PALEONTOLOGY AS ALPHA AND OMEGA FOR EXPLORING EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE AT THE MUSEUM OF THE EARTH
We conceive paleontology to be the broadest of disciplines, connecting to almost all of the Earth and life sciences, interacting with a broad swath of Earth system sciences. Accordingly, exhibits and programs in the Museum of the Earth are similarly broad. The Museum is also the major natural history museum between New York City and Buffalo. Our view of our subject material is therefore -- like our programming structure -- also holistic and integrated. Within this overarching conception, we have two areas of major thematic focus: evolution and global change. Because of intense local interest, we have also recently begun a major outreach initiative on natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.
Programming both in- and outside the Museum focuses on helping audiences to understand processes of doing science (historical science in particular), and through making the stuff of science (collections specimens, field experiences) widely accessible. Permanent and temporary exhibits in the Museum explore major conceptual themes through the story of the history of the Earth and its life with a focus on the geology and fossils of the Northeastern U.S. Outside the Museum, we have several national-scale programs in both K12 and informal educator professional development. Our website (museumoftheearth.org), another of our major outreach tools, contains information on these and other initiatives.