E NATURAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HISTORY U.S. POSTAGE PAID BAR HARBOR, ME. PERMIT #47 MUSEUM COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC BAR HARBOR, MAINE 04609 Cover illustration by Norene Kuznezov SUMMER MUSEUM The Natural History Museum contains: Over 40 exhibits depicting the animal and plant life of Mount Desert Island and the Gulf of Maine. Exhibits include displays of owls, beavers, puffins, hawks, coyote, and otter in their own habitats. All the animals died of natural or accidental causes and were given to the museum. Skeletons of species native to the area. The Discovery Corner, filled with hands-on exhibits. In the summer, interpretive programs are presented each morning at 11:00. These programs encourage active participation by the entire family. This is an opportunity to try your hand at piecing together a real whale skeleton, or taking apart and reassembling fabric replicas of a whale's muscles, bones, and organs. A self-guiding nature trail enables you to tune yo ears to the calls of song birds, learn about the geological features of Mount Desert Island, and observe seabirds along the shore. Every Wednesday in July and August at 7:30 p.m., speakers offer evening lectures, slides, and activities on a variety of natural history topics. INTRODUCTION Have you ever put together a 20-foot-long puzzle made of real whalebones? Examined, close up, the wings of an owl? Or seen an otter about to eat a catfish in a taxidermic display? The Natural History Museum at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, invites you to expand your knowledge of marine mammals and natural history through its unique and taxidermic displays and WINTER MUSEUM participatory programs. Join the 18,000 people who visit Since the fall of 1984, the Museum has remained the Museum or participate in its Outreach Programs each open during the academic year. We prefer that year. individuals call in advance, and groups must make Conceived by College of the Atlantic faculty and reservations. Our exhibit space is smaller, and the students, the Museum's purpose is two-fold: to provide Discovery Corner and daily summer programs are n an eductional service to the local community, island offered in the winter, but many other learni visitors, and the school system; and to provide practical opportunities are available: learning experiences for college students. The Museum Interpretive Museum tours and its programs are staffed by faculty, students, and Owl Pellet dissections recent graduates of the College. Outreach programs ACADEMIC PROGRAM Practica The academic program enables college students to contribute to the Museum and the traveling Outreach Programs. They gain practical experience in museum preparation and environmental education while earning college credit. In the Museum Preparation Practicum, students learn the skills of specimen and exhibit preparation under the guidance of an experienced preparator. Students design and produce the Museum exhibits, the permanent study collection, and materials for the Outreach Programs. Through the Outreach Education Practicum, students develop and present traveling natural history programs such as Whales-on-Wheels, The Naugahyde Whale, and Birds on Wings. The students learn both the facts of natural history and the techniques of environmental education while enriching public and private school curricula. THE OUTREACH PROGRAMS The Natural History Museum offers on-campus or traveling participatory exhibits for schools, colleges, museums, nature centers and other organizations. Programs include Whales-on-Wheels, the Naugahyde Whale, and our newly designed Birds on Wings. Whales-on-Wheels is a hands-on exhibit of a Minke whale skeleton. Participants enjoy the challenge of assembling this 20-foot-long puzzle while learning about baleen whales, comparative human and whale anatomy, and natural history. The Naugahyde Whale is a fabric and foam, 10-foot- long replica of a pilot whale, with "skin" that unzips to reveal removable muscles, bones, and organs. Participants learn about toothed whales, comparative physiology, and natural history as they replace the fabric parts. Birds on Wings is an educational new program that includes an assortment of wings, feathers, skulls, mounts, and study skins. Bird behavior, adaptation, and predator-prey relations are studied through participatory activities. We explore questions such as: Why do owls fly silently? Where do birds migrate? How does a grouse STUDY COLLECTION "drum" with its wings? The Museum houses a permanent study collection of animal species. The collection includes study skins of RRICULUM MATERIALS birds and mammals, preserved specimens of conjunction with the traveling exhibits, A invertebrate species and an egg collection. The study Teacher's Guide to the Whales in the Gulf of Maine is collection is currently expanding to include amphibians, available through the Museum. This curriculum guide reptiles, insects and rocks. The entire collection is provides up-to-date information, resources, and available for limited use by artists, naturalists, teachers activities. and other community members by appointment. NATURAL HISTORY SPEAKERS NETWORK GENERAL MUSEUM INFORMATION A number of friends and associates of the Museum Location: College of the Atlantic, Route #3, Bar offer their expertise in a variety of areas including: Harbor, Maine, near the Bluenose Ferry terminal. mushrooms, wildflowers, birds of prey, land mammals, Hours: Summer Museum Hours: Mid June-Labor Day and whales. This group is made up of people who have 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily; evening speaker series 7:30 been actively working in the field. Programs include p.m. Wednesday. Winter hours by reservation. lectures, slide shows, and field trips pertaining to topics Admission: $1.50 for adults; $.50 for children under of the natural world. 12. Groups: Guided tours and special programs can be For a partial listing of available speakers across the arranged by contacting the Museum by mail or phone. state, contact the Natural History Museum. MEMBERSHIPS ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES OF The Natural History Museum is a nonprofit educational institution, funded largely by memberships THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM and contributions. Members receive the Museum Naturalist programs at Acadia National Park newsletter, free admission to the Museum, and Summer field studies for children discounts on workshops and on Summer Field Studies Member of Sea Grant Cooperators Network for Children. The Marine Mammal Stranding Network Student and Senior Elderhostel field courses Citizen: $5.00 Individual: $10.00 Family: $25.00 Friend: $50.00 Sponsor: $100.00 Patron $250.00 Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. to Ellsworth 3 Ferry Terminal MOUNT DESERT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ISLAND College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor COA AND MUSEUM COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS Marine Mammal Research College of the Atlantic's association with marine mammal research began in 1972 with the founding of Northeast Harbor Allied Whale. This nonprofit organization coordinates a Southwest Harbor whale-sighting network in the Gulf of Maine, sponsors the Mount Desert Rock Whale Watch and collects For more information about the Natural His photographs of humpback whale flukes (tails) and Museum and its programs contact: finback whale fins in an effort to identify and track THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM individual animals. In addition, the College offers College of the Atlantic summer courses in marine mammals and Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 oceanography. (207) ) 288-5015