Photo courtesy of Lin Lindstrom(Editors note: The following is a first-hand experience of a rotating exhibit at Exploration Place in Wichita. Exploration Place is Kansas' premier science center which has both rotating and permanent exhibits. "Sharks" is a rotating exhibit during spring 2025).
I had the pleasure of attending the opening day of the new "Sharks" exhibit at Exploration Place. As an aspiring shark biologist, I thought this was an
incredible experience!
Photo courtesy of Lin LindstromAs you walk into the exhibit, the first thing you see is a massive life-size model of a helicoprion, a prehistoric shark with a spiral jaw. I was stunned when I saw it considering how little known this species of shark is. Additionally, the addition of extinct shark species really enhanced the experience, as it recognized a part of paleontology and history that is often forgotten. Alongside the helicoprion, they have models of a hammerhead, bull shark, epaulette shark and more! Under the models, there were fact sheets about the unique characteristics of each shark. Did you know that bull sharks can swim in freshwater?
Photo courtesy of Lin LindstromSome other features of the exhibit include a mock shark tank and a hammerhead head for you to look through so you could see through hammerhead vision! One of my favorite features about this exhibit, however, was the historical artifacts. There were weapons and tools made with shark teeth from Polynesian tribes hundreds of years ago. These relics illustrated how humans have interacted with sharks throughout history and how we maintained a symbiotic relationship with them.
If you have kids or even the tiniest interest in sharks yourself, I highly recommend this exhibit. Even me, the most educated person on sharks, learned so many new things while there; therefore, I'm sure you will too.
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