MASTERS OF THE NIGHT: The True Story of Bats 5,000 sq. ft version)

BAT EXHIBIT TURNS MYTHS UPSIDE-DOWN

"Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats," a touring museum exhibit, is bringing the mystery surrounding bats out of the dark. The exhibition, with concurrent tours in the United States, Mexico and Europe, dispels popular misconceptions about bats, describes their ecological importance and gives visitors an appreciation of the true wonders of the bat world. Special effects, multi-sensory interactive displays, a Gothic castle and environmentally lifelike settings such as caves and rain forests present bats in mythic and real-life settings.

Bats are a mystery to most people. Very few have ever seen a bat up close. What little most people know comes from folklore, myth or superstition. The truth about bats is they are gentle, beneficial, and amazing animals. Their value has been overshadowed by their tainted reputation - a reputation based on ignorance and fear of the unknown. With lifelike cave piece sets, models and interactives, the ecological importance of bats is revealed, and visitors are given a true appreciation of the wonders of the bat world.

From medieval gothic lore to the beneficial nature of these agile creatures of the night, Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats dispels misconceptions, while engaging children and adults alike. The exhibit brings the mystery surrounding these nocturnal creatures out of the dark. It's the real story behind these fascinating animals and their unique appearance and skills.

Hands-On Interactives

The exhibit is made up of modular sections which create environmentally lifelike, yet theatrical settings, integrating special effects, caves, an interactive schematic rain forest and a science curator's office. Interactives include: Bats Around the World; Bat Prints; Echo, Echo, Echo; Sonic Steering; See-a-Sound; I'm All Ears; The Nursery Visit; Bat Strokes; Standing at Bat; Feast & Flight; The Importance of Being Bats; Bat Banquet; One Night's Meal; Bats Live Near You; Large Video; Hanging with Bats; Silk Cotton Tree Crawl; and Cave Crawl. Eight bat models as well as several dioramas are featured throughout the exhibit.

Endorsement

Evergreen Exhibitions contributes a percentage of all venue revenue to Bat Conservation International, for ongoing educational outreach. Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International, endorses Masters of the Night.

Quotable Quotes:

"Attendance was wonderful...people were emphatic when responding positively to the question of whether it was worth the price with answers like 'absolutely!' and 'definitely!'"
Carrie Hageman, Manager of Special Exhibits
The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois

"...175,000+ guests came to visit the exhibit during its stay. The numerous surveys showed that the exhibit was a hit with all generations. Educational groups touring the Bat exhibit found it to be both fun and educational at the same time."
Gregg Hudson, Director
The Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International (BCI), serves as scientific consultant. BCI is recognized as the international leader in conservation and education initiatives that protect bats and their habitats.

Content Collaborator:
Merlin Tuttle, Ph.D.
Bat Conservation International (BCI)

5,000 sq. ft. version

Now Showing:
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Organization for Bat Conservation
(ongoing display)

Past Venues:
The Discovery Science Place, Tyler, Texas
California Sceince Center, Los Angeles, California
Owensboro Museum of Science and History, Owensboro, Kentucky
LA County Fair, Los Angeles, California
Farmington Museum, Farmington, New Mexico
Insights El Paso Museum of Science, El Paso, Texas
SCITrek, Atlanta, Georgia
Miami Metro Zoo, Miami, FL
Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Oregon
Camden Park, Huntington, West Virginiaa
The Wildlife Experience, Parker, Colorado
Owensboro Museum of Science and History, Owensboro, Kentucky
Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana

MASTERS OF THE NIGHT: The True Story of Bats (2500 sq. ft. Scaled Version)

This exhibit is based on the highly successful 5,000-square-foot version of Masters of the Night, which as been stunning audiences throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe. Evergreen Exhibitions created the smaller exhibit in response to the overwhelming demand from smaller markets wishing to bring this popular exhibit to their communities.

Myths Revealed

Blind, blood-sucking, squeaky creatures that get tangled in your hair.who wants to see an exhibit on BATS?! Visitors of Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats soon find these beliefs to be myths that have held fast throughout the years. The exhibit explains that bats are actually gentle, beneficial little animals.

Did you know that many fuirt-bearing trees in the constantly threatened rainforest depend on bats? In order to reproduce, these trees bear fruit that need seed dispersal and are ingested, often by bats. The bats, in turn spread waste material containing seeds that as dispersed, regenerate the rainforest.

With lifelike models and interactives, the ecological importance of bats is revealed, and visitors can better understand and truly appreciate the wonders of the bat world.

Hands-On Interactives

How about trying on a pair of bat ears allowing one to experience the sensitivity of bat hearing? Of if food is more appealing, try to match the bats up with their favorite foods and look for bats masked in a variety of habitats. Other interactives help visitros learn echo-location, find where bats are located worldwide, and discover how mother bats easily find their babies.

Now Showing:
Santa Ana, CA
Discovery Science Center
Sept. 20, 2008 - Jan. 4, 2009

Past Venues:
Science Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, VA
Saskatchewan Science Center, Regina, Can
Tallahassee Mus-History/Nat.Science, Tallahassee, FL
Discovery Center Museum, Rockford, IL
Boise Nature Center, Boise, ID
North Carolina Museum of Life & Sci, Durham, NC
Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA
Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, OK
Science Center of Connecticut, W. Hartford, CT
Arkansas Museum of Science & His, Little Rock, AR
Putnam Museum of History & Nat Sci, Davenport, IA
Sloan Museum, Flint, MI
Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, WI
Discovery Center of Springfield, Springfield, MO
Lincoln Mall, Matteson, IL
Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, AZ
Sci-Port Discovery Center, Shreveport, LA
The Children's Museum Richmond, Richmond, VA
Delaware Museum of Nat History, Wilmington, DE
Pittsburgh Zoo, Pittsburgh, PA
Heard Museum, McKinney, TX
Natural History Museum of Sternberg, Hays, KS
Echo Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS
Fontano Nature Organization, Omaha, NE
Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek, CA
SciTech Hands-On Museum Science & Technology Interactive Center, Aurora, Illinois
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas
Rocky Mount Children's Museum, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Dayton, Ohio
South Florida Science Museum,  West Palm Beach, FL

Lease Information
Call Christi Klingelhefer at 210-599-0045.