HR: 1340h
AN: ED33A-0758    [Abstracts]
TI: How a Small Natural History Museum Promotes GeoScience Education
AU: * DAmore, J
EM: jdamore@ptmsc.org
AF: Port Townsend Marine Science Center, 532Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368 United States
AB: Established 23 years ago as a small aquarium, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center has grown to be a respected institution focused on marine education. Its recently opened Natural History Building highlights connections between marine ecology, the dynamic Washington shoreline, and the forces that shaped the region. An exhibit focal point is a hands-on Washington Geo-puzzle that demonstrates with sliding layers the tectonic forces that formed and continue to form our state. Another exhibit describes a local geologist's research concerning a seismic event 2300 years ago, evidence of which can be seen on a local beach. Last year when the Center received a grant of an AS-1 seismometer, earthquakes and plate tectonics became a natural direction to expand school programs and community involvement projects, especially with the Center's location in a seismically active part of the world. Public programs on earthquakes and tsunamis have generated strong community interest, and school programs and a youth summer camp with a seismology focus are planned. As an informal science center still actively engaged in program and exhibit design, we are eager to hear ideas from teachers and other educators on ways local museums can provide unique experiences that schools may not be able to offer. Port Townsend Marine Science Center, located in a popular state park on Washington's Olympic Peninsula is an important provider of marine and natural history education in the Puget Sound Basin. We offer classes for schools, teacher training workshops, summer camps, adult education, citizen science opportunities and many other programs.
DE: 0815 Informal education
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting