The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) proposes to create a 2,000-square-foot permanent exhibition, The Nature of Aging, and a duplicate traveling exhibition for national tour. The exhibition will focus on the biology of senescence with special emphasis on comparative aging across the animal kingdom, healthy aging, and aging of the brain. Senescence is perhaps the most complex and least understood biological process, yet it is also a universal experience marked by signs we all recognize. Aging has great relevance in the twenty-first century as medical advances and demographic shifts accelerate the growth of our elder population, and scientific research narrows in on the central mysteries of the aging process. To extend the visitor experience, OMSI will produce a series of related educational materials and programs including a family activity guide, a website, demonstrations for both exhibitions, and activities for OMSI's Life Science Lab. The exhibition is intended for a family audience, and activities will be designed to foster intergenerational interaction. The exhibits and ancillary materials will be developed with the support of the Center for Healthy Aging at the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) and other experts from a diversity of fields in gerontology research and education.
