Smithsonian's 'Water|Ways' Exhibit Opens Saturday in Channahon

To learn more about the water that surrounds us and the role it plays in the human experience, visit the Smithsonian Institution’s “Water|Ways” traveling exhibit from Jan. 28 to March 11 during its stay at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

“Water|Ways” explores the significance of water from historic, environmental, economic, political and artistic perspectives. The exhibit consists of five freestanding exhibition sections, as well as two digital content stations featuring information on “The Power of Water” and “Our Relationship with Water.” Also included is the WaterSim America activity on an iPad. Visitors can interact with the iPad app by selecting policies and making water decisions.

“Hosting ‘Water|Ways’ is a true honor,” said Ralph Schultz, the Forest Preserve’s chief operating officer. “We hope the exhibit will foster meaningful discussion about water resources and ways we can better preserve them. Protecting water sources is a big component of the Forest Preserve’s mission, and that’s why most of our preserves are made up of land along the creeks, lakes, rivers and wetlands that are critical links in the region’s watershed.”

The free, all-ages exhibit is made possible by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program and Illinois Humanities. The Forest Preserve District is the last of only six organizations selected by Illinois Humanities to host the exhibit during its 2016-2017 tour of the state.

Exhibit hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday; and noon-5 p.m., Sunday. (On Thursday, Feb. 16, the exhibit will be open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.) Four Rivers – the Forest Preserve District’s most water-centric site – is located at 25055 W. Walnut Lane, McKinley Woods, near where the Des Plaines, DuPage and Kankakee Rivers meet to form the Illinois River.

In addition to the exhibit itself, the Forest Preserve District has scheduled 25 programs to enhance the exhibit experience. The programs will cover a wide variety of topics and activities. These range from information about the 19^th century practice of ice harvesting to a river shoreline clean-up.

For more information on the exhibit and Forest Preserve District programs, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.