Academy of SciencesClimate Change

Exhibition:Evaluation and re-evaluation

Aaron PopeManager of Sustainability Programs

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The exhibition

The exhibition represents a long-term Academy The exhibition represents a long-term Academy commitment to exploring climate change. commitment to exploring climate change.

Budget: Budget: $1.8 million$1.8 million

Size: Size: 10,000 square feet10,000 square feet

Floor Plan: Floor Plan: Multiple entrances, flexible flowMultiple entrances, flexible flow

Opened: Opened: September, 2008September, 2008

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Focus

The exhibition explores:

• The science of climate change

• The impacts, globally and in California

• mitigation and adaptation steps

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Research study

Phone survey:

• 4,000 people

• Respondents were asked about:

• Environmental stewardship

• Climate change education

• Scientific consensus

• Trusted sources

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Survey results – the good news

• The science of climate change was clear, and it was an important issue:

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Survey results – the good news

• Individuals can have a big impact on climate change:

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Survey results – the good news

• Respondents trusted the Academy build an accurate exhibit about climate change

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Survey results – the bad news

• Climate change was only impacting far away places

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Survey results – more bad news

• Respondents said we have plenty of time to solve climate change

• That it would be considered a less important topic in 5 years

• Respondents were willing to make small changes in their own lives to respond to climate change…

• but they believed their neighbors should take much stronger measures

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Survey impact on exhibition

• Focus less on the causes of climate change

• Focus more on impacts – Hit hard and home

1. Changing oceans

2. Melting snow & ice

3. Hotter and dryer areas

4. Extinctions

• Interactives:

• Share inspiring stories

• Give visitors tools be part of the solution

• Designed to be empowering

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Interactives: “Share Your Ideas”

User generated content

Between 5,000 and 10,000 per month

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“Carbon Counter”

Categories:

• Home energy use

• Miles travelled

• Carbon offsets

Main message: You can change your footprint

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“Carbon Café”

Carbon footprint & food interactive

Main messages:

•What you eat matters

•Reduce your meat consumption

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“Your Two Cents”

Polling station – visitors vote with $

Questions gauge visitor opinion

Questions written by Academy Careers in Science interns

Changed every few months

Summative evaluation

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Conducted by Randi Korn & Associates

• Tracking data

• Exit interviews

Evaluation results – the good

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• The exhibition generates discussion about climate change

• Overall tone of the exhibition was seen as balanced

• Visitors understood that there was a problem, but felt they could be part of the solution

• People loved the interactives

Evaluation results – the bad

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• The lack of an intro section failed to provide context

• Exhibition is too porous and lacks clear organization

• Not enough seating for videos

• Visitors did not understand impacts

Second survey

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Second survey

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Second survey

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Major changes

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Major changes

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• Intro areaIntro area

• Changing to home, California, global sectionsChanging to home, California, global sections

• Updated modules on emerging technologies, Community Updated modules on emerging technologies, Community action, Redwood habitat, Farallon Islandsaction, Redwood habitat, Farallon Islands

• Considered: future module on scientific consensusConsidered: future module on scientific consensus

Climate change exhibitions in the future

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• Don’t always “lead” with climate change

• More of an emphasis on adaptation and resilience

• Distributed model – layering sustainability throughout the building

• More partnerships and programs focused on measurable, scalable, behavior change