Traveling exhibition project in the Western Siberian region of Russia: On the river ecology of the Ob River and its tributaries

Abstract

The Ob River and its tributaries in the Arctic region have interesting ecological and ethical characteristics. Museum exhibits play an important role in educating people of all ages. However, in Western Siberia, where the Ob River flows, there are no exhibits that scientifically explain the nature of the local rivers. Another issue is that small towns are scattered over large areas, making it difficult to educate residents through a single museum exhibition. Therefore, this study applied the knowledge gained from traveling exhibition research carried out in Japan to Russian regional towns, developed a traveling exhibition package for learning about the Ob River and its tributaries in a fun and hands-on manner, and traveled to three cities in Western Siberia. We were able to develop a traveling exhibition that allowed visitors to learn about the Ob River from a perspective that integrated the arts and sciences, and that was also entertaining, with many interactive exhibits. This was significant because a wide range of people, regardless of ethnicity, were able to experience and learn from the exhibition.