New exhibition opens at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on June 16

DENVER — Imagine if you could swim 60 miles an hour, your punch could break through aquarium glass, or your ears could act as air conditioners. From the inside out, every living thing is a machine built to move and survive. In the new exhibition Nature’s Amazing Machines, opening at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on June 16, the whole family will discover the marvels of natural engineering.

Ever wondered how a giraffe’s heart pumps blood up its long neck or how a cheetah is so fast? How a toucan stays cool in the jungle or how insects breathe without lungs? The biomechanics of how animals and plants stay in one piece despite what appear to be insurmountable challenges are fascinating. Using their biological pumps, pipes, insulation, motors and springs, these creatures endure extreme temperatures, find food against fierce competition, circulate their own life-sustaining fluids and defend against external pressures, such as the forces of wind and water and the pull of gravity.

The exhibition, presented in English and Spanish and free with general admission, uses a fun approach to explaining these phenomena with lots of real objects, scientific models and engaging activities.

• Try pumping “blood” from the heart of a life-size giraffe model all the way up to its brain. 
  • Learn to “fly” using two different types of wings.
  • Explore the mechanics of cheetahs and what makes them the world’s fastest land mammal.
    • Try activities to feel the intense grip of a chimpanzee and the strength of a harpy eagle.
    • Discover the stories behind breakthroughs in biomimicry inspired by nature’s ingenuity, such as Velcro, wind turbines and chainsaws.
    • Compare and touch life-like models of animal hearts, including those of a fish, frog, turtle, eagle and human.

• See an array of diverse rigid structures, such as bones and shells, that demonstrate how the dome shape provides ideal protection.
• Stand in front of a thermal camera to learn how much heat your body loses compared to animals covered in fur, blubber or feathery down.
• Find out how toucan beaks and fox ears act as radiators to regulate temperature.
• Consider the complexities of the human gait as you watch a two-legged robot try to walk.

The Museum added a fun feature — collectible trading cards! The cards feature six different animals from the exhibition, with fun facts and activities to try at home. They will be printed in both English and Spanish. The June/July card will be available when the exhibition opens, continuing with a new one at the beginning of each month until closing on January 1, while supplies last. 

“Ever feel weighted down? Like you can’t catch your breath? Dizzy from standing too quickly? Hot? Cold?,” said Dr. Garth Spellman, the Denver Museum’s curator of ornithology and curatorial advisor for “Nature’s Amazing Machines.” “Life on Earth is constantly struggling to counter natural physical forces that are trying to drag us down. This exhibition reveals a myriad of incredible adaptations animals have evolved to combat nature’s constant assault.”

This exhibitionwas developed by The Field Museum in partnership with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, with generous support provided by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust and ITW. For more information, visit www.dmns.org/NAM.

# # #

About the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain Region’s leading resource for informal science education. Our mission is to be a catalyst and ignite the community’s passion for nature and science. The Museum offers a wide variety of engaging exhibitions, programs, activities and scientific research to inspire public appreciation and understanding of the wonders of Colorado, Earth and the universe. The Museum is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO, 80205. Information: dmns.org or 303.370.6000. Many of the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Connect with the Museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.