Exploring four aspects to poison, the Natural History Museum of Utah’s new exhibit entertains and educates about the infamous role poison plays and has played throughout history in the small details of our lives. The exhibit depicts poison in nature, in myth and legend, by accident and poison for good. Each theme contains background, origin and real life examples, though not in any standardized way.
“The Power of Poison” is innovative and wraps you up with sensory stimulation. A myriad of various presentations coexists within the exhibit portraying specific stories and facts about poison.
“This is definitely not your typical boring museum,” said U senior Chad Carlson. “There is so much interaction and a lot to explore.”
“The Power of Poison” plays to most any interest with its diverse setup and presentations. As you walk from room to room you are exposed to a wide variety of information. Clever uses of projectors onto a mega size alchemy book depicts ancient pharmaceuticals, images played on three old vases tell the stories containing infamous poison themes within Greek mythology, and an additional projection is utilized in the live theater.
This phenomenal live theater, depicting different instances in history wherein real world poisonings are examined from the 1800s, is a must-see. The show teaches the various scientific methods and the scholars and figures used in these situations to solve each case. It brings the world of toxicology to a new light with the help of energetic student employees donning the role of “live chemist.”
Savannah Moffat, a sophomore at the U and an employee at NHMU, interacts with guests as they explore the world of poison and learn more about toxicology as she teaches the 12-minute live theater. “I love how interactive the exhibit is and how immersive all of this knowledge is. There is a lot to learn,” she said, adding, “It’s not something a lot of students think about, but I think everyone would really enjoy it.”
Carlson agreed, saying, “Not as many students come. I don’t think a lot of them realize that it is completely free and it is a great resource for us.”
Additional highlights include larger than life casts of Macbeth’s witches, key figures in a Chinese dynasty, and a delightful three-part case study at the end in which individual embarkations are experienced in the poison by accident segment via multiple iPads. Live animals are also involved throughout the exhibit in the history of poison as a defense amongst mammals and society is on display as well within the poison in nature segment.
“This is such a great idea,” said senior, Ysa Pitman. “There is so much to look at and it is all fascinating.”
“The Power of Poison” at the Natural History Museum of Utah will run from Oct. 15, 2016 – April 16, 2017. Entrance into the museum and the subsequent exhibit is free with your UCard.