Bruce Museum
One Museum Drive
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
(203) 869-0376 • 203-869-6786 ext.338 Groups
www.brucemuseum.org/

This already great museum, serving its communities for more than 100 years, has recently expanded its facilities and now provides the best in natural history and art in a modern, comfortable environment that everyone is sure to enjoy. With the expansion, the Museum staff has coined the term "environmental history" to better define the Museum's goal of demonstrating man's role in changing the face of the earth.

Exhibits in the Environmental History Galleries include Changes in Our Land, The Earth's Minerals, Formations Gallery, and Life Between the Tides. Exhibits are state-of-the-art, aesthetic presentations with many interactive displays. The Bruce Museum is a place for exploration for children, adults, and groups of all ages.

For instance, the 2,400 gallon live-animal marine tank, looking much like a rock pool, features creatures such as lobsters, horseshoe and hermit crabs, barnacles, oysters, and other denizens of the deep. A great blue heron flying overhead and detailed mural all around really set the atmosphere.

One secret corner of the galleries is actually a man-made cave displaying a variety of brilliantly colored minerals and fluorescents representing a global view of our natural environment.

The Formations Gallery features a video monitor, interactive puzzle and geologic samples and fossils spanning two billion years of evolution. Visitors can see a computer graphic showing how changes have taken place on earth over millions of years. Here, also, a recreation of an archaeological dig at the Manakaway Site displays the Native American artifacts excavated at Greenwich Point 40 years ago.

The above gives only a small taste of the Bruce Museum's commitment to excellence and to presenting outstanding educational opportunities to its publics.

Fine Arts are also well represented here through a number of galleries that feature changing exhibitions of world-class art, such as recent shows featuring contemporary sculpture,19th century paintings and 20th century photography.

Throughout the year families can also enjoy a very full calendar of special events, children's programs, demonstrations, workshops, and more. Visit their website www.brucemuseum.org for an up-to-date calendar.

Interested in Astronomy? Join the Astronomical Society of Greenwich, which meets at the Bruce Museum and operates the Bowman Observatory at a separate location. The Observatory is open to the public, free of charge, two days per month, and by appointment for groups.

Finally, School Groups near and far benefit from the Museum's great educational programs for grades K through 8. A few examples:

• Artist's Tools (K - 2): through gallery and hands-on activities, children learn about tools and their uses, and design elements
• Love a Lobster (K - 2): how to safely handle small sea creatures and what it's like to be one
• Native Americans Along the Sound (3 - 6): students use a life-size wigwam and artifacts to explore American Indian culture
• Long Island Sound Program (6 - 8): students discover the ecology of the Sound, handling animals and plants from the intertidal habitat. A Double Program can include a trip to the beach
• Prehistoric Peoples (6 - 8): using the exhibit and artifacts, students learn about ancient people's adaptation to their changing environment.

Many other programs are available, including programs for High School through Adult Groups. The Brucemobile takes these or similar programs to the school. Most programs last one hour.

Everyone is encouraged to visit this wonderful Museum and participate in its great programs.