Following are pictures I took of the "A Bird's World" exhibit which opened on May 8, 2002 and is considered permanent. The interactive exhibit is designed to show birds in their favored habitats and how they communicate.
From the pamphlet: "Constantly alert for danger, birds notice every creature nearby. If we observe birds closely, we begin to perceive what they perceive: an owl roosting on a shadowy branch; a fox trotting along a fence; a hawk swooping in. In addition to featuring the Museum's extraordinary collection of mounted New England birds, A Bird's World show you how to use bird voices and body language to unveil the natural drama that play our around you every day."
Four of the eight dioramas showing eight different habitats and the birds that utilize them. The kiosks in the foreground have computer images of all of the birds in the dioramas. When you select one of the birds, you hear a number of the calls it makes.
My role in this was to paint the eight habitat backgrounds for the dioramas, the backgrounds for the stalking corridor, and the large mural of Acadia National park. The tough part for me was to stop at just the background habitats. I was itching to fill it with birds and stuff, but they took care of that for me with thier extensive collection.
This was a great project to work on and the museum is an experience in itself. I highly recommend a visit!
John Himmelman
