* Study halls, which will make available in-depth re- 

 sources on specific subjects, for the visitor seeking a 

 more comprehensive picture of the subject matter and 

 collections. 



In the remainder of this section we discuss each of 

 these formats. 



Informal Exhibits and Programs 



Concentrated in the arcade spaces surrounding Stanley 

 Field Hall and scattered throughout other exhibit areas, 

 informal exhibits and programs will cover single con- 

 cept, nonsequential themes. They are intended to be 

 accessible to even the most casual visitor and to involve 

 visitors in activities and direct experiences. They will 

 use few labels, specimens, or artifacts, relying instead on 

 interactive models, functional replicas, expendable 

 materials, and staff to tell their story. They will be engag- 

 ing, informal, playful, messy, noisy, and brightly lit. 



Informal exhibits and programs can be quickly 

 developed and revised at low cost. They will change, 

 wear out, get used up, or simply be replaced by other, 

 more exciting materials and activities. The Museum 

 plans to begin putting some of these activities in place 

 very soon. Examples include: 



sfc Exploring issues of size and scale — why various living 

 things are the sizes they are 



* Stringing beads, weaving, scraping skins, making and 

 using primitive tools 



* Sorting and classifying bones, birds, leaves, and 

 insects 



* Handling live and preserved animal and plant 

 materials 



* Experiencing an earthquake and manipulating a plate 

 tectonic model 



* Building an adobe or wattle and daub wall 



* Playing a seal-hunting simulation game 



* Participating in an archaeological dig 



* Playing moccasin, ring, and pin games 



* Cooking and tasting foods from other cultures 



* Watching and listening to informal presentations of 

 music, theatre, dance, puppetry, and storytelling 



* Looking at how parenting and nurturing take place in 

 various parts of the plant and animal kingdoms. Such an 

 exhibit could be part of a play area for preschool chil- 

 dren, available as a service to family visitors. 



Major Thematic Exhibits 



These exhibits will be developed around major themes 

 in natural history and provide a broad overview of those 

 themes, drawing on materials from several subject areas 

 or Museum departments. They are intended to present 

 sequential topics in a dramatic and memorable way, 

 appealing to the interested public. These exhibits will 

 seek both to educate and entertain people with varying 

 levels of prior knowledge and interest. The emphasis will 

 be on displaying materials, conveying information, and 

 asking penetrating questions. These exhibits will not 

 carry the burden of providing the exhaustive detail 

 needed by the more serious student. 



Major thematic exhibits will be set in carefully 

 designed environments that include controlled lighting, 

 sound, and climate. They will reflect the strengths of 

 Field Museum collections and will draw heavily on those 

 collections. The exhibits will also make use of models, 

 habitat groups, dioramas, media, simple interactive de- 

 vices, and headline labels. These exhibits will require 

 substantial development time and capital investment, 

 but lifetime costs will be reasonable because the exhibits 

 will be revised relatively infrequently. However, the- 

 matic exhibits can and should be revised and updated as 

 new information becomes available and new public 

 interests emerge. 



Themes for major exhibits might include: 



"Pacific Islands" 



"Africa" 



"Mexico and Central America" 



"Adaptation and Evolution" 



"Geologic Change" 



Study Halls 



Occupying the outermost ring of public spaces but im- 

 mediately adjacent to the thematic exhibits, the study 

 hall areas will afford the intrigued casual visitor, serious 

 student, or hobbyist an opportunity for concentrated, 

 in-depth and detailed exploration of collections, kits, 

 books, periodicals, photo archives, videotapes, record- 

 ings, and computer data bases. In conjunction with the 

 study hall, a staff member can facilitate access to other 

 human, programmatic, informational, and material re- 

 sources at Field Museum and other metropolitan Chi- 

 cago institutions. By providing this in-depth resource, 17 



