Montshire Museum of Science

The name "Montshire" is a portmanteau of "Vermont" and "New Hampshire". It was cofounded in 1974 by Dr. Robert Chaffee, former Museum Director of the Dartmouth College Museum.

When the college museum closed, Chaffee and Walter Paine devised a community museum and education center, incorporating it as the Montshire. In 1976, Dartmouth College donated the collection of biological and geological collections to the new museum.{{cite journal|journal=Dartmouth Alumni Magazine|title='Save the zebra! Save the zebra!'|date=1976|last=Schwartz|first=Gregory|url=https://archive.dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/article/1976/2/1/save-the-zebra-save-the-zebra|access-date=2024-08-12|page=23}}

The Montshire Museum was first located in a former bowling alley building in 1976 in Hanover, New Hampshire, and was later moved across the Connecticut River to a purpose-built building in Norwich in 1989.{{Cite web|url=https://www.montshire.org/about/history-overview|title=Montshire Museum: History & Overview|website=www.montshire.org|access-date=2018-03-08}}

{{cite web|url=https://archive.vpr.org/commentary-series/levin-exhibit-curator-retires/|title=Levin: Exhibit curator retires|last=Levin|first=Ted|date=2009-06-08|access-date=2024-08-12}}

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The museum, including the building and nature trails, is located on over {{convert|100|acre}} of land.{{Cite web|url=https://www.trailfinder.info/trails/trail/montshire-museum-trails|title=Trail Finder: Montshire Museum trails|date=2018|website=Trail Finder|access-date=2018-03-08}} It has over 150 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.montshire.org/exhibits|title=Montshire Museum: Exhibits|website=www.montshire.org|access-date=2018-03-08}} Its live animal exhibits include a hive of honeybees that is connected to the outdoors, a colony of leafcutter ants, and aquariums that feature life in local waters.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vnews.com/Montshire-Shares-Science-Behind-the-Music-7669472|title=Montshire Museum Designs Exhibit About How Music Gets Made|last=Corriveau|first=David|date=2017-01-27|work=Valley News|access-date=2018-03-27}}

Outside the museum building, there is a {{convert|3|acre|adj=on}} Science Park including a scale model of the Solar System (Pluto is located {{convert|2|mi}} away), and interactive exhibits on water, light, sound, and motion. Among the sound exhibits there are "whisper dishes" (parabolic dishes {{convert|40|ft|m}} apart) and a musical fence built by Paul Matisse, grandson of painter Henri Matisse.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paulmatisse.com/the-musical-fence/|title=The Musical Fence|date=2018-03-27|website=www.paulmatisse.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.montshire.org/exhibits/montshire-outside|title=Montshire Museum: Montshire Outside|website=www.montshire.org|access-date=2018-03-27}} Each year, the museum holds an annual igloo build.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vnews.com/Out-and-About-Build-an-Igloo-Learn-About-the-Science-of-Snow-at-the-Montshire-15553197|title=Out & About: Build an Igloo, Learn About the Science of Snow at the Montshire|last=Sauchelli|first=Liz|date=2018-02-15|work=Valley News|access-date=2018-03-08}}

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• [https://www.montshire.org Official website]

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Category:Science museums in Vermont

Category:Natural history museums in Vermont

Category:Museums in Windsor County, Vermont

Category:Buildings and structures in Norwich, Vermont

Category:Museums established in 1976

Category:1976 establishments in New Hampshire

Category:1989 establishments in Vermont

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