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The Extension Connection |
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Governor Tom Vilsack, at the podium, addressed visitors attending the grand opening of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. On stage from right are First Lady Christie Vilsack, Sen. Charles Grassley and Barbara Grassley and Rep. Jim Nussle.
Visit the ISU Extension homepage. Send a message: Nondiscrimination statement and information disclosures Last update: October 2003 |
A quarterly publication of Iowa State University Extension ISU Extension floats idea, becomes partner in new Mississippi River Museum Dream big — isn’t that what parents always
tell their children? It’s certainly what Iowa State University (ISU)
Extension was doing in April 2002 when ISU President Gregory Geoffroy
toured the America’s River Project in Dubuque. As Geoffroy, who was
just getting acquainted with ISU’s presence across the state, took
in the construction of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium,
local staff wondered if ISU Extension could be part of it. Dreams do come true. A year later, the Dubuque County Historical Society,
which oversees the museum, and ISU Extension jointly hired Mark Wagner
to be the facility’s education director. The partnership opens an
avenue for ISU Extension to provide research, curricula and evaluation
materials to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. The partnership, though just in its infancy, shows signs of maturing
into a successful venture for both parties, giving ISU a significant presence
in northeastern Iowa and the museum the expertise of ISU in all areas
of ecology. By most accounts, the new facility is a roaring success. In its first
month (it opened in late June) more than 53,000 people visited the museum
and aquarium. “We set a goal of 50,000 visitors in our first month, so we’re
pleased with the attendance,” said Jerry Enzler, the museum and aquarium’s
executive director. “We’re also finding that people are staying
for an incredibly long time, up to five or six hours. And even then, some
are saying that they’ll have to come back because they didn’t
see everything.” The museum is the first of its kind, showcasing the entire length of
the Mississippi River. Not only does it highlight the wildlife and ecology
of the entire river, but the history and culture as well. Exhibits feature
people in the river’s past from Marquette and Joliet to Mark Twain
to Black Hawk. Everything in the museum is real-life and hands-on, which is education
director Wagner’s favorite feature. Apparently it’s a hit with
the visitors, too. “I’ve done historical interpretation before, but I’ve
never gotten the big crowds that we do here,” Wagner said. Most days visitors turn out to see a costumed Wagner demonstrate life
in the wetlands, which includes a Native American dwelling, view the real-life,
real-time construction of a log cabin and touch a live alligator. Not
surprisingly, the animals are a hit with the younger crowd. “We have otters here, and it’s neat to see the kids pressed
against the glass watching them,” Wagner said. Like the visitors, who are going away happy, the partners in this new
venture are pleased, as well. “For the museum, our partnership with Iowa State Extension adds professional qualities and abilities to our education department,” Enzler said. “As a result, we’re getting people turned on to the whole river, really soaking it up and reveling in its story.” |
