New exhibit inside the Carnegie Museum aims to inspire stewardship, teach nature topics

This spring, the Carnegie Museum in Port Huron will bring nature indoors by hosting the Blue Water, Green Spaces exhibit with the Friends of the St. Clair River, connecting people to the natural world of the Blue Water Area. 

The museum approached the organization after the success of its previous large exhibit, Barbie: What Was I Made For. Executive Director Veronica Campbell says they wanted to bring another idea that would attract people to the space.

“Our curator at the time settled on nature, so then we started coming up with all these possible partnerships and the Friends of the St. Clair River were definitely our go-to to bring this nature topic to life,” Campbell says. 

The exhibit will explore themes from stewardship and technology to highlighting careers in the STEM field. These themes are meant to get people to explore the nature around them and become environmental stewards in their local communities. 

“Being in the museum, we’re trying to reach different audiences and maybe pique some interest that wasn’t there before or encourage people to go out and try something different,” says Lynnea McFadden, director of programs with the Friends of the St. Clair River. 

Multiple species of local fish, like the Sturgeon, will be represented in mounts.

Within these themes, the exhibit will highlight local legends or species threatened or endangered in the area, McFadden says. Some of those species include Sturgeon, Peregrine falcons, and the Monarch Butterfly. 

The exhibit will also explore topics from hunting and fishing to foraging, which are part of the area's heritage, with help from the Blue Water Sportfishing Association. McFadden adds that we use these natural resources to feed our bodies, so we need to keep the food we eat clean and the area around us healthy.

Inside will also be interactive activities, including a tree house, a kayak simulator, and a build-your-own macroinvertebrate table. 

“It’s going to be a hodgepodge of a lot of different aspects of learning and exploring,” McFadden says. 
Left to Right: Emily Reitzel, Veronica Campbell, and Sheri Faust.
Throughout the exhibit, there will be an emphasis on the past, present, and future of the environment, says Port Huron Museum's Curator Emily Reitzel. She adds that the environment is always changing and that change relies heavily on what we do as a community.

“To be able to share information on so many different topics related to the environment and focusing on our area and what actions we take is very important,” Reitzel says. 

This exhibit is made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, a $5,000 grant from the Blue Water Sportfishing Association, and a $5,000 sponsorship from Enbridge. The exhibit will host its grand opening on April 4, free to the public with a suggested $3 donation. 

After the grand opening, admission will cost $5 and run until September 28.

“Every nook and cranny is going to be filled with something,” Campbell concludes.