Talking about science in remote places: Climatology at a rural museum

This presentation will discuss the author's experiences in designing a weather or climatology exhibit for the Limon (Colorado) Heritage Museum during each of the past three years. Limon is a small town on the Eastern Plains of Colorado, about 90 miles east of Denver. The region's land is primarily devoted to dryland farming and cattle ranching, but Limon is also at the intersection of several major highways and serves as a rest-stop for travellers and truckers. The Limon Heritage Museum is engaged in the preservation of agricultural and techological artifacts and histories relevant to the region; it also seeks to present them to members of the local community and to the many who are just "passing through".

Topics covered will include how the scientist and museum directors started this collaboration; the process by which topics of interest to the expected visitors are selected; the actual exhibits which have been presented and the feedback received; and comments on the pleasures and difficulties a scientist encounters in interacting with such a diverse community through this type of venue.