NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Media Contact:
Pat Jensen
Exhibit Specialist
Portsmouth Museums
jensenp@portsmouthva.gov
757-393-5258, Ext. 16
PORTSMOUTH – “Nature’s Numbers,” a traveling exhibit from The Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, will open May 25 and run through Sept. 3 at the Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High St., Portsmouth.
This exhibit challenges visitors to discover math in nature. From the pattern of spots on a dog to the delicate symmetry of a butterfly wing to the ruggedness of a coastline, our physical world is filled with intricate patterns, shapes and symmetry – all of which involve math.
Four hands-on stations explore the themes of “Repeating Patterns,” “Shapes and Structures,” “Designs in Nature,” and “Mathematical Inquiry.”
Combine fun and learning when you try to answer these questions: What is special about the symmetry of a snowflake? A pattern is a pattern is a pattern . . . or is it? A long block of wood is made up of only rectangles and squares, correct?
With puzzles, a spirograph and a kaleidoscope, children will be able to discover and become familiar with shapes found in nature. Not only can you see nature’s patterns but you can feel them, too, when you touch the different textured surfaces.
The Children's Museum of Virginia, 221 High St., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays during the school year. The museum is closed Mondays except when a holiday falls on a Monday and during the summer months. Admission is $6 per person; children under 2 admitted free.
Call 757- 393-5258, Ext. 16, for additional information on Nature’s Numbers. Photos available upon request.The Children's Museum of Virginia is located at 221 High St. in Olde Towne Portsmouth. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6 per person; children under 2 admitted free. Visit www.childrensmuseumva.com to learn more about the Children’s Museum of Virginia. Free parking offered in all city garages every weekend. Call 757-393-5258, Ext. 17, for additional information.