The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is thrilled to announce a new exhibition is coming to the Museum from the Smithsonian, Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World, beginning Saturday, Aug. 1. The exhibit highlights how pathogens can spread to people from wildlife and livestock, why some outbreaks become epidemics and how human, animal and environmental health are all connected.
“As an educational institution, it’s important for the Museum to host an exhibit that’s relevant to today’s events,” said Dr. Cory Redman, the GRPM’s Science Curator. “Through an informative and immersive exhibit experience, information related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be shared, along with stories submitted from the West Michigan community about how this current health crisis has affected daily lives.”
Outbreak features informative panels and videos that cover outbreaks such as Zika, Ebola, Influenza and new information pertaining to COVID-19. Visitors will learn about the vaccination process, stigmas associated with certain infectious diseases, different roles community members and international partnerships assume to help stop outbreaks from becoming epidemics and more. The Museum also is including a section related to its community documentation project of daily life during COVID-19.
“We want people in all countries and settings to have effective communication tools about infectious diseases and health,” said Sabrina Sholts, lead curator of the exhibition and curator in the Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History. “We see this as an extraordinary opportunity to raise awareness about pandemic risks and make everyone safer in our connected world.”
Outbreak will be located on the second floor of the GRPM, and is free with general admission to the Museum. The exhibition is presented in English and Spanish. Outbreak will be on display Aug. 1 through Oct. 18.
The GRPM is open and welcoming visitors to explore the three floors of core exhibitions, along with Bodies Revealed – extended through Sept. 27. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the new GRPM visitor experience, visit grpm.org.
