In 2014 Poets House received a planning grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for Discovering the Natural World through Poetry at Libraries & Natural History Museums. Activities included discussions among the project team about how to support learning in a hybrid program; a two-day set of pilot public event experiments at the Oakland Museum of California and the Oakland Public Library; and a one-day workshop for poets, scientists, museum and library leaders, and researchers to explore the potential of poetry and science to promote deeper public connection to the natural world
Poets House will plan for a national project that will combine scientific knowledge with the expressive art of poetry. The planning project will lay the groundwork for a five to six city national program that will offer 1) public poetry-and-science programs at libraries and natural history museums; 2) poetry enhanced exhibits at natural history museums and libraries; and 3) self-directed learning through poetry and science resources at public libraries. The planning project will bring together experts in science, natural history museums, libraries, and poetry to share information; test-pilot public programs on both the East and West coasts, including a poetry-enhanced tour of natural history exhibits at the Oakland Museum; and determine the content, protocols and strategy for implementing a multi-city national program.
This project proposes using three complementary strategies to engage, inform and inspire large audiences. (1) A national tour called "Stories from a Changing Planet" that will include in-person presentations and hands-on activities by Polar scientists at science centers, museums, libraries and schools across the country. (2) the "HiDef video Science Story Capture Corp" team of professional videographers HD footage will be made available as public domain materials accessible to government research agencies, universities,science centers and others. (3) Video and Audio podcasts distributed throught iTunes, google, Yahoo and IPY websites. The project will have front end, formative and summative evaluations.