The Rolling Bones Tour

The “Rolling Bones Tour” will be an entertaining educational exhibit touring throughout the country, bringing the Earth Sciences from fossils to Volcanoes, weather and climate to the hometowns of America in a learning outreach program that would appeal to all age groups

How it began

During the early 1990s, Yannacone enlisted the aid of journalist Kevin B. Molloy, editor of the Long Island Advance to develop some inexpensive proposals for effective public information and education about Earth Science suitable for rapid national deployment. His first proposal was enthusiastically received but never implemented. It should be dusted off, reconsidered, and brought to communities throughout the country, particularly our educationally underserved urban centers.

GSA stirs…but doesn’t quite wake up

At their October 1994 Annual Convention, members of the GSA, IEE and GEPOP expressed concern about the low public interest and media attention given to their field. Coupled with this was their concern with the failure of the United States educational system to encourage the study of earth sciences, instead concentrating on “the PCB’s,” or Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
Yet, even the casual observer to any museum of natural history can see the natural attraction people, particularly children, have to the earth sciences over all other fields of science. Children naturally gravitate to, and learn vast amounts of information about, dinosaurs and fossils.
The most popular souvenirs after such a trip are invariably fossils, books on dinosaurs and paleontology, and rock, mineral, and ore samples. Even the adults at such shows get wrapped up in the exhibits. They walk away learning just as much, or more, as their children, with everybody invariably enjoying the experience. And who among us has not enjoyed picking up an interesting rock during a walk on the beach or in the woods?
Clearly, a natural interest in the earth sciences is inherent in all of us. It is somehow removed, however, from the education and life experience most people have between the ages of 6 and 18.
There should be a way to foster this natural tendency to learn about the earth in our everyday lives without having to travel several miles to a museum. The traveling “Rolling Bones Tour” would bring this museum experience to the people on a regular basis in their own home towns.

How it would work

A team of geologists, educators, public information specialists and others would determine which fields of the geosciences would be represented in the tour.
Exhibits should include life size models of dinosaur skeletons, as well as dinosaur footprints and an array of impressive fossils to serve as the main draw.
In addition, a number of other audio-visual interactive exhibits and displays including maps, diagrams and electronic game quality graphics.
Children can walk out of the Exhibits with “apps” for their tablets and smartphones that will continue the educational experience. Tie-in events in the downtown area of the community with local governments, schools, chambers of commerce, will add to the local interest and the memories of the experience.
Young geoscientists with varied backgrounds and interests would staff the exhibits in each area visited both sharing their knowledge and gaining hands-on experience in explaining the importance of the Earth Sciences to the public. Local high school students interested in the Earth Sciences could be recruited work the exhibit.

Regionalizing the exhibits

Some time before an exhibit would enter a region, a “tiger team” of geoscientists would optimize the exhibits for the specific area of the country. This would literally “bring geology and the geosciences home” to the visitors, showing the importance geoscience has had and continues to have in the history and current events of their region.

Where would it go?

Because major cities already have museums of natural science and history, the Rolling Bones Tour would focus on suburban and rural America. The tour would travel aboard one or two tractor trailers, setting up in school gymnasiums, town halls, shopping malls, even empty store fronts; wherever space is available. Because the tour would attract an audience sought by most areas for shopping and other events, as well as its educational emphasis, there should be no shortage of areas willing to book it.

Who would come see it?

Just about everybody. Children would absolutely want to go and would bring their parents in tow. Single and childless married adults would also go because of its attraction and entertainment value, as would senior citizens. If it is open until a reasonable hour in the evening (9 p.m. on weekdays, 11 p.m. on weekends), even teenagers would go to see it.

Why have souvenirs and an admission price?

First, to help fund the tour where grant monies and charitable donations fall short; then to raise money for other educational and public information efforts to bring the Earth Sciences into the public eye and the minds of voters. Finally, because no one thinks that anything offered for free has any real value. Charging moderate, reasonable prices for admission and souvenirs will make it affordable as well, offering audiences value for their money.

Items to be exhibited

• At least one complete dinosaur skeleton
• Other dinosaur bones, eggs, and foot track casts
• Fossils
• A meteor
• Moon rocks
• Rock, mineral and ore samples – in the raw and finished product forms
• Exhibit on precious metals and gems
• Virtual reality exhibit
• Interactive computer exhibits
• Electronic games designed to teach geology
• Core and petroleum samples
• Tools of the trade
• Model of an excavation site (possible hands-on exhibit?)
• Timelines, maps showing same area over various ages, etc.
• “Connections” exhibit
• Real and/or constructed cross sample(s) of earth
• Large revolving model of earth showing continental drift
• Lots of pictures
• Earthquake and/or volcano exhibit
• Numerous educational items for souvenir shop moderately priced