Dig It! The Secrets of Soil
Opening to the public on July 19, 2008
For generations upon generations, we have lived on and learned to use soils.
Soils sustain our world.
Without soil, life on land would not exist as we know it. The soils under our feet are a vast reservoir for life and play a part in almost every aspect of human existence – food, housing, clothing, medicine, ecosystems and much more. This vital living system is the focus of the planned 5,000 square-foot Exhibition scheduled to open at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in 2008.
Over most of the Earth’s land, and under some shallow waters, lies a thin layer of soil. This “skin” is a complex and variable mixture of minerals, air, water, decaying remains of life, and countless living organisms. The Exhibition will advance public understanding of the diversity, complexity and importance of soil for daily life.
Exhibition visitors will take a journey through the living world in the soils under our feet. An interdisciplinary approach to the subject will provide a new context to explore the Museum’s diverse collections including the many organisms that live in soil, the geological and environmental conditions that produce soil, and the cultures that rely on soil.
Through dioramas, soil cross-sections or monoliths, cultural artifacts, and hands-on activities, the Exhibition will examine the physical and biological characteristics of soil, the processes that transform rocks to soil; the uses and benefits of soil; the global links of soil to air, water and climate, and the influence of soil on culture. The public will be surprised at the range of colors and patterns that are found in intact soils, and the many ways in which soils touch our everyday lives.
The Exhibition is also being designed to travel through the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
Rendering of a gallery within the exhibition.
The Soils Exhibition is being developed under the Forces of Change Program at the National Museum of Natural History.
Exhibition planning has been made possible with financial support from founding sponsor the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), lead sponsor The Fertilizer Institute and its Nutrients for Life Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior.
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