New York Aquarium/Wildlife Conservation Soc.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) seeks IMLS support to plan and create a dolphin-focused cognition exhibit at its New York Aquarium facility. The exhibit will ultimately serve as a model for changing how dolphins and other marine mammals are exhibited and understood by the public. Instead of showing dolphins intelligence through a series of trained behaviors, the project aims to investigate ways to connect visitors in a compelling way to the amazing cognitive, social and communicative skills of the dolphin and other marine mammals, showing the scientific research underlying it. The museum hopes to inspire increased interest in the animals, the oceans and science in general while simultaneously fostering a more positive attitude toward preserving life in the seas. The museum seeks IMLS funding for extensive evaluation and planning on appropriate messages, technology and media, by the development and testing of software, content and presentation delivery systems that will most effectively promote learning of science. By testing a broad spectrum of concepts, technologies and presentation designs with multiple audiences, WCS will be able to ascertain what the most effective vehicles are for creating greater understanding of dolphins, other marine mammals and science in general.