New Field Museum exhibit washes over Chicago

McHenry County’s Glacial Park in Ringwood is one of the “12 natural wonders of the Chicago Wilderness,” according to the Field Museum’s new Water exhibit. The wetlands help control flooding and protect water quality. (Photo provided)

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It’s almost too obvious: An exhibit at a science museum highlighting one of the most overlooked natural resources.

The new exhibit Water opened Wednesday at the Field Museum, which joins eight other museums around the world this year to showcase the very important and quite often disregarded element.

“This is a great exhibit, especially with our proximity to Lake Michigan,” project manager Hilary Hansen said. “Having this fresh water is something many Chicagoans take for granted.”

The exhibit, as far-reaching as the topic is, will focus on how cultures, plants and animals adapt to extremes of wet and dry around the globe, how to conserve what we have and the impact water has on our lives.

And it doesn’t play out at all like a boring documentary.

Many of the displays are very hands-on, great for kids and in many cases for adults as well. But it isn’t all fun and games at the Water exhibit, there are lessons to be learned.

“Globally, it’s a very important issue,” Hansen said. “The worldwide water crisis is something we should all take an interest in. We really emphasize that there’s no such thing as being upstream with this issue.”

Visitors are aware of the reality that water is a global concern from the second they walk into the exhibition.

Everyone is greeted by the word “water” in different languages, glowing on a screen of fog at the beginning of the flowing adventure.

Because the museums featuring the Water exhibition are near major bodies of water, each may concentrate on the workings of systems nearby. At The Field Museum the local focus, of course, is on Lake Michigan.

A special station describes the journey water takes from the lake to the tap to the drain, in hopes of making residents a little more aware of what they’re lucky to have.

“I really like how the exhibit handles a large number of topics but makes you appreciate this resource,” said assistant collections manager Philip Willink. “I’d like to see people be more careful of how often they waste water after they visit.”

So far the reactions to the water works have been quite positive. Willink and Hansen said how much all ages seem to enjoy the exhibit.

No matter the format of the information each visitor is drawn to, everyone is learning some very important information they can use every day. Each visitor, Willink said, is reminded of his or her own aqua experiences.

“The topic hits home for a lot of people in a lot of very different places,” he said.

Water exhibit

WHERE: The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago

WHEN: through Sept. 20

TICKETS: $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and students with an ID, $13 for ages 3-11 (all prices include regular museum admiss-ion).

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS

Cassandra McKinney, water resource manager for McHenry County, gives these helpful suggestions to those who want to do their part to conserve water:

• Turn off the tap when not in use

• Fix leaks

• Take shorter showers by two minutes and save an hour of running water per month. Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version.

• Lawns only need 1 inch of water per week.

• Water lawns and gardens in the morning.

For more tips, visit the McHenry County Water Resources Web site at www.mchenryh2o.com.