Museum Exhibit

[VERNIG.PETER@FORUM.VA.GOV]

{Original Msg: 'RE: Museum Exhibit on Radiation Doses' from <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
{
{
{A cloud chamber is one of the best exhibits I can think of to visually 
{illustrate radiation interactions and simultaneously demonstrate that 
{radiation (cosmic & terrestrial) is a part of our everyday existence.  There 
{are several manufacturers out there, I will try to provide a reference. 
{ During my graduate work, I conducted outreach sessions with local High 
{Schools, and the cloud chamber was very informative, useful, and interesting 
{to the students.  Our chamber was back lit, and used dry ice to cool an 
{alcohol solution (very simple to set up, but may not be practical for a 
{continuous exhibit.  A mechanical refrigerated design may work better for 
{your purposes.
{
{R.K. Brewer                   602-393-6095 (office)
{Health Physicist                   602-705-0390 (voice mail)
{9447 S. Palm Drive            kbrewer@indirect.com (or)
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{ ----------
{From: karav
{To: Multiple recipients of list
{Subject: Museum Exhibit on Radiation Doses
{Date: Wednesday, April 10, 1996 1:53PM
{
{Hello Radsafers -
{
{You may remember me - I posted last year requesting advice about how to
{handle Brookhaven Lab's "troubles with tritium" at our sewage treatment
{plant. I work in Brookhaven Lab's Public Affairs office as a science
{writer.
{
{(As an aside, that issue about pumping tritiated groundwater into the local
{river's headwaters, so that underground tanks could be built, has been
{somewhat defused. The Lab administration has decided to build the tanks
{aboveground...but the activists and the suspicion remain with us, I can
{assure you!)
{
{Anyway, this request for help is of a much more lighthearted, though no
{less important, nature. I've been asked to help our Science Museum, which
{has more than 25,000 visitors aged 5 and up each year, prepare an exhibit
{on radiation. It has to be simple, colorful, informative and, oh yeah, fun.
{I hope to ask for advice from our own crew of HPs here on site, but I also
{wanted to pass my idea by the whole listserv group. If you have any other
{ideas, or know of places that have exhibits with a similar aim, please let
{me know BY DIRECT E-MAIL.
{
{Here was my idea: Basically, it would ask people to match up what they
{_think_ is the radiation dose from a given source or pathway (in millirem)
{to a cartoon of that source or pathway. It would be a big white board, with
{a lot of colorful cartoon people and objects scattered around it
{illustrating sources of potential radiation exposure. (e.g. an airplane, an
{x-ray machine, the ground, different foods, living in the mountains, and of
{course, Brookhaven Lab.)
{
{Each object or scenario would have a description and a piece of Velcro with
{adhesive backing stuck next to it. The museum-goers would be presented with
{a basket of small wooden circles with different numbers (doses) painted on
{them and Velcro on the back. Then, they'd be asked to match up the dose
{number with the pathway.
{
{This would allow them to express what they feel is the most "risky" thing,
{in terms of radiation exposure. Then, the tour guide would put any wooden
{circles that were incorrectly placed into their correct places (using a
{cheat sheet), showing the visitors that what they thought was the dose from
{a chest x-ray is actually much lower/higher, and that the dose from
{Brookhaven Lab is actually much lower/higher, etc.
{
{If you have any input on this idea, or other suggestions, please send
{DIRECT E-MAIL (don't just hit reply!) to me at karav@bnl.gov
{
{Thanks!
{
{ --Kara Villamil
{Brookhaven National Lab Public Affairs
{karav@bnl.gov
{
{
{
{
{
 
 
Kara,
Have you thought of contacting some other museums?  The Lawrence Hall
of Science @ LBL Springs to mind.  I was there once a long time ago,
seems like they had something on radiation but it's a little hazy now,
it's been 10 years or so.  Plus I had my kids with me.  But seeing as
they are who they are, I would think they've given the matter some
thought and taken a whack at it or two.  I do remember generally
it was a fun interesting trip.
 
REgards and good luck!
Peter G. Vernig, VA Medical Center, vernig.peter@forum.va.gov
 
 
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VA Medical Center, 1055 Clermont St. MS 115 - DISCLAIMER
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FAX 303-393-4656, vernig.peter@forum.va.gov Opinions =/ VA or USA
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