US Forest Service
Glacier
Mike
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Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
The Sibbett Group collaborated on the design of an award-winning visitor center that tells a unique story about glacier ecology. The visitor center features a series of immersion environments that convey a message about the dynamics of the Mendenhall Glacier and the natural history of the surrounding area.Near the main entry, a simulated glacial crevasse glowing with blue light and crackling with the sounds of fracturing ice rises above the passage to the exhibit gallery. Inside, visitors walk along a glacier-scoured floor and emerge at an ice research station positioned on a rocky outcrop. Research instruments and tools are laid out on a weathered wooden deck and digital displays mounted to the stationÍs metal-clad wall broadcast live weather data from Ice Camp 10 on the Mendenhall Glacier.Beyond the ice research station, a dramatic model conveys a story about glacier dynamics. Visitors can see the relationship between ice and topography and then use a touch-screen monitor to access a computer animation of glacial development. Across the room, dioramas and display cases interpret five evolving ecosystems in the Mendenhall Glacier River Valley. The centerpiece of the ecosystems story is a sculptured, salmon-filled stream that cascades over rocks and plants, then splashes under a glassed-in portion of the exhibit floor.
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