Truckee Connects: A Review
As soon as you enter the main room
at the Discovery Museum in Reno, Nevada you find yourself staring at a colossal
three-story cloud themed climbing structure. But the exhibit that really interested me was at the base of
the structure. Truckee Connects
was a water hydrology exhibit molded after the Truckee River. At the beginning of the river was a
representation of Lake Tahoe, at the end was Pyramid Lake.
The exhibit allowed the exhibit allowed the viewers to
interact in a variety of different ways.
The viewer could: Sail boats across Lake Tahoe using fans, divert water
to a working power plant, float a miniature tube down the river, open and close
a dam, operate a working fish ladder, and participate in a variety of
activities at the end on Pyramid Lake.
The river requires a full swimming pool filtration system, and a certified
technician for clean water operation.
I felt that this exhibit was
extremely successful as a learning too that allowed the viewers to relate
scientific principals to a local landmark. The level of interaction required by the viewer was high,
without their participation, it would not be possible to fully understand the
lessons intended. However, once
there are a dozen or so kids operating the river, other patrons can view the
piece from a variety of different angles.
Overall, I thought this was a well-rounded
exhibit that balanced education, engagement, and entertainment. If I were to change an aspect of the
exhibit, I would have added a panel or two discussing lake Tahoe, its depths,
and the conservation efforts involved with keeping Tahoe blue. It is just as important or more to
instill a sense of conservation at a young age as it is to learn about
hydrology.
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