Water:
H2O = Life is organized by the American Museum
of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org),
and Science Museum of Minnesota (www.smm.org)
in collaboration with Great Lakes Science Center,
Cleveland; The Field Museum, Chicago; Instituto
Sangari, São Paulo, Brazil; National
Museum of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario
Museum, Toronto, Canada; San Diego Natural History
Museum; and Singapore Science Centre with PUB
Singapore.
The American Museum of Natural History gratefully
acknowledges the Tamarind Foundation for its
leadership support of Water: H2O = Life, and
the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
for its assistance.
Exclusive corporate sponsorship
for Water: H20 = Life is provided by JPMorgan.
Water: H2O = Life is supported by a generous
grant from the National Science Foundation.
The Museum extends its gratitude to the Panta
Rhea Foundation, Park Foundation, and Wege Foundation
for their support of the exhibition’s
educational programming and materials.
The exhibition is curated by Eleanor Sterling,
Director of the American Museum of Natural History’s
Center for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC) and
an expert in marine biodiversity conservation.
“Water
is vital to our survival as individuals, to
the welfare and sustainability of human societies,
and, indeed, to the health of all ecosystems
on Earth,” said Ellen V. Futter, President
of the American Museum of Natural History. “Yet,
in the 21st century, water usage and population
growth patterns are straining our planet’s
precious and finite water resources. Building
on the Museum’s longstanding tradition
of educating the public about pressing and topical
issues, Water: H2O = Life will present the comprehensive
story of water from scientific, cultural, and
environmental points of view while also celebrating
the beauty and inspiration humans have found
in water.”
Water: H2O = Life will explore the beauty and
wonder of our planet’s “lifeblood”
using an innovative combination of cutting-edge
presentation techniques, including live fishes
and frogs, images projected on a curtain of
fog, a six-foot globe displaying satellite images
of Earth, immersive dioramas, and interactive
exhibits that will allow visitors to experience
firsthand the power of water. The exhibition
will also examine the most compelling challenges
that people and ecosystems around the globe
face with respect to water quality and availability.
Artifacts from the Museum’s and other
collections will highlight diverse cultural
and spiritual aspects of water. Throughout the
exhibition, visitors will be challenged to reconsider
the way they view water—to see it not
as a limitless resource to be taken for granted,
but as the limited and life-sustaining resource
it truly is.
STILL ON EXHIBIT:
HALL OF HUMAN ORIGINS
The innovative Spitzer Hall, the successor
to the Museum's popular Hall of Human Biology
and Evolution, combines for the first time anywhere
the most up-to-date discoveries in the fossil
record with the latest in genomic science to
explore the most profound mysteries of humankind:
who we are, where we came from, and what is
in store for the future of our species. Permanent
Exhibit. For more detailed information,
click here.
BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY
This annual exhibit has become a favorite
of locals and tourists alike. Featuring of up
to 500 species of live, free-flying tropical
butterflies that come from parts of Asia, Africa,
North, Central & South America. Butterfly
species vary from Monarchs to Scarlet Swallowtails
to the large Owl Butterfly. These butterflies
are housed in a vivarium that serves as a natural
habitat with live flowering plants and controlled
light and temperatures that gives off a tropical
atmosphere for butterflies and visitors. For
more information, click
here.
Central Park West at 79th Street
212-769-5100
www.amnh.org
New
York, September 6, 2007—The American Museum
of Natural History today announced a new exhibition,
Water: H2O = Life, that will give visitors an in-depth
look at one of the most important substances and
environmental issues that we face. This exhibition
illuminates one of the most pressing challenges
of the 21st century: humanity’s sustainable
management and use of the life-giving, but finite,
resource—water.
