The Nature Center's live animals are a feature attraction. However, five stimulating, hands-on, educational galleries and a flood rubble exhibit put each animal in context and fully explain their James River habitat. Understanding the Nature Center's wildlife includes appreciating the weather, the dangers of pollution, and the forces and materials that shape the land.
Introduction to the James River Gallery
Forces Shaping the Land Gallery
People Using Water Gallery
Fish Passages Gallery
Flood Rubble Exhibit
Discovery Zone
Introduction to the James River Gallery
Before visitors reach the waterfall and aquariums, they are oriented in the James River Gallery. Press buttons on the railing of the three-dimensional James River Basin and illuminate up to 24 features and landmarks within the James River watershed.
Videos feature naturalistic audio and action shots of James River animals and recreational opportunities. An enormous photo panel invites visitors to identify creatures they know and notice new ones theyâve yet to encounter.
<< TOP >>Forces Shaping the Land Gallery
The geological aspects of Virginia and the James River are explored here. Visitors test the hardness of rocks, touch fossils, learn about plate tectonics, demonstrate the water cycle and experience the NBC-12 Weather Station. Look up and see the inflated cloud and weather balloon!
The hands-on erosion table gives curious visitors the opportunity to create their own landscape and see how the forces of water change the terrain.
Even the youngest children enjoy pressing the big buttons on the water cycle display, with its warm, glowing sun and turbulent thunderstorm.
<< TOP >>People Using Water Gallery
Throughout time, the James River has provided both challenges and opportunities for the people living near it. In this gallery, visitors understand how people have manipulated the river and how it has manipulated them. See a replica of Richmond's floodwall, marked with heights of famous floods, hurricanes and tropical storms—some cresting above 24 feet.
Richmond's location was determined by the falls of the James. Unable to travel further inland, colonists settled in and developed Richmond. Later, Virginia leaders began construction of the Kanawha Canal. How did it work? Find out by operating a model canal. Move a boat from high water to low water and back, by opening and closing locks, and pumping water in or out. Use a similar model to simulate how water is pumped daily from the James River to operate Maymont's fountains.
The Nature Center's People Power exhibit gets wheels turning—literally! This tremendous exhibit offers two side-by-side cranks and water wheels. Put sibling rivalry to a constructive use! Transfer human power to mechanical power, and then into waterpower. Which method is more efficient?
<< TOP >>Fish Passages Gallery
Discover the magic of a rubber "Twiddlefish!" Parents nimbly twist the top of the wire rod, while toddlers roll it back and forth between their hands. Suspended in moving water, the Twiddlefish springs to life, swimming with realistic motion and speed. During this "ah-ha moment," guests suddenly understand and respect the shape, weight and elasticity of a fishâs body.
When visitors have the motion down, they can lead their fish through the slots and turning pool of a vertical slot fishway or "fish ladder," like those used to open up additional spawning ground for anadromous fish (fish that live in salt water, but ascend rivers to breed in fresh water).
Nearby, push buttons and discover the different types of fish ladders accompanied by their illustration and actual locations on the James. Or select one of three laser disk presentations about fish restorations of the past (Striped Bass), the present (Shad) or the future (Sturgeon).
<< TOP >>Flood Rubble Exhibit
Visitors are surprised to recognize the many man-made items in the Flood Rubble Exhibit. Sand, rocks and logs should be the only things found in rubble, but the exhibit contains "found" items typical of the river today—including several types of plastic and glass. In an effort to educate the public about the remedies to this environmental hazard, the Nature Center includes a recycling box among the rubble to discourage litter and demonstrate items created from recycled materials—including polar fleece, aluminum cans, plastic containers and paper.
Discovery Zone
In the Birds of the James Walkway, a touchscreen computer permits visitors to discover how eagles and ospreys fly, raise young, eat, migrate and see. Compare your arm span and hands to the life-size wingspan and bronze talons of an eagle and osprey.
Older children use a Wentzscope to conduct water quality studies in the Discovery Laboratory. Parents of curious toddlers delight in the Discovery Room. The environment features a Storytelling Tree covered with soft-sculpture material and padding with a leafy canopy. Children use their imagination as they place animals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects along the Velcroú James River.
Eighteen different Discovery Boxes are on display, just the thing for the young child or future ecologist that craves more about a favorite topic. The boxes are chock full of related objects to be read, touched and manipulated. For example, the Amphibian box alone contains 28 items including games, puzzles, skeletons and more. (Please call ahead for the current Discovery Room schedule.)
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