Cable Natural History Museum

Purpose: Supporting Lifelong Learning Since 1985, the Cable Natural History Museum has provided classroom programs on a variety of natural history and science topics-called MuseumMobile-for children in grades K through 6. The state of Wisconsin mandates environmental education for public schools, and school districts contract with the museum to help fulfill the mandate. Each year, more than 9,000 student contacts are made, reaching 60 percent of the K through 6 population in northwest Wisconsin. The museum also has offered special programs for grades K through 6 field trips to the museum each spring and fall. In this project, the museum will continue and expand MuseumMobile programs for grades K through 6; expand MuseumMobile to grades 7 through 10; expand student participation in field trips to the museum by 25 percent for each of the two years; improve promotional materials by working with a graphic designer to create a unified look; and use an evaluation consultant to consolidate assessment of all school-related programs to determine their long-term impact. The project supports the goal of lifelong learning and supports the museum's mission and strategic plan by "going deeper" with an existing audience. The project design is based on formal and informal evaluations. The potential growth is within the capabilities of the museum's current staff and the museum's size limitations.