Museum PR Announcements News and Information

New component on the causes and impact of climate change to open at Cincinnati Museum Center

Component created in partnership with University of Cincinnati

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati has teamed up with Cincinnati Museum Center to present a new component of the Glacial Geology Hall in the Museum of Natural History & Science opening on Earth Day, April 22. The component Climate Change and Us highlights scientific research and discoveries concerning the effects and causes of global climate change. With the support and research of the University of Cincinnati, the exhibit presents a timeline of climate change and educates visitors about how they can help minimize its effects.

Climate Change and Us was first conceived in April 2013 when an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Cincinnati sought an opportunity to share new research on global climate change in a way that would be accessible to a wider audience. They approached Cincinnati Museum Center with the idea to add a new component to the Museum of Natural History & Science. The University of Cincinnati team, comprised of Brooke Crowley, Ph.D., Aaron Diefendorf, Ph.D., Linda Plevyak, Ph.D. and graduate student Erika Freimuth, applied funding from a University Research Council grant to support the project.

The component focuses on not only the current research and impacts of climate change but also examines how natural forces have caused climate to change over the course of Earth’s history. One of the main goals of Climate Change and Us is to educate visitors on how they can reduce some of the stresses climate change puts on local and global plant and animal life. A case of extinct and endangered specimens from Cincinnati Museum Center collections will help illustrate the ramifications of climate change.
Climate Change and Us also includes interactive touchscreen videos that share the findings and implications of several professors from the University of Cincinnati. The interactive videos feature the research of University of Cincinnati professors Wendy Eisner, Ph.D., Ken Hinkel, Ph.D. and Susanna Tong, Ph.D. of the Department of Geography; Tom Lowell, Ph.D. of the Department of Geology; Vern Scarborough, Ph.D. and Daniel Murphy, Ph.D. of the Department of Anthropology; and Brooke Crowley, Ph.D. of the departments of Geology and Anthropology. The video featurettes, produced and edited by Cincinnati Museum Center, will emphasize how changing climates impact people worldwide and what you can do to prepare for and mitigate its effects.

The component is a multidisciplinary effort, pairing the research and expertise of the University of Cincinnati with the educational outreach of Cincinnati Museum Center, brought to life by Museum Center’s talented exhibits team including Chris Novy, David Might, Bob Nienaber, Kevin Kunz, Jay Bader and Sarah Lima with audio-visual support from Jason Nix.
Climate Change and Us opens to the public on Earth Day, April 22, 2014 in the Museum of Natural History & Science at Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibit will be open during normal museum hours, and is included with the price of admission to the Museum of Natural History & Science or with your Cincinnati Museum Center Membership.

Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution as well as national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of only 16 museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Our Union Terminal has been voted the nation’s 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children’s Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and the Cincinnati History Library. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes one million plus visitors annually. For more information, visit cincymuseum.org.