The Smithsonian in Greenville

"Animal Connections: Our Journey Together" was in town this week, parked next to the Greenville Zoo. The traveling truck exhibit on the bond between humans and animals is meant for children and adults alike, and as we already had plans to head to Cleveland Park to meet friends, we decided to check out the mobile museum on the second day of its Greenville visit.

There were several aspects to the exhibit. The first was human interaction with animals in our home environment: animals in the backyard, urban encroachment and other places our paths might cross. The second was human interaction with animals in learning environments: zoos, farms and the like. Animals as pets and service animals was a third topic.

The exhibit was more suited for adults and children already in school, as many of the displays requiring interaction were a little more complicated. On the other hand, the material was presented in a condensed format, meaning both boys had the required patience to explore the entire exhibit. The displays also elicited questions about some of the various animals featured from both Lauris and Mikus.

A display focusing on human products poisonous to animals

Animal Connections is free to the public, and with high quality displays I felt it was worth the trip to see it. There was no wait to get in and it was actually quite roomy inside, with the expandable sides fully extended providing enough space for double the people that were inside. The Cleveland Park Animal Clinic veterinarians were on hand to answer any questions, and a full exploration of the displays took about 30 minutes.

Presented by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) to mark the 150th anniversary of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the next destination on their itinerary is the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. To find out if Animal Connections will be visiting your hometown, click here.