In the making of museum exhibitions, we learned that after brain storming comes the narrowing of ideas. Brett asked us to prepare a conceptual package that would synthesize our research and propose our plan for production. For our first version we presented tons different ideas in order to get feedback on which would be the the most feasible to pursue.
Below is an outline of our conceptual package components, as well as an initial slide deck.
MAIN INTERACTIVE IDEAS:
Interactive rock layers (AR, stackable sandbox with projections)
Narrative (ancestor shrew → mammal descendants, volcano → dust → no light → dino → dead)
Dark room/Mass Extinction experience (projections, VR)
Geological timeline (jumping rocks, Globe - to show areas of geological evidence or illustrate different time periods)
Games: choose what happens to the earth, build an animal to survive extinction
What is the research?
Geology & rock layer analysis
Mass Extinction → Dust clouds and volcanic eruption
Space: astrophysical Galaxy
Connection between dark matter and volcanoes and asteroids
Message
What is our focus?
Scale of “deep time” & “deep space”
The experience of a mass extinction: what does it feel like?
We could include some of Dr. Rampino’s more speculative theories, but we will specifically focus on geological evidence and how it relates to specific events that are agreed upon (i.e. mass extinction via comet, dust cloud)
What is the takeaway for others?
Mass extinctions are cyclical due to earth’s orbit in space that triggers both asteroid impacts and volcanic eruptions
Without the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, we would not exist. “We are here by chance” - Rampino
A more holistic understanding of our earth requires the consilience of science. Where separate disciplines intersect is where we discover a better picture of how the world works.
Audience
Who?
Families
All ages
Anyone who is interested in science and history
What type of museum?
Science/Natural History Museum
Goals
How awesome and necessary it is to show this
This exhibit is necessary because it is a tool to learn about and reflect upon why the earth is the way it is. Through our interactive, we will capture abstract concepts, such as the universe’s timeline, mass extinctions, and how we humans came to exist.
Although the next extinction will not occur for millions of years, we hope to convey the idea that Earth is a special place to live and worth taking care of. While things like dark matter, asteroids, and volcanoes are out of our control, there are daily things we can do to protect the earth we have.
Sketches/Visualizations (can be shown as Renderings of interactive design form, digital illustrations, 3D models, can include notes on interactive components & materials)
Written Description
Written version of interactive design
Prior Art Examples/references
Goal: What we hope users get out of the experience
In honor of the shrew that survived mass extinction, we deemed our team name: Ancestor Shrew
Ancestor Shrew doodle by Dylan.