Backyard Science at the Museum of Discovery
- Ongoing: until Wednesday, March 31, 2010
- Sunday: 1:00pm
- Monday: 9:00am
- Tuesday: 9:00am
- Wednesday: 9:00am
- Thursday: 9:00am
- Friday: 9:00am
- Saturday: 9:00am
- Where: MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY, Little Rock
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Backyard Science
Now through 2010
You don't have to go to a lab to study science - it's in your back yard! Explore biology, astronomy and earth science by visiting Backyard Science. Backyard Science was created for the Arkansas Discovery Network, funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, and is one of seven exhibits that are part of the Arkansas Museum Road Trip.
Backyard Science makes science personal and accessible to everyone. Come and discover the diversity of life and the dynamic range of scientific processes that happen every day all around you.
Step into our backyard and discover that it contains a large, diverse population of living things within different habitats and ecosystems. Experiment with scientific processes that teach about the sky, rainbows, weather, geology, patterns in nature, and latitude.
Learn about the invertebrates and vertebrates that inhabit a backyard, see their backyard habitat, and discover how they interact in a backyard ecosystem.
This exhibit includes:
Species diversity. Compare the species diversity and biomass of insects to other species of animals. Why the sky is blue. Learn about a phenomenon called “Ryleigh Scattering” and experiment with the properties of scattered light. Rainbows. Make your own rainbows and learn that rainbows in sunlight are actually circular. Backyard astronomy. What stars are visible from your backyard? Learn about the complexities of celestial navigation. Weather. Learn about different conditions of the air during various weather phenomena. Latitude. Learn how the angle of the North Star can be used to determine latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Plant life in the back yard. Learn about plant pollination and how insects work to perform this necessary task. The patterns found in life that live in the backyard. Discover patterns that fireflies create during different weather and temperature conditions. Learn why fireflies flash, and that each species has a different signal pattern.
Schools, youth groups, and other organizations interested in group reservations should call Beth Nelsen at 501-396-7061 for more information.
Admission fees to the Museum of Discovery are $7.00 for children 1-12, $8.00 for adults and $7.00 for adults 65 and older. Annual memberships are available for as low as $45.00.
For more information on the Museum of Discovery, visit www.museumofdiscovery.org.
OTHER PROGRAMS
The Museum offers something for almost every age group! To reserve your program, contact Beth Nelsen, Reservationist, at (501) 396-7061 or bnelsen@amod.org
Camp-Ins - Imagine spending the night in the Museum! Included in your evening of fun is exploring the Museum's exhibits, science programs, and live animal shows.
Lively Science - Discover the Museum's animal family and learn about animal characteristics, animal classification and more. Each month, a Museum educator brings a live animal to your classroom, community center, etc.
Science Odyssey - Classes such as "Wizards Lab" and "Got Gas" bring science to life through hands-on interaction.
Small Group & Assembly Programs - Let us bring our "whiz-bang" science programs to your school, community center, church, etc. Choose from a variety of topics. Some programs can be adapted to groups of 50 or more.
About the Museum of Discovery
Founded in 1927, the Museum of Discovery is the oldest museum in Little Rock. It remains a fixture of the River Market District in Downtown Little Rock, attracting visitors of all ages. With over 25,000 square feet of hands-on, interactive exhibits, the Museum is a family destination "where you have worlds to discover."
The mission of the Museum is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment. In addition to permanent and traveling exhibits, the Museum offers special events, school programs, outreach programs, birthday parties and facility rentals.
In 2008, the Museum served over 95,000 people, including school groups from around the state. The Museum raises support through special events, individual and corporate donations, planned giving, bequests and special campaigns. Donations to the Museum are tax-deductible. To support the Museum of Discovery, contact (501) 396-7050 ext. 212.
The Museum of Discovery is a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited by the American Association of Museums and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers and the Association of Children's Museums.
This event was posted Sept. 1, 2009 and last updated Feb. 25, 2010
