No visit to Chicago is complete without taking in the museum campus area. This area includes the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History.
While the campus area is always a highlight of a visit to Chicago, “Water” gives Chicagoans, vacationers and visitors yet another reason to go there. As important as it is to see the dinosaur Sue at the Field Museum, "Water" is critical to our lives today.
“Water”: The Result of Three Years of International Cooperation
“Water” is a 7,500 square foot exhibition that has been more than three years in the planning. The exhibit is the product of international cooperation and after leaving Chicago it will be on a worldwide tour.
The international nature of the display is demonstrated by its list of organizers. “ Water” is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, in collaboration with The Field Museum, Chicago; Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland; Instituto Sangari, São Paulo, Brazil; National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; San Diego Natural History Museum; and Science Centre Singapore with PUB Singapore.
"Water" and Fresh Water are Limited Resources
“Water” gives insight into how limited a resource fresh water is and how dependent life on this planet is upon this resource. Despite the fact that the planet is mostly seen as blue water from outer space, fresh water is only a tiny fraction of the total and most of the fresh water is in frozen polar ice caps.
The exhibit demonstrates how even creatures that live in salt water have biological systems for disposing of the salt. The importance of a clean supply of water, not just to human life, but to the quality of human life is brought home by the exhibition.
The Chicago Component of “Water”
There are also major local Chicago components in the sponsorship and exhibits. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) participated in the development of the show, with a number of interactive activities, including a “sewer science” model, docent training, cooperative seminars and video development.
Before the Faucet…After the Flush
About half way through “Water” there is a fascinating film presentation describing how MWRD supplies and treats 1.4 billion gallons of water daily for Chicago area residents’ “Before the Faucet … After the Flush” provides a look at both the history and current technology of providing safe, clean water to millions of Chicago area residents from Lake Michigan.
The film also illustrates how seriously MWRD takes its obligations to the world beyond Chicago in removing effluents in waste water and returning the water more than 95% clean to its journey down to the Gulf of Mexico.
MWRD President O’Brien on Water and “Water”
In speaking of the importance of water as a resource and the value of “Water” the exhibit, President of the Board of Commissioners of the MWRD, Terrence J. O’Brien said:
“What the public uses in its daily routines, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals comes through to our treatment plants. What they dispose of and how they do that affects the waterways. Living in this region we have an even greater responsibility for the care of these waterways as there are no alternatives to fresh water. … Through this fabulous exhibit the museum and all the sponsors offer the public a great opportunity to learn about the little things they can do and their important role…”
Any trip to Chicago this summer will be incomplete without making a trip along Lake Michigan to see “Water” at the Field Museum.
David J. Shestokas - Mr. Shestokas is a former prosecutor & writes on the Constitution & legal issues for the Save America Foundation & Suite 101.
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