Exhibition Title: Amazing Feats of Aging

Length of time to develop exhibit: Research and development took five years

Exhibit first opened: August 2003 at OMSI

Why was this exhibit created?: On a past survey of Life Science Hall visitors at OMSI, aging stood out as the highest-ranked human biology topic, drawing nearly twice as many positive responses as any other choice. Of those surveyed, 85% ranked “how our bodies age” as one of their top three choices for a future exhibition.

Who is the target audience?: The exhibit targets a general museum audience of families, school groups, and older adults. The exhibition is also intended for younger audiences, in particular school-age children (ages 5 to 12). Younger visitors surveyed demonstrated higher interest in the aging of other species, so this theme is integrated throughout the exhibition in ways that appeal to children.

What will they learn: The exhibition focuses on the biology of aging, with special emphasis on comparative aging across the animal kingdom, healthy aging, and aging of the brain. Aging has great relevance in the twenty-first century as medical advances and demographic shifts accelerate the growth of our elder population, and scientific research narrows in on the central mysteries of the aging process.
 
Why do they need to know this info?: Aging has great personal significance as we experience the aging of our grandparents, our parents, and finally, ourselves. In addition to its personal relevance, the study of aging has special significance because of the accelerating growth of our elder population, the impact of lifelong choices on our health in old age, and the explosion of new discoveries in gerontology research. Aging is a rich topic for exploring basic biology, appreciating healthy choices, and encouraging intergenerational learning.

Who developed the exhibit?: The exhibit was developed by OMSI with the support of the Center for Healthy Aging at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and other experts from a diversity of fields in gerontology research and education.

Who funded this exhibit?: It was fully funded by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) from the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCRR or NIH.

How big is the exhibit?: 2,500 square feet

Amazing Feats of Aging was created and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The exhibit was funded by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The exhibit’s national tour is sponsored by MetLife Foundation.