Fernbank Museum Gives Visitors the Scoop on Poop
Interactive, Science-Based Fun Delivers the #1 Exhibit about #2!
Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s summer exhibition isn’t a bunch of malarkey—it’s dung, poop and scat. The Scoop on Poop, on view from May 26 through September 3, 2012, is a hands-on, humorous approach to learning the science of studying animals based on the clues they leave behind.
The exhibition sprung from the pages of the popular The Scoop on Poop children’s book by Dr. Wayne Lynch as a tactful blend of good science and fun. Featuring three live animal displays that include hissing cockroaches, live mice and a box turtle, the interactive exhibition uses a sense of humor to investigate a subject people often find difficult to talk about with a straight face.
The Scoop on Poop leads visitors on an investigation of what poop is and how animals and humans use it. Fish do it, frogs do it, pythons, eagles and elephants do it, too. But it can have many uses that scientists use to uncover important information.
Visitors learn how animals use poop to build homes, hide from enemies, attract mates, send messages, and cool off – some even eat it. Veterinarians, farmers, naturalists, paleontologists, Maasai tribesmen and power companies use it, too. The exhibition reveals that poop is a scientific puzzle. With a little detective work, you can learn a lot about an animal by what it leaves behind.
The Scoop on Poop features large colorful graphic panels, three-dimensional models, and fun interactive components. Visitors are invited to listen in on an animal’s digestive system, learn the language of poop in countries around the world, examine fecal samples in a veterinarian’s lab, compete in dung beetle races, track wild animals by clues left in scat, see how long it takes an elephant to poop its body weight, improve their “#2 IQ” in stool school, and “meet” a dinosaur dung detective.
In addition to the live animals on display in the exhibition, Fernbank will offer live animal encounters and additional educational programming inside the exhibition’s Scoop Theater.* (*Programs and animal encounters offered at select times.)
“We know from the lighthearted jokes making us giggle that poop can be funny. But it’s also something all animals do and is a valuable tool for learning more about animals, even when they aren’t around,” said Lynn Anders, Fernbank’s Animal Programs Manager. “This is a fun way to show that science is far from a dirty word, even when it involves poop.”
The Scoop on Poop is included with Museum admission, which is $17.50 for adults, $16.50 for students/seniors, $15.50 for children ages 3-12, and free for children ages 2 and younger. The exhibition is free for Museum members. Special discounts are also available to schools and other groups of 10 or more.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Visitor information is available by calling 404.929.6300 or visiting fernbankmuseum.org.
Visit fernbankmuseum.org for tickets and more information.
