Originally featured in Points West magazine in Summer 2012
Grizzly bear exhibition in the Mountain Meadow Environment
While individual museum objects can be treasures in and of themselves, the greatest treasure of a natural history museum may be the integration of specimens, ambient environment, and interpretation into an exhibition that imparts a relevant story to public audiences of all ages. One such exhibition in the Draper Natural History Museum is our Grizzly Bear exhibition in the Mountain Meadow Environment along our Alpine-to-Plains Trail.
Complete with sounds of ducks, geese, ravens, frogs, and bears, this exhibition features a grizzly bear sow and her cub returning to a partially-buried elk carcass. They surprise opportunistic scavengers, including magpies, ravens, and a coyote—all preparing to beat a hasty and wise retreat. Visitors not only learn about the natural history of grizzly bears and the importance of scavengers in this exhibition, but also about conflicts between people and bears and how to be responsible and stay safe in grizzly bear country.
The interactive video productions—click here to view them—we created for this exhibition have been used by state and federal agencies to help hunters, campers, and hikers be safe and bear aware. We’ve been told that our Grizzly Bear exhibition has saved both bear and human lives. Now that’s something we truly treasure!
Grizzly Bear exhibition, Mountain Meadow Environment, Draper Natural History Museum.