New Amazon Exhibit Opens at National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

By John Sutter

Dubuque, IA - Take a fascinating voyage down the world’s largest and most biologically diverse river and meet amazing creatures—piranhas, anacondas, electric eels, stingrays, and more—in Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches. This interactive, bilingual (English-Spanish) exhibition runs from March 3, through October 31, 2012, at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and is offered free with Museum admission. The exhibit mixes real scientific research, light humor, and whimsical artwork into a fun, interactive experience for visitors of all ages, particularly families with children ages pre-K and up.

“The Brazilian Amazon is one of the world’s greatest rivers; full of exotic animals, plants, and cultures,” said Jerry Enzler, the Museum’s executive director. “We are very excited to share this wonderfully diverse river with our visitors.”

“This exhibition brings the Amazon to life with beautiful art, hands-on experiences, great science, and fascinating stories,” said John Sutter, the Museum’s marketing director. “Amazon Voyage will bring a lively celebration of the Amazon to Dubuque.”

The Seven Perils: Creatures that can be Perilous to Humans

The adventure begins with this warning from Captain Mo, who operates a riverboat on the Amazon: “There are thousands of river creatures we enjoy, but seven that enjoy us.” Museum visitors board his boat, the Victoria Amazonica, and prepare to meet the seven perils: electric eel, stingray, piranha, anaconda, caiman (cousin of the alligator), piraíba (giant catfish), and candirú (parasitic catfish). Look deeper to learn about the biodiversity of the Amazon region, the scientific field research and resource management being practiced there, and the ways people celebrate the Amazon River.

The Real Perils: Ways Humans Imperil the Area

In addition to encountering animals of the Amazon River, find out about the true perils facing the region today: damming rivers, cattle ranching, mercury from gold mining, overfishing, bio-piracy, poaching, and logging. Learn about these threats and what can be done to remedy them from Amazon fishermen and scientists.

Art and Activity

Enjoy the vibrant and iconic artwork of Ray Troll, including an original 7-foot-by-15-foot mural that depicts 125 different Amazonian species—furred, feathered, but mostly finned. Experience live animals, multimedia presentations, computer interactives, original artifacts, dance, music, demonstrations, and more. Encounter field researchers who study this incredible ecosystem, plus become a scientist and make fun, hands-on discoveries. Engage in a variety of activities, including the following:

• View live piranhas and compare them to the extinct “mega-piranha”

• Observe live, freshwater stingrays

• Wrestle with a life-size, soft, sculpted anaconda

• Feel the simulated zap of a tiny electric eel

• Reach into a tank of rotten leaves and debris in search of “muck fish”

• Explore inside the belly of a giant catfish replica to find out what it really eats

• Try on dolphin hats or fish costumes and join an Amazonian festival

• Make your own Vicious Fishes artwork to take home

Exhibition Organizer

Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches was developed, produced, and built by the Miami Science Museum. The Museum consulted with the Science Museum of Minnesota, a team of North and South American scientists, Randi Korn and Associates, and the ingenious artist Ray Troll. The National Science Foundation funded the exhibition.

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and is the most comprehensive interpretive center for rivers in the United States. For more information, visit www.rivermuseum.com.

To view National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-142-The_National_Mississippi_River_Museum_and_Aquarium