Center for Aquatic Sciences created their own unique watershed artwork / graphics for this 15ft long inflatable tunnel. The Center utilizes this fully printed inflatable watershed tunnel as a mobile educational tool to teach complex ecological concepts in an fun and accessible manor. This custom one of a kind watershed tunnel serves as a “walk-through” model that places students and event attendees directly inside a simulated aquatic ecosystem. It allows participants to visualize how water moves through a watershed, from headwaters to oceans. Because the tunnel is a lightweight inflatable structure it is easily transported to schools, libraries, and outdoor events like the Delaware River Festival. This supports the Center’s mission to “bring the wild inside” for communities that cannot visit the Adventure Aquarium in person. Watersheds are geographically vast and difficult to see all at once. The printed tunnel simplifies this by illustrating the connection between land use, human impact (like pollution runoff), and water quality within a single contained space. The tunnel provides a hands-on, sensory experience—using sights and onsite staffs verbal knowledge to spark curiosity in children and teens, such as those in the Center’s CAUSE program, who use it to lead public outreach and explainers.
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