This article appeared in on the KFVS12 website on November 2, 2016. You can find the original article here.

 

(KFVS) -Illinois Humanities will partner with the Science Center of Southern Illinois in Carbondale to host Water/Ways, a new Museum on Main Street exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution.

The exhibit will run December 10, 2016 through January 22, 2017.

Visitors to the museum can examine the vital importance of water in the human experience from a plethora of perspectives.

“The remarkable, interactive river model exhibit will enable people of all ages to learn, through first-hand experience, about the functioning of rivers and their watersheds said Matt Meacham, a program coordinator with Illinois Humanities. “Their other companion exhibits and programs will demonstrate how and why the functioning of rivers and their watersheds has been so vital to the lives of southern Illinoisans over the years.”

Water/Ways will explore a variety of questions about the role of water in the lives of individuals and communities, including:

• How do people in the U.S. use water? How is water represented in our society? In what ways do we use water as a symbol?

• How does water unite communities? How does conflict over water emerge, and how do communities resolve it?

• How does water affect the ways in which we live, work, worship, create, and play?

• How do we care for our water and protect the resource for the future?

Due to it’s proximity to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and Lake Michigan, Illinois has been influenced greatly by water throughout its history.

The Water/Ways tour will present an exciting opportunity for Illinoisans to share stories about water’s influence on the histories and identities of their communities, reflect on the many ways in which water is currently significant in their lives and discuss critical water-related issues that could affect their futures.

Water/Ways will be associated with the Museum on Main Street program and also with Water Matters, a multi-year, national-scale initiative involving multiple units within the Smithsonian Institution and allied organizations that encompasses a wide variety of projects and programs.

The Science Center of Southern Illinois is open Wednesday through Sunday and is located at the University Mall in Carbondale.

For more information on programming, hours of operation and upcoming events, please visit yoursciencecenter.org or call (618) 529-5431.

Illinois Humanities is an independent, nonprofit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, with a mission to strengthen society by fueling inquiry and conversation about the ideas and works that shape our culture.

Illinois Humanities is supported by state, federal, and private funds.