http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/wondersofw_145.mp3
Fred1/1a :20
Fred Marty is executive director of the new American National Fish and Wildlife Museum at the corner of Sunshine and Campbell. He says educating the public will be done, in part, thru the many interactive exhibits the museum offers'
Fred2 :20 Bird sounds
One feature of the museum is a free-flight aviary'walk in the woods. Free-flight, of course, means birds fly around and over museum visitors'
Tour guide
Walk in the woods features a suspended walkway that carries travelers thru the Ozarks' woods. The museum features both natural and piped sound'
Bird sounds
Many of the 160 species of live animals in the museum are native to Missouri. Some are not. Misty Mitchell is wow's curator of mammals and birds'
Misty1 :15 Cave sound
The museum's resident bats are short-tail fruit bats'natives of South America. They live in the simulated tumblecreek cave, and visitors can view them from behind glass. Other features of the cave are crawfish, salamanders and blind cavefish.
At the museum's out to sea gallery, visitors come face-to-face with things like sharks, stingrays and an extensive collection of saltwater fish. There is are many interactive exhibits including a chance to walk thru the digestive system of a 32-foot largemouth bass and an interactive video simulator that allows visitors to hook their own blue marlin. If you didn't know the museum's 66 trees were artificial it's easy to think they're real. The trees, complete with a total of 3.5 million leaves came at a cost of about 16-thousand dollars each'
Miisty3 :15
Even with piped-in sound and artificial trees, the museum's designed to make people feel like they're outdoors, indoors and does a good job at it'again, Misty Mitchell'
Misty4 :15 Nat sound
Wonders of Wildlife American national fish and wildlife museum will open its doors with a ribbon cutting this morning at 10. Events will be held all weekend long. For information call 890-wild or visit www.wondersofwildlife.org