I f the lab delivers information to generate questions, then the Mud Room is the place where answers can be discovered. After going through a reverse transmogrifier, visitors come to this room, which introduces the role scientific collections play in global soil research and lets visitors discover more about all that they encountered in the Micro-Soil Laboratory. Here, the atmosphere shifts to one that is not unlike that established in the Base Camp. Visitors have 360-degree access to a variety of exhibits that demonstrate the importance of soil conservation for the sake of agricultural crops, clean water and product manufacturing to name only a few. It's like visitors' day at a real science lab.
People can look at soil under a microscope and see the vast array of species that live in the soil.
We want people to come away from this exhibit knowing that these creatures make the soil healthy and should actually be treated with the same respect given household pets. The fourth concept area is called Soil Connections. Here, visitors find information about archaeological and environmental issues. For example, in an area call The Global Backyard, the similarities and differences among soils from around the world are exhibited. The backyard was designed to be updated as soil conditions change globally.