New Exhibit at Free Science Museum Explores Ancient Ecosystems

Tuesday, September 16, 2025
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Off Campus
Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff

In collaboration with GVSU faculty, Muskegon Community College will host a public science event on Tuesday, September 16, to launch the John Bartley Science Museum (JBSM)’s 2025–2026 exhibit: Climate & Ecosystems. The JBSM welcomes hundreds of K-8 student visitors every year, and the exhibit is particularly designed for K-12 students and teachers (although, of course, all are welcome!). The event is free and open to the public and begins with a lecture at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1300 of the Stevenson Center. It will be followed by a 6:30 p.m. tour of the interactive museum.

The evening opens with a presentation by Dr. Laura Stroik (faculty in the Dept. of Biomedical Sciences and a JBSM Collaborator), titled “After the Bridgerian Crash: Mammals and Climate Change in the Middle Eocene.” She will discuss findings from her National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research on how ancient mammals responded to climate warming, based on fossil evidence from the Uinta Basin in Utah.

Following the talk, from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m., attendees are invited to explore the museum’s new hands-on displays in Room 1073 of MCC’s main campus. Exhibits include 3D-printed mammal skulls and jaws, fossil replicas, and visual installations focused on Michigan’s ecosystems through time—from coral reefs and glaciers to the current Great Lakes region. The exhibit was funded in part by a collaborative NSF grant with GVSU.

The event concludes with a planetarium show at 7:00 p.m. in MCC’s Carr-Fles Planetarium.

WHAT: John Bartley Science Museum Presents: Climate and Ecosystems
WHERE: 221 S. Quarterline Rd. MCC Main Building
Lecture (Room 1300), Museum (Room 1073)
WHEN: Tuesday, September 16. Lecture at 5:30, Museum Tour at 6:30 p.m.
COST: Free and Open to Public

The John Bartley Science Museum and Carr-Fles Planetarium are free and open to public and group visits during the academic year. To schedule a group visit, attendees may sign up at the event or contact Tamera Owens at (231) 777-0289 or [email protected].

Location Information

221 S. Quarterline Rd. MCC Main Building
Lecture (Room 1300), Museum (Room 1073)

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Contact Information

Tamera Owens at (231) 777-0289 or [email protected].

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This event was added to the calendar by Laura Stroik (stroikl@gvsu.edu) on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 and was last updated on Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 2:12 p.m.

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