American Museum of Natural History Race To The End Of The Earth

This weekend there is a new exhibit opening at the American Museum of Natural History entitled Race To The End Of The Earth.  Race to the End of the Earth recounts one of the most stirring tales of Antarctic exploration: the contest to be the first to reach the South Pole in 1911–1912.  The exhibition focuses on the challenges that two competing explorers, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the British Royal Navy Captain Robert Falcon Scott, and their teams faced trying to be the first to reach the South Pole. 

I was privileged to be invited to the media preview held yesterday.  I was able to get a sneak peek at the exhibit prior to its opening to the public.  I am sure that there will be many reviews written in the next few days about this exhibit, as it was both informative and visually beautiful.  But as I walked throughout the exhibition I looked at it through the eyes of a parent and the interests of a child.  So the following is from my "mommy blogger" perspective.

 

When you enter the exhibition hall you enter a darkened space with large lighted fixtures that bring to mind sheets of ice and icebergs.  You are encouraged to take a card corresponding with one of six of the people on the explorer's teams.  It draws you in, giving you photographs and details about an individual and you want to see what happens to "you".  There is a video presentation, projected on to one of the ice walls showing footage and photographs from the explorations.  You get the setup of the journeys you will follow, pertinent information as to how the competition began and other background information.

You then begin exploring the hall.  There are wonderful artifacts on display as well as art pieces inspired by this time in history.  Although very interesting to read as an adult, I tried to focus on what my children would be seeing. 

Throughout the exhibit there are sliding animation tiles.  The tiles slide, animating things like penguins and dog sleds.  These same tiles are used in many of my children's books, and it is familiar to my child. 

There are recreated sleeping quarters for the different explorers.  These are well done and gives includes many of the period pieces, photographs of family and such that it makes the explorers human.

I loved the dug-out recreation of Amundson's camp.  It was stunning to see things like the height, the cave like feeling and still drawing you in to the period tools needed in this environment.

One of my favorite hands-on manipulative was the set-up that included the simple compass.  It explained that at the South Pole a magnetic compass does not work properly, something that I had never considered.  It visually ties in the magnetic fields and how this causes a compass to dip.  You then get to try it by sliding the compass over the globe and see it visually dip down before your eyes.  I couldn't help but think that my 10 year old Weblos scout would LOVE this!

As any parent with little children knows, they just adore the dioramas that the AMNH does like no other.  There are many scattered throughout.

My absolute favorite part that I know my children would love, and inadvertently learn a ton of information from, are the interactive books.  Narrated by actual Norwegian and British actors to portray the explorers, and chock full of pictures, these books are wonderful.  Plus what kid (or adult) can resist the urge to pull through the pages with their fingers on the screen?

                                    

The vistas created in this room are stunning.  I love the penguins with the aurora background, back lit and beautiful! 

Towards the end of your journey you get to compare some of the items used a century ago with our modern conveniences.  This appears in the history portion of the exhibit, a comparison of the English tendency for wool garments to keep warm to the Norwegian tendency towards furs and skins.

At the end of the exhibit in the modern day portion you get to see what gear would be worn now to keep warm in the arctic temperatures.

One of my favorite items in the entire exhibit was the prefabricated shelter used now, called apples or tomatoes for their bright red appearance.  It was pretty remarkable, especially in comparison to the shelters used a hundred years ago.

Overall, I love this exhibit.  I find it educational and interesting for both parents and children.  I think there was more than enough content geared towards kids to make the experience educational for them, but also a ton of in depth coverage to keep adults engaged.  It's a definite "see it"!

RACE TO THE END OF THE EARTH exhibit will be at the American Museum of Natural History May 29, 2010 through January 2, 2011.


Race to the End of the Earth is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org), in collaboration with the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.