Public School 254 Boards Natural History Bus

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) visited P.S. 254 on Avenue Y on Tuesday, April 28, 2009. A site coordinator and representative who exited from the AMNH’s museum-on- wheels told me that teachers from the school applied for the visit and the school was chosen out of many applicants.

Students were able to enter the air-conditioned bus for a mini-exhibit highlighting Structures and Cultures to get a view of the lives of nomadic people.

The program is open to any school with “legal street parking space for a vehicle 37 feet long, 12 feet high, and 10 feet wide.”  The site coordinator said that registration for the competitive program takes only about 20 minutes, but applications do need to be submitted by specific deadlines each semester. The programs are for elementary to high school students.

Educators who participate will get a pre-visit workshop, Curriculum Resource Guide, a class session taught by a Museum employee, student “field journals”, and family vouchers for free visits to the museums for the students.