Riveting Ribosomes!

      Today at the Health Museum, Sutton and I got the chance to docent for the Ribosome Machine exhibit. First, we read through and watched videos from the entire exhibit to educate ourselves with the material. Then, we received an electronic survey for visitors to take once going through the exhibit. Finally, we got the chance to be a docent and explain the exhibit to museum visitors! At first, there weren't many people coming to the exhibit but as the hour went on, whole groups of people would come to check out the amazing ribosomes. By the end of our time there, we were able to not only familiarize ourselves with the material but also spread the learning while improving our communication skills!
      Ribosomes are found all throughout the body inside cells and consist on RNA. They make proteins for our body by binding messenger RNA to transfer RNA- connecting amino acids to build long chains. One part of the exhibit displayed this amazingly intricate 3D model of ribosomes that was 3D printed using supercomputers. This was a really cool exhibit and I'm glad I got to learn more about it and share my knowledge with others!

Attic Adventures!

      Today, the Health Museum was getting ready for a big event so there was not much I could do downstairs with the exhibits. Instead, my group and I got working on the attic! At the moment, the attic is a jumbled mess of unorganized stuff, some of which might be older than me! We began by familiarizing ourselves with the attic the kinds of materials there. We then cleared off shelves and designated each shelf for a certain type of material. For example, we had a shelf for models, office supplies, arts and crafts, Christmas related things, and so much more. I thought it was super cool to help organize because I found some really interesting things and it allowed me to practice my organizing skills! Next week, I will not be able to go to the museum due to testing, but I look forward to next time! 

Beautiful Affliction

      Today I was able to get a much more in-depth view of the Beautiful Affliction exhibit. Beautiful Affliction was inspired by another exhibit, Hidden Beauty- which shows that under a microscope, even the deadliest diseases can be beautiful. It shows the artistic side to something that would normally be considered sterile and medical. From this, the idea of Beautiful Affliction was born. Beautiful Affliction showcases dresses that are made with fabric inspired by Hidden Beauty. For example, one of the dresses has a microscopic view of hundreds of diseased cells on it, making it appear like polka-dots. I got the opportunity to watch a short 12-minute video displaying the dresses through an interpretive dance that was choreographed by Travis Prokop. This was by far, one of my favorite exhibits because it unveils this whole new world of beauty to something that we have always thought of as medical.

Carts and Brain Teasers!

      Today I got an introduction to the behind-the-scenes areas of The Health Museum. I was re-introduced to the information/interactive carts from last year and I got the opportunity to meet some of the wonderful faculty members! Today was more of a slow day, mostly planning out what work and projects I will be working on. It is very exciting to learn about all of the exhibits the museum has to offer and I am looking forward to learning more about them so I can become a docent.
      Towards the end of my time there, I worked with Brain Teasers, which is one of the many fun activities the museum has to offer and I was able to learn more about them and even solve a few! Brain Teasers are small brain puzzles that can take anywhere from seconds to maybe even hours to solve! I had so much fun exploring them and it really woke up my brain and got it thinking of solutions both in and outside of the box! I am so excited to come back next week and hopefully start my training to become a docent.