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.
NORWICH, VT, July 19, 2011 — Each day, high above the clouds, dozens of sophisticated imaging satellites circle the Earth. These high-tech machines are capable of capturing extraordinary conditions and events that are nearly impossible to document from the surface of the planet. These vivid images, which reveal the awesome beauty of the planet’s surface through the “eyes” of a space satellite, are on display in a remarkable Smithsonian traveling exhibition.
Earth from Space opens at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont, September 17, 2011, and will remain on view through November 27, 2011, when the exhibition continues its national tour.
The exhibition features approximately 40 beautifully detailed satellite images of our planet—from the swirling arms of a massive hurricane and the grid-like pattern of Kansas farmland to the triangular shadows cast by the Great Pyramids and the sinuous channels entering the Arctic Ocean. Earth From Space illustrates how satellite imagery is gathered and used to expand humankind’s understanding of life on Earth, and explores the remote sensing technology used to gather the images and discusses the individual satellites whose images are on display.
A Magic Planet digital video globe—a sphere-shaped screen with a digital display —complements the traveling exhibition. The animations on this tool will allow visitors to observe the global extent of images returned from orbiting satellites.
Earth from Space was developed by the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). Andrew Johnston, a geographer at the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and author of “Earth from Space” (Firefly Books, 2004), is the exhibition’s curator.
The exhibition is made possible by Global Imagination. Additional support is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Smithsonian Women’s Committee.
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The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world, is a vital center for research into the history, science and technology of aviation and space flight, and commemorates the development of aviation and space flight. The Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, a scientific research unit within the museum, performs original research and outreach activities on topics covering planetary science, terrestrial geophysics and the remote sensing of environmental change.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at http://www.sites.si.edu.
The Montshire Museum of Science is a hands-on museum located in Norwich, Vermont, offering more than 125 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, the environment, and technology. The building is located on 110 acres bordering the Connecticut River. The Museum’s outdoor environment is a large part of the visitor experience. Science Park is a two-acre outdoor exhibit area in a beautiful, park-like setting and connects to a network of nature trails for visitors of all ages. More information about Montshire Museum of Science can be found at https://www.montshire.org. The Montshire is open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).
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