We know more about the dark side of the moon than we do about the earth beneath our feet. This is the teeming domain of amoebas, bacteria, mites, mold, worms, and countless other organisms, so numerous that scientists haven’t even named them all. In fact, there are more creatures in a shovel full of rich soil than human beings on the planet!   Journey into the dark, secret center of it all with Dig It! The Secrets of Soil. This highly interactive exhibition, organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where it will debut in July 2008, is a comprehensive and exciting look at the complex world underground—an ecosystem so important that it helps sustain virtually every form of terrestrial life. Audiovisual and interactive media components help visitors get the dirt on this little-known subject matter, from a stack of rotating blocks that line up to reveal four very different soil ecosystems, to an animated film that depicts bizarre soil organisms and their interactions, to a display of soil-coring devices and models of what lies beneath towns, parks, and farms. Dig It! also includes environmental designs, scale models, multiple high-tech interactives, real soil samples from every state in the nation, and ample hands-on experiences for curious visitors. The exhibition is ideal for teachers, students, and family groups but will appeal to anyone who has ever made a mud pie!

Contents	54 soil monoliths from across the US, 3 territories and DC, 3 large freestanding scale models, 5 video components (1-10 min. each), 7 interactive computer stations, 5 mechanical interactives, 49 wall-hung and freestanding graphic panels, 2 environmental entry portals, 2 internal portals, flexibly-designed panel and case structure
Supplemental	Brochure, educational brochure, docent material, curriculum material, educational and promotional resources, speaker list
Participation Fee	$150,000 per 3-month booking period
Size	5,000 square feet (460 square meters)
Crates	90, est. (5-6 trucks)
Weight	To be determined
Category	Science & Natural History
Security	High
Shipping	Prorated (5-6 trucks)
SITES Contacts	Jennifer Bine, 202.633.3106 (Content) Ed Liskey, 202.633.3142 (Scheduling)
Tour Begins	Spring 2010

 

 

Dates		Host Institution	Status
5/29/10	9/6/10		Call for Availability
10/9/10	1/2/11		Call for Availability
2/5/11	5/1/11		Call for Availability
6/4/11	9/4/11		Call for Availability
10/8/11	1/1/12		Call for Availability
2/4/12	4/29/12		Call for Availability
6/2/12	9/2/12		Call for Availability
10/6/12	1/6/13		Call for Availability
2/9/13	5/5/13		Call for Availability
6/8/13	9/1/13		Call for Availability

 

None listed at this time. Please check back again.

New Natural History Exhibition Reveals the Impact of Soil on All Life on Earth Media only: Randall Kremer (202) 633-2950 Kelly Carnes (202) 633-2950 Media Web site June 6, 2008 There are more living creatures in a shovelful of soil than human beings on the planet, yet more is known about the dark side of the moon than about soil. These are just a couple of the fascinating facts visitors can learn from the new temporary exhibition Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, open July 19 through Jan. 3, 2010 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The 5,000-square-foot exhibition reveals the complex world of soil and how this hidden ecosystem supports nearly every form of life on Earth. The exhibition is sponsored by the Soil Science Society of America and the Nutrients for Life Foundation, which is underwritten by The Fertilizer Institute. Dig It! includes interactive displays, hands-on models, videos and soil samples. Curious visitors will get the dirt on this little-known subject through audiovisual and interactive components, from a set of interactive soil stratigraphy blocks to a crime scene investigation video focusing on the processes of decay to a computer kiosk where visitors can learn about their state soil. Visitors can also explore soil found in their own backyard and in obscure locations, with 54 soil samples representing each U.S. state and territory and the District of Columbia, as well as soil maps and touchable soil models from around the world. In doing so, visitors will discover a world teeming with life. In fact, so many organisms contribute to the health of soil that scientists have not even named them all. “This is the most ambitious exhibition ever dedicated to soils, a resource as important to life on Earth as water and air,” said Patrick Megonigal, soil scientist for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, which is located in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay. Megonigal is the exhibition’s lead curator. Dig It! shows how every type of soil is unique. Visitors can observe the way water moves through different soils in tumbler tubes containing sand, silt, clay and loam. The flow of water through soil can affect minerals and gases and all life that depends on soil. Soil color tells fascinating stories about mineral compositions and soil formation or history. Dig It! color cards help visitors to unveil the stories behind soil samples. Visitors also can get in touch with their inner detective and learn about the soil food web in the “Matters of Life and Death Theater.” “The mission of this exhibition to educate millions about the importance of soils truly aligns with the Soil Science Society of America’s own purpose of advancing soils as being fundamental to life,” said SSSA President Gary A. Peterson. “Soil has an impact on climate change and our carbon footprint, among other important environmental issues. After examining soil close up, exhibition visitors can step back and see the “big picture” with a world map and interactive stations that present the connection between soil and global systems. Models demonstrate the roles of soil around the house and the formation of soil in commercial and residential construction, dams, playing fields, neighborhoods, roads and in food production. An evocative video explains soil’s role as a “secret ingredient” in such household goods as medicines, food, wine, textiles, paint, cosmetics and pottery. “The exhibition paints a remarkable picture of soils and their role as a reservoir of life,” said Ford West, The Fertilizer Institute and Nutrients for Life Foundation president. “Preserving the health of soils around the globe is critical to our ability to produce nutritious foods for future generations.” Following its showing at the National Museum of Natural History, Dig It! will travel to 10 museums across the country through 2013 under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The National Museum of Natural History, located at 10th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C., welcomed more than 7 million visitors in 2007. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 31 and from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. thereafter. Admission is free. More information about the museum is available at www.mnh.si.edu or by calling Smithsonian Information at (202) 633-1000, TTY (202) 633-5285.