FORCES THAT SHAPE THE BAY: AN OUTDOOR EXHIBIT

The Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) is developing a permanent outdoor exhibition called "Forces That Shape the Bay." The project will focus on the dynamic geologic, climatic, marine, and human forces which have created the San Francisco Bay Area. The exhibit will be opened during Summer 2002.

Over 2.5 million visitors will experience the exhibits in the next 10 years, and thousands more will participate in the outreach program each year, from LHS’ key audiences: the general public and school groups. Content and activities included in this exhibit will be most accessible for ages 8 and above. The audience on the World Wide Web who will engage in related on-line activities is conservatively estimated at 500,000 users per year.

Forces That Shape the Bay brings to life concepts associated with the physical and biological forces which are shaping the San Francisco Bay Area with the following goals:

1. To engage a large and diverse general audience in the practices of scientific inquiry: observation, experimentation, data collection, analysis, and the drawing of conclusions.

2. To improve the public’s awareness of natural forces, increasing science literacy and promoting well-informed choice and responsible decision making in related matters of public policy.

3. To increase the number of participants in LHS programs from underserved communities through specific outreach efforts.

4. To connect academic research in geology, climatology, biology, and marine environments to informal learning strategies, to produce an inquiry-based program that will reach a broad general audience.

The Lawrence Hall of Science is located on a dramatic site overlooking the panorama of the San Francisco Bay, with views as far north as the Sacramento River Delta confluence with the Bay, and as far south as the terminus of the Bay in the mudflats near San Jose. Visitors will explore topics including seismicity and faulting, mountain building, water and erosion, landforms, elementary rock classification, and concepts related to the effects of biosystems on the shaping of the earth. Background information, exhibit plans and progress, and community connections will be included in this session.