As climate change heats up the planet, winters are warming faster than summers. But this week, much of the midwest experienced historic cold temperatures and dangerously bitter windchill. If the global temperature trend is warming, why is it so cold?
The Bell Museum’s new exhibit: Weather to Climate: Our Changing World aims to clarify the difference between the two phenomena when it opens to the public on Saturday, February 2, 2019.
Weather is your outfit, in the exhibit’s analogy — what you put on for a specific day. Climate is your entire closet, what you need over time. Weather to Climate also presents the science behind climate change through interactive displays, video games, weather simulations and more, including an immersive entry where guests can experience the sensations of different types of weather.
“The climate crisis is very serious,” said Denise Young, Bell Museum Executive Director. “But the exhibit is light and approachable, which helps us all to better understand what’s going on so we can focus on ways we can work together to respond and adapt to these changes.”
Exhibit highlights
Carbon reducer – Learn how to reduce your carbon footprint and view a towering art installation made of 94 large exercise balls that represent the 94 pounds of CO2 the average American generates every day.
Weather station – Whip up a tornado or thunderstorm in this interactive station that let’s you combine six main weather components to see how each contributes to various weather events.
Climate Lab – See if you have what it takes to be a meteorologist in this green screen experience, complete with provided scripts and a teleprompter.
University of Minnesota Research – Get a local perspective on climate change from featured university researchers looking at impacts on Voyageurs National Park, the Great Lakes region, and the north woods.
Collapse/Clap – An art installation by Bell Museum showcase artist Sarita Zaleha presents the emotional spectacle of glacial calving (or breaking off), a phenomena which is rapidly accelerating due to warming trends.
Let’s talk about the weather
The Bell Museum will further explore climate change through a series of special events inspired by U of M research and the impacts we can see across our state.
“Minnesota is one of the states where climate change signals are highly amplified and fast paced,” said Mark Seeley, retired University of Minnesota climatologist and Minnesota Public Radio contributor. “We need to inform, educate, and engage on this important issue so we can modify our policies and methods toward managing natural resources and infrastructure to keep them effective and sustainable.”
Seeley, who also sits on the museum’s Advisory Board, will join MPR’s chief meteorologist Paul Huttner for a special talk inside the museum’s Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium on April 25. More at bellmuseum-staging.smx6mahh-liquidwebsites.com/event/weatherdome. Keep an eye on our events calendar for more, including the featured events below.
