Mobile Aquatics Exhibits Make a Big Splash

In the beating afternoon sun of early June, I stood among the crowd, who came out in throngs to see the Newport Aquarium WAVE Foundation’s Science of Sharks Mobile Aquatics Exhibit, at the Holdsworth Entertainment Pavilion in Versailles, Indiana. To my left stoically stationed was Abe Streator, an intern with Genesis: Pathways to Success, who softly uttered with quiet excitement, “Schonk.” Indeed, we were all excited to learn, not only about sharks but about many intriguing creatures of the sea, who seldom reach our landlocked county.

These Mobile Aquatics Exhibits visited communities across the county throughout last week, bringing three different exhibits to Milan, Napoleon, Sunman, Batesville, and Versailles. Tuesday brought the ‘Croc Talk’ exhibit to Milan and Napoleon, Wednesday featured ‘Tide Pool Creatures’ at Sunman Town Park, and Friday saw the ‘Science of Sharks’ exhibit in Batesville and Versailles. More broadly, each exhibit served as a part of Genesis’s ongoing A Summer of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics) initiative.

Attendees were given the opportunity to view and interact with live creatures, ranging from Alligators to Horseshoe Crabs to Coral Cat sharks! This allowed community members to encounter and engage with wildlife that could not otherwise be seen locally. Attendees were also taught about these creatures’ habitats, biological processes, and defining features, which, while not overtly relevant to the immediate environment of Southeastern Indiana, served to connect those learners with the natural world. Particularly important in this regard was the focus of these exhibits on utilizing aquatic fauna to encourage learning in children and young adults.

This sentiment was reflected by Chris Loftus, one of the presenters of the ‘Science of Sharks’ exhibit, when asked about his favorite aspect of putting on these Mobile Aquatics Exhibits, “Seeing kids get excited. When they learn they can be a part of science, can engage with it in their communities, and get motivated about science education, that’s what’s exciting. A lot of kids think of science as a faraway thing, so it’s great to see them realize that it is approachable and fun.” Approachable and fun is exactly what these exhibits were, and as Chris alludes to, they allowed children to encounter science outside of the classroom in a closer, more tangible way.

Beyond the aspects of scientific engagement, these exhibits served as community events, and occasions for gathering in public spaces. The value of camaraderie and community building cannot be overstated, and each exhibit had a sizable turnout, impacting over 660 attendees in total.

Mobile Aquatic Exhibits will return for the summer of 2024.