Would you be willing to interact with a tarantula? A Madagascar hissing cockroach? A ball python?

If your initial reaction was, “Yikes!”, Las Vegas Natural History Museum has a different perspective for you. And so do the staff at Ottowa-based Little Ray’s Nature Centres.

This summer, LVNHM hosts the new traveling exhibit, “Wild World: Stories of Conservation + Hope“, created by Little Ray’s Nature Centres and Little Ray’s Exhibitions. “Wild World” addresses some of the misunderstandings about the creatures in the exhibit’s habitats, including snakes, turtles and tortoises, and legless lizards.

“I’ve always had a passion for animals, and…especially for misunderstood animals (like snakes, spiders and creatures like that),” says Paul Goulet, Little Ray’s CEO and Founder.

Visitors to “Wild World: Stories of Conservation + Hope” get to learn about endangered species from all over the world.

The message is ultimately positive.

“Wild World” explores the ways caring people have launched conservation efforts, helping to save these animals from extinction.

Interactions spark new ideas

But don’t expect just to look at some animals behind glass, as you listen to a lecture.

As is the custom for education at LVNHM, the exhibition and related activities will be highly interactive, very creative–and a lot of fun. Art sessions and storytelling will complement the lessons of conservation, allowing more arts-oriented visitors to make the science their own.

Staff onsite engage visitors with impromptu interactions with the animals. Often, guests will be asked if they’d like to touch one of the creatures.

And in overcoming any initial reservations, the visitors often come away with a new understanding of the nature of these animals–and how to protect them from current environmental threats.

Two educators’ perspectives

“The best education moves you from knowing to action,” says LVNHM Education Director Grace Njoroge.

“You can become aware, but you have to do something with it.”

Add to that the element of fun.

“If my teachers made me laugh, I would listen,” says Paul Goulet, Founder and CEO at Little Ray’s Nature Centres and Little Ray’s Exhibitions.

“And I figured out, very quickly, that if I could make children laugh about things that are fun, and biologically correct,…I had the opportunity to slip in some really key messaging that was super positive.”

Grace and Paul talked about the new exhibit, discussed the creative process involved in teaching visitors about conservation and the ways they can take action, and shared some intriguing facts about some of the often-misunderstood animals in the “Wild World” exhibition.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• How this particular exhibit came to Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and how it intersects with art, science and storytelling;

• The story of Little Ray’s Nature Centers;

• What’s involved in creating exhibits that will engage viewers to learn more;

• Some of the STEAM programs Grace has implemented, around “Wild World”;

• Grace’s own experience touching an animal from the exhibit, which was a new one for her;

• What visitors experience, as they come into ‘Wild World”;

• Some of the actions visitors can take, in conservation efforts;

• How some of the arts programming, connected with the new exhibit, is giving more arts-oriented students ownership of the science behind conservation;

• Some of the misconceptions around the animals in the exhibit;

• One small action anyone could take, to help one of the types of animals who are most endangered;

• Some of the animal interactions that have happened in the “Wild World” exhibition;

• Some of the questions the children ask Paul and Grace, about the animals in “Wild World”;

• How to find educational resources related to the exhibit;

• How to support the upcoming work of both Little Ray’s and the museum;

• What’s coming up, at LVNHM;

• Little Ray’s upcoming activities, and a hint at an exciting new development (we’ll tell you more as soon as we can!);