Worcester EcoTarium exhibit celebrates Tuskegee Airmen
WORCESTER — The EcoTarium is the runway for the new science and history exhibit “Aim High: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen,” which is starting a national tour in Worcester.
“The Ecotarium is really excited to host this exhibit as the first museum in the country to host ‘Aim High,’ " said Director of Education and Exhibits Katie Chappell.
The exhibit spotlights the historical significance of the all-Black World War II fighter pilot unit known as the Tuskegee Airmen, combined with examining the science behind the development of aviation technology, from planes to rocket launches.
Brig. Gen. Enoch O’Dell “Woody” Woodhouse II, one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen and a native of Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, will be a guest speaker at a special kickoff event, which will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the EcoTarium.
The exhibit is already open to the public.
“This exhibit is not just a reflection of the past; it's an inspiration for the future. It shows that no dream is too high to reach,” said Woodhouse in a press release from the EcoTarium.
Chappell echoed this sentiment while standing by a display about NASA’s space program that references Guion Bluford, the first Black American to go to space, and Mae C. Jamison, the first Black woman astronaut.
“It’s very important to us at the EcoTarium to have exhibits kids can see themselves in, and this is a great exhibit to do that,” she said. “There are so many amazing examples of how different Black Americans made an impact on our country, and the exhibit really highlights these contributions.”
The exhibit was created by Hosanna House Inc. and the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, which has worked with the EcoTarium on multiple occasions and contacted the Worcester museum about hosting the exhibit two years ago. Local sponsors are the Massachusetts Port Authority, David Clark Co. Inc. and UMass Chan Medical School.
“Aim High” follows the EcoTarium’s established style of education through engaging in immersive activities. It features a cockpit simulator for children to take the pilot’s seat, and even don the uniform, as well as building and launching paper rockets to learn about aerodynamics.
Science, history hands-on
“Visual stimulation and hands-on activities” make the science material accessible to younger children, said Chappell. She said she hopes that children who visit realize that they can pursue a career in science, technology and aviation, whether as an astronaut or pilot.
Science and history are inextricably linked, Chappell believes, and exhibits like “Aim High” exemplify this.
“It’s important for all cultural organizations, whether history or science museums, to look at our history, and see how we can use that to educate folks within our community by looking at our past and present day,” she said. “Looking at aviation through the lens of the Tuskegee Airmen is the perfect way to blend that together.”
“Aim High: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen” will be on display until Jan. 21 at the EcoTarium.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Tuskegee Airmen celebrated in traveling exhibit at Worcester EcoTarium
