Scientists on display at Field Museum

The scientists who work at Chicago's Field Museum are on display in a new exhibit that showcases what goes on behind the scenes at the natural history museum, The "Restoring Earth" exhibit that opened Friday uses large-scale photographs, videos, and hands-on learning tools to highlight the conservation efforts of the museum's researchers and scientists. The museum, which grew out of scientific collections that were part of Chicago's 1893 World's Fair: Columbian Exposition, employs about 200 scientists, "many of whom travel to the far corners of the world to study and help preserve the Earth's rich animal and plant life," a release from the institution said. "We want to change the perception of what a museum can be," Anna Huntley, the exhibition's project manager, said. "Field Museum scientists work to preserve biodiversity all over the world. We want people to know that conservation can be discovery, beauty, adventure, and action." The museum said music, animation and humor are used in the exhibit to engage both children and adults on subjects ranging from why coral reefs matter to how ancient peoples practiced conservation. "We provide an experience that goes beyond just information," design director Alvaro Amat said. "We want to effect an attitude change -- to make people care about nature instead of just learning about it. We're trying to inspire."