Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Web cam offers birds-eye view of construction activity at Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

By Pegasus News wire

Since September, crews have been working behind an eight-foot-high fence that encircles the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's new campus, preparing the site for construction of the Museum's new campus. Now, however, an interested public can get a bird's-eye view of much of the construction activity on the other side of the fence.

A recently installed Web cam, viewable at the museum's web site allows Web visitors to watch real-time video of the construction site around the clock. By following simple directions on the Web site, users can pivot the camera left, right, up or down and zoom in on any area within the camera's range.

The Web cam, positioned atop the Will Rogers Memorial Center's Landmark Pioneer Tower, will allow users to watch almost every phase of the Museum's two-year construction project. This week, for instance, viewers can watch crews removing materials from the Museum's existing building.

A November 27 groundbreaking ceremony will officially launch construction of the new building, while celebrating the Museum's illustrious past and thanking the community for its steadfast support over nearly 70 years. The ceremony will be attended by a host of dignitaries, including local and state elected officials, representatives of the educational community and local students, and the Museum's generous supporters.

Visitors to the Web site between now and the anticipated completion of the Museum in Fall 2009 can follow a construction project timeline that will include:

• Renovations to the Museum's Omni Theater, an IMAX(r) Dome, starting this month and expected to be complete in May 2008.
• The Museum's official groundbreaking ceremony on November 27, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Pouring of the foundation of the 133,000-square-foot Museum, planned for this December and January.
• Erection of Museum walls, scheduled to start in Spring 2008, and exterior brick and stone work slated for Summer 2008.
• Completion of the Museum and grand opening ceremonies in Fall 2009.

Time-lapse photography

For those who don't want to tune in to the Web cam each day, the Museum is also utilizing time-lapse photography to document the two-year construction process. A second camera, positioned to the east on the Will Rogers Memorial Center's Swine Barn, has been capturing a steady stream of photos of the construction, starting with the installation of the construction fence in September. In the coming weeks, the images will be produced into a time-lapse video clip available on the Museum's Web site.

Starting November 23, guests at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame can see detailed plans for the new Museum in a Preview Center in the rotunda of the Cowgirl Museum, which will be home to Fort Worth Museum of Science and History exhibits during construction.

The Museum of Science and History is currently preparing for activity areas that will be opened to the public on November 23 on the first floor of the National Cowgirl Museum. The activity areas will include:

• a space featuring elements of the popular KIDSPACE(r) play area, where children ages 6 and under can take a trip to the Kids Market, put on a puppet show, build a house, experiment with balls, blocks and vortexes, or pay a visit to the ATM
• an exhibit space for ExploraZone "Seeing," an installment of interactive components from San Francisco's Exploratorium that engages visitors' curiosity through a variety of exhibits that demonstrate how vision actually works
• Hands-On Studio, an ever-changing space that celebrates the curious spirit in all of us by inviting guests to explore, create, design, build, experiment, learn and have fun.

Starting November 23, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will also introduce its own retail area at the National Cowgirl Museum.

About the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Dedicated to lifelong learning and anchored by its rich collections, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History engages its diverse community through creative, vibrant programs and exhibits interpreting science and the stories of Texas and the Southwest. Since the mid-1980s, the Museum has annually welcomed more than 800,000 visitors, making it one of the most popular cultural attractions in North Texas.

Source: Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

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