Darkened Waters: Profile of an Oil Spill

A multifaceted evaluation study was conducted of the 2,000-square-foot exhibit "Darkened Waters: Profile of an Oil Spill" between September 14 and October 12, 1991, at the Oakland Museum, Natural Sciences Department. "Darkened Waters" is the second generation of an exhibit originally conceived and built by the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska, to provide information and a forum for the environmental impact of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The exhibit will travel to the Smithsonian Institution in December 1991, and will be available to other institutions through the Association of Science-Technology Centers. Before "Darkened Waters" goes on the road, it will be modified and improved. Decisions about what to change have been made by the exhibit developers based on what they perceive to be necessary and desirable to enhance the esthetics, technical aspects and durability of the exhibit. In addition, changes are being made to improve the organization and presentation of information, based to a large extent on feedback from visitors during this evaluation.