Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History and Planetarium facts for kids
Museum of Natural History
|
|
| Architect | Martin & Hall |
|---|---|
The Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History and Planetarium is a cool place to explore! It's a natural history museum and a planetarium all in one. You can find it inside Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
This museum and the park are named after Roger Williams. He was the person who founded the city of Providence, Rhode Island. The land for the park was actually given by his family.
The museum is part of the Providence Parks system. It first opened its doors in 1896. The building itself was designed in late 1893 by a company called Martin & Hall. Construction began the very next year.
Adding the Planetarium
Later, in 1914 and 1915, a new section was added to the north side of the building. This part was also designed by Martin & Hall.
A special part of the museum, the planetarium, was created in 1953. It was started by Maribelle Cormack, who was the museum's director at the time. Today, the planetarium is named the Cormack Planetarium in her honor.
What You Can See: Exhibits and Shows
The museum has many interesting things to see and learn about. Here are some of the main exhibits:
- Circle of the Sea: Re-Visited and Re-Imagined: This exhibit takes you on a journey to the South Pacific Ocean. You can learn about the amazing creatures and environments found there.
- Seismic Shifts: Earth through Time: This exhibit uses items from the museum's own collections. It helps you understand how Earth has changed over millions of years.
- Urban Wildlife: Nature at Your Doorstep: Have you ever wondered about the animals living in cities? This exhibit explores Urban wildlife that lives right around us.
The Cormack Planetarium is a big highlight! It has regular shows where you can learn about stars, planets, and the universe. It's like taking a trip to outer space without leaving your seat.
More to Explore
If you enjoyed learning about the museum, you might also be interested in:
- Roger Williams Park: The large park where the museum is located.
- Roger Williams (theologian): The person the park and museum are named after.
