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The goal of this exhibit is to showcase Alaska’s 19.2 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the perspective of a National Geographic sponsored traverse in 2006, celebrating the scientific survey of 1956 that protected the area. This stunning wilderness shelters 9 marine mammals, 45 mammals, and 180 bird species, endangered by the prospect of oil development on the northern coastal plain within the refuge.
For many years, Congress has narrowly resisted bills to open the refuge to oil leasing because of a flood of letters, phone calls, and emails from millions of American urbanites. Although most of these concerned citizens have never seen, touched, smelled, felt, tasted, or heard the sensory delights of this far off wilderness refuge, they still speak out to protect the region from oil development.
National Geographic Society, Explorers Hall
The walk through exhibit utilizes 4’x8’, 20”x30”, and 20”x38” photographic panels shot mostly by photographer John Burcham (along with documentary panels by George Schaller, Jon Waterman, and Forrest McCarthy), that take up approximately 1,200 square feet.
The images feature wildlife, wilderness vistas, scenes of Arctic climate change, and kayaking/trekking scenes within the refuge. After the exhibit closes at the National Geographic Society on January 27, 2008, the exhibit (which also includes archival items from 1956) will be expanded to include sensory elements, such as: porcupine quills, musk ox qivuit (underfur), grizzly and polar bear hair, hollow caribou fur, anters, candies flavored with the unusual berries of the refuge, the backpacks of Olaus and Mardy Murie, flower scents, delta sand, burned spruce limbs from the frequent forest fires, a continuous loop of film about the Refuge shown on a video monitor, and recorded bird calls from the refuge.
The concept driving this exhibit is to reward those who have spoken out against oil drilling by giving them this virtual trek through the Refuge.
Also, inspired viewers will have the opportunity to speak out on this issue. For the first time in more than a decade, shifting politics in America will allow the opportunity to promote a wilderness bill that would close the coastal plain to development forever.
The last station of Journey Through The Arctic Refuge exhibit will present postcards that will allow each participant to write a plea for wilderness bill protection, then drop the card into a box (that will be delivered to the appropriate politician, depending upon the sender’s return address).
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