Museums Soft-Pedal, Omit, "Forget" Even The Most Innocuous Climate Information

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A series of interviews with museum experts revealed that many factors stand in the way of an institution’s complete and accurate portrayal of global warming: the difficulty of presenting a complex subject in a clear, engaging way; the rapid pace of new findings about the effects of climate change vs. the amount of time needed to design exhibition materials; and a desire to avoid stirring up controversy with donors, visitors and political representatives.

The Dallas Morning News has learned that the Perot Museum failed to display a panel that spelled out the link between burning fossil fuels, higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a warming planet. The 4-by-2.5-foot panel had been designed to hang in its earth sciences hall but was lost in the bustle leading up to the museum’s opening in December 2012, said Steve Hinkley, vice president of programs at the Perot Museum. He did not learn of the panel’s omission until a reporter began inquiring about it earlier this month.

The museum has ordered a temporary panel to hang in its place until a new one can be manufactured. “Our installation period was very rapid,” said Hinkley. “So, for something to not have been installed is not totally out of the realm of possibility.” He has since learned that the panel was incorrectly designed to fit its space, which may have contributed to its being left out.

The missing panel, titled “Changing Climate,” states that “Volcanic eruptions and burning fossil fuels increase the amount of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. This warms the Earth and can cause sea levels to rise and climates to change.” A caption below a photo of what looks like a smokestack added: “Humans have altered Earth’s climate by burning coal and other fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide,” according to an image of the panel provided by the Perot Museum and by the panel’s designer.

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http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20140614-museums-tiptoe-around-climate-change.ece