Bridge in Hartford with an interactive exhibit on how the ebbs and flows of a tidal river work.
• The impacts of our changing climate in Connecticut on the Connecticut Science Center’s GIS (Geographic Information System) - enabled touchscreen, which allows visitors to layer in unique risk data that can help predict the future impact of big storms on the coastline or the effect of rising temperatures on our state. The GIS software and risk datasets were provided by Pitney Bowes Software and Data, whose data and software experts assisted in the implementation of this engaging exhibit.

"We are delighted to collaborate with the Center on this exhibit. Our geospatial technology and data bring to life the experiential learning opportunities that benefit users of every age," said Bob Guidotti, President and EVP, Pitney Bowes Software & Data.

Science Center visitors can experience hurricane-force winds in the Hurricane Simulator, in which visitors enter an isolation chamber to feel the powerful force of a hurricane. They can also learn about technology’s role in forecasting the weather by building and recording their own weather forecast, just like a real meteorologist, using real-time weather data in the WFSB Early Warning Pinpoint Doppler Radar Exhibit.

Earth’s sometimes dramatic impacts on people are explored through the new American Red Cross preparedness section of the exhibition, showing critical supplies for the aftermath of a storm. This feature includes opportunities for photos and immersive play in the Rescue Scene with rescue and relief gear and a climb-in inflatable rescue craft.

Another feature – The Problem of Plastic – explains that plastic bottles can last 450 years in a landfill and examines the devastating effect plastic has on the ocean and its wildlife. The exhibit offers a visual representation to help visitors understand how each of us can make a difference. Supporting the Science Center’s STEM Career Connections initiative, the entire exhibition will also provide insights into STEM Careers related to the changing conditions across the planet.

The new Our Changing Earth gallery, on Level 6 at the Science Center, is a top-to-bottom redesign of a previous gallery, introducing new, engaging exhibits highlighting various aspects of scientific discovery and highlighting key eras of change on the planet.

The exhibition will be a must-see attraction for families and individuals and a valuable resource for educators. Our Changing Earth offers school groups powerful coverage of geological, historical, environmental, and climate sciences. The experiential, minds-on learning processes embodied in the exhibition, and all Connecticut Science Center exhibitions and programs, align strongly with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) in 2015.