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The Montshire Museum of Science forges and empowers lifelong learners through engagement with science.

The Montshire Museum of Science is an interactive science center in Norwich, Vermont, with more than 150 hands-on exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology. Outdoors, visitors can explore nature trails and exhibits on wind, water, and sound in David Goudy Science Park. Visiting exhibitions, educational programs, and special events are offered throughout the year.

The Montshire Museum of Science is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is supported by admission, membership, grants, and charitable contributions.

Jul
20
2017

Climate & Culture Day: A Festival of International Understanding

Come to the Montshire Museum of Science on Saturday, July 29, for Climate & Culture Day: A Festival of International Understanding. Discover how science, culture, and climate change intermix by participating in the Montshire’s first international project. This activity-packed day celebrates newly forged connections between the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire and the country of Bhutan.

For the past year, the Montshire has led the international collaboration Weaving Strands of Knowledge: Connecting Culture and Science to Climate Change. This global project brought together rural communities from New England and Bhutan to discuss personal stories about the impact of climate change.

“People’s personal narratives and perceptions about climate change are important to understanding and solving the issue facing our planet,” explains Montshire Director of Education Greg DeFrancis. “We need to bring personal stories to the table to encourage conversations about our environment. By doing so, we’ll support new ways to address climate change education.”

“The idea is to see how environmental changes relate to peoples’ lives,” adds Andrew Coppens, Assistant Professor of Education in Learning Sciences at the University of New Hampshire. “We all come at this from different views and different knowledge bases. That will provide its own rich results.”

On July 29, Montshire visitors will have the opportunity to listen to many of these conversations and to start their own discussion on the impact of climate change on their lives.

Climate & Culture Day Activities

Listening Stations
Hear recordings of personal stories about climate change from Bhutan and New England.

Story-collecting Stations, 11am–4pm
Contribute to the Weaving Strands of Knowledge project by sharing stories about your own connection to the environment and your experiences with how climate change has impacted you.

Peace Flags, 11am– 4pm
Contribute to a community art project by decorating colorful peace flags with environmental images.

About Weaving Strands of Knowledge
Weaving Strands of Knowledge is a collaboration between the Montshire Museum of Science, the Folk Heritage Museum of Bhutan (administered by the Tarayana Cultural Foundation), the University of New Hampshire, and Royal Thimphu College of Bhutan. This collaboration was made possible by the Museums Connect program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs managed by the American Alliance of Museums.

The Montshire and the Folk Heritage Museum served as community hubs for international interaction between students at the University of New Hampshire and Royal Thimphu College. Through various virtual and in-person meetings, students from across the globe learned about storytelling, climate change, and international culture. Montshire staff and faculty and students from the University of New Hampshire visited Bhutan in May to collect stories in rural villages and towns in Bhutan. In July, Royal Thimphu College students and faculty, as well as staff from the Folk Heritage Museum and Tarayana Foundation, journeyed to the Upper Valley, where they rejoined their American colleagues and conducted interviews with local farmers, hikers, and other members of the local communities. Together they edited audio stories that showcased personal stories about the impact of climate change.

About Museums Connect: Building Global Communities
The Museums Connect program strengthens connections and cultural understanding between people in the United States and abroad through innovative projects facilitated by museums and executed by their communities. The program’s mission is to build global communities through cross-cultural exchanges while also supporting U.S. foreign policy goals, such as youth empowerment, environmental sustainability and disability rights awareness. Museums Connect is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the American Alliance of Museums.