Making a Splash at the Museum of Science
Humpback whale exhibition explores threats to yearly migration
Follow humpback whales’ 3,000-mile journey to the Caribbean at the new Museum of Science exhibition Animals Without Passports. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Science
In more ways than one, 2014 is the year of the humpback whale. The Boston Globe reports that at Stellwagen Bank, just 25 miles east of Boston, the big mammals have been cavorting in numbers not seen in years. And at the Museum of Science, an exhibition titled Animals Without Passports explores the whales’ 3000-mile annual migration from the Massachusetts coast to the tropical Caribbean. The exhibition, which addresses the impact of humans on the marine ecosystem, is a convenient springboard to a discussion of broader issues of wildlife conservation.
Visitors will also learn about the exhibition’s sponsor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, an 842-square-mile expanse of sea between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. With great biological diversity and productivity, this protected stretch of sea is a prime whale-watching destination for those hoping to spot the gentle giants. The Globe reports that whale-watchers on a recent three-hour tour of the sanctuary spotted 40 whales.
The Animals Without Passports exhibition is on display through September 1 at the Museum of Science Nichols Gallery, One Science Park, Boston. General admission to the museum’s exhibit halls is $23 for adults (ages 12 to 59), $21 for seniors (60 and over), and $20 for children (ages 3 to 11). The exhibitions are free to all museum members. Tickets can be purchased on site or online. By public transportation, take an MBTA Green Line trolley to Science Park.
Paula Sokolska can be reached at ps5642@bu.edu.
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