Library Exhibits and Displays
Let us provide a temporary exhibit for your library or organization. All displays include information about the museum. Some examples of displays are listed below, and you can download the 2021 flyer. If you’d like to book one, please contact us. Libraries can borrow these for free, although there is a delivery charge.
And consider pairing a display with an on-site program for adults or children.
What is a Bird?
Lots of animals have bony skeletons, lots of animals have wings to fly, and lots of animals lay eggs…what makes a bird, a bird? This display engages and informs by featuring all the basics which define the earth’s avian residents, including a bird skeleton, eggs, feathers, and Bob Spear’s remarkable carvings.
Carving: tools and techniques
From wood blocks and wood blanks to finished carvings, this display shows the tools and steps a wood carver uses to create lifelike birds. Carving with soap is great for beginners, so we’ve included all you would need to get started. Indulge inspiration and unleash your creative talents!
Migration
Explore migration with flyway maps, current information about bird navigation skills, dramatic images of the perils birds face on their semiannual journeys, and carvings of birds that typically journey to and from Vermont in spring and fall.
Stories in the Forest
Take a walk in the woods, look down—look up—look through— what is the view? Forests rise and fall due to climate conditions, natural disasters, and human activity. This display illustrates how forests develop from grassland expanses into mature networks of trees with distinct profiles and layers. Forest-dwelling birds use the entire forest column to satisfy their needs. Look to the trees to find Stories in the Forest.
Birding in Vermont
Inspire people to dust off their binoculars or get outdoors! This display highlights the where, what, and when of birding, we include maps, species arrival lists, and birding tips. Plan your next excursion to the Champlain Basin, the Northeast Kingdom, or the Connecticut River Valley.
Birds in Art
A wonderful and sometimes whimsical display of the variety, depth, scales, and even history of the art of birds. Wall display only.
All About Bird Eggs
What’s in an egg? How and why are bird eggs different from those of other animals? What are eggs made of? How are all the colors and patterns produced? So many questions! This display has answers and examples to explore.
Egg-static about Eggs
We all know a bit about bird eggs, but this exhibit goes further with models, descriptions of the eggs and egg masses of fish and amphibians in spring ponds, reptile eggs in coastal or wetland habitats, insect eggs in meadowlands, and bird eggs everywhere! Compare egg structure, texture, color, size, and shape for different species to understand the evolutionary adaptations of egg-laying aquatic and terrestrial animals.
Feathers
Why do birds have feathers? How do their structure and function, size and shape, color and positions enable birds to survive?
Pollinator Gardening
Gardens are not just pretty to look at. They host and depend on an amazing array of pollinator species, from birds to bees to bats, and help us all appreciate the value of species diversity within the complexity of ecological systems. Enhance your outdoor spaces and be an activist for nature as you grow with your gardens. Updated for 2019
Owls
The mysteries of our nocturnal, winged hunters are explored through this enlightening collection of objets de hibou. A tree cavity, owl pellets, facsimile eggs, feathers, diagrams, descriptions of camouflage, flight, and vision, as well as carvings, all generate understanding of and admiration for these highly adapted birds of prey.
Protecting Birds for 100 Years
What are the United States’ conservation laws and why were they enacted? From the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 to now, wildlife laws continue to guide our actions and relationships with nature. This display helps us understand the value of exploring the outdoors with a conscience and spurs us to become advocates for nature.
Cold Winter, Warm Birds
Engaging props and images of winter’s cold challenges faced by Vermont’s year-round avian residents. Learning about the physical and behavioral adaptations they employ to stay warm presents a remarkable story of perseverance and survival. Offered as either a wall display or a display case installation.
The Coffee–Bird Connection
Did you know your love of coffee affects birds? What we do to get our favorite coffees affects both local and migratory species. Some coffee varieties and brands have a negative impact, while others have a positive one. This display introduces viewers to a growing field of research and action.