Museum Education in Atmospheric and Oceanic Hazards

Science museums and science centers provide an informal setting for informing the general public about atmospheric and oceanic science. Here, a synopsis of meteorological and oceanographic exhibits and programming at science museums and centers is presented, focusing on those exhibits and programs that deal with weather and marine hazards. The subjects of storms, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, is fascinating to children and adults alike, and a museum is an ideal setting to address the inherent hazards in a factual, non-hyped manner.

The scope, content, and size of exhibitry varies widely. An exhibit can be a panel on a wall, a collection of artifacts, a few interactive devices, or some combination of these in a room several hundred to several thousand square feet in area. Some exhibits permanently reside in a particular museum, while others travel from museum to museum. Several museum "collectives" exist, sharing ideas for exhibits and then the exhibits themselves. Typical funding sources for exhibits include NSF, NOAA, and NASA.

Only a few museums have full-time professional meteorologists on staff. Typically, all-purpose exhibit developers research weather and ocean-related topics, calling upon the expertise of outside professionals for collaboration. Some museums develop weather-related programming in partnership with local television meteorologists.