Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats Bat Exhibit Turns Myths Upside-Down
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"Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats," a touring museum exhibit, is bringing the mystery surrounding bats out of the dark.
The exhibition dispels popular misconceptions about bats, describes their ecological importance and gives visitors an appreciation of the true wonders of the bat world. Special effects, multi-sensory interactive displays, a Gothic castle and environmentally lifelike settings such as caves and rain forests present bats in mythic and real-life settings.
Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International (BCI), serves as scientific consultant. BCI is recognized as the international leader in conservation and education initiatives that protect bats and their habitats.
A Neo-Gothic portal opens the way into the exhibit for a view of the world as a bat sees it--upside-down. The adjacent home of the 18th-century bat enthusiast walks visitors through centuries of mythic representations of bats by different cultures-all presented upside-down.
A transitional area with bat portrait photography and a giant-screen video introduces visitors to the real world of bats as diverse, beneficial mammals with fascinating skills and extraordinary abilities.
Visitors then enter the bat's world. A rain forest setting at dawn provides a realistic look at bats' habitats and their appearance. Roosting habits, hibernation and other behaviors are depicted through interactive displays and exhibitry in a cave which simulates an entrance in daytime and an exit at dusk. Children can crawl through the cave or hang like a bat.
More hands-on displays in a rain forest setting at dusk relate to the evening activities of bats, such as echolocation (sonar ability), pollination, diet and flight.
For example, in a demonstration of echolocation, visitors can use a joystick to maneuver a bat model in search of food using a laser to simulate sonar. In a visit to a bat nursery, visitors learn how caring bat mothers are. Visitors also discover how similar bat and human anatomies really are by flexing a giant mechanical wing.
The exhibit then takes visitors through a recreated curator's office. Specimens, huge models, bones and anatomical comparisons provide a look at bats from a scientific perspective. The visitor can touch models of oversized bat heads and learn about current scientific research involving bat guano and saliva.
A 2,500-square-foot version of the original exhibit is traveling to smaller venues throughout North America.
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