Track down animals that live up in the trees at the Delaware Museum of Natural History's new special exhibit Tree Houses, open May 29 through September 6, 2010. Visitors can step inside an indoor tree house to discover hands-on activities that explore the many habitats trees provide for creatures large and small -- and people, too.
The search for tree dwellers starts with stereoscopic viewfinders, tracking clues, natural artifacts, and sound. Tree house structures built of sustainably-harvested wood reveal touchable models of tracks, scat, scratches, and chew marks left by a raccoon, woodpecker, squirrel, and owl. Animal mounts and models sit in the branches above, a hollow tree trunk, and an underground skunk den. The youngest visitors can scramble into the "Crow's Nest" to get a bit closer to the animals overhead.
"Families will learn how animals' bodies are adapted to arboreal habitats, what kinds of animal clues to look and listen for in the woods, and how people use trees for their homes," Executive Director Halsey Spruance said.
Children can cross a wobbly bridge to arrive at an area where the themes are "Look Closer" and "Listen." A series of motion detectors turns the entire platform into a "Forest-Sound Dance Floor." A wave of the hand triggers an animal sound while an illustration of that animal lights up on the floor. Visitors work together to create a forest-sound symphony of bear grunts, woodpecker taps, turkey gobbles, and other noises. Along the railings are special viewers showing astonishing 3-D photos of the smaller life hidden in trees: tree frogs, spiders, and insects.
Inside the Morphing Kitchen, a corner of the wall is peeled back to reveal the wood studs, one of which is still changing from its tree form complete with a branch, roots, and a trunk dividing into dimensional lumber. The back spindles and legs of the kitchen chair are emerging from tree branches. Tree houses from around the world -- both real and imagined in stories -- are displayed. Visitors can design their own tree houses in miniature using building toys, and a computerized game teaches how to harvest trees without harming wildlife.
Tree Houses is sponsored by DuPont and was created by the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative (EEC) with support from Jane's Trust and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Students from local high schools painted decorative backdrops for the exhibit to enhance the feel of being in a woodland environment.
