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Chapter the First:
Basics of the Museum
Which museum are we going to, again?
To the Houston Museum of Natural Science, silly.
How would I get there?
Um -- I know how to get there, but I'm not sure how to explain it. I'll put it up
here when I ask someone with directional sense.
Why do I want to go?
Well, volunteer hours for one. It's fun, for another. Meet new people, impress
the kids.
What will I be expected to do there?
Give between three and five chemistry demonstrations on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
All the supplies you'll need are at the museum. After a while you get a real feel
for the whole thing.
How many people will be watching?
Depends on the day. Usually between twenty and fifty people, mostly kids.
When should I leave?
You should coordinate with the person(s) you are going with, especially if they have a
car. If you're going by yourself, leaving after you eat brunch is fine (11:30-12:30
ish). Expect to return between 4 and 5.
I've never been before. How can
I sign up?
Not a problem. Just go to the form and
fill it out. You're on your way! As an added bonus, we'll never send any first-time person to the museum without an experienced person along
as a guide/instructor. You have to do two or three supervised days before you'll
be sent by yourself, or more if you're not comfortable. We tend to go in pairs (or
triplets) anyway. It really makes the demonstrations go easier.
OK, I'm at the museum. Now
what?
Wave at the security guard. Tell him/her that you're there to do
demonstrations. Then go to the museum services desk (behind the gift shop) to sign in and get the key to the
demo room. Be sure to sign out and return the key at the end of the day! Go to
the Welch Chemistry Hall and slide back the TV wall. Unlock the door and you're in.
WOW! Look at this neat balance!
Yes, it is neat, isn't it? Now, before you measure anything with it, PUT DOWN SOME
WEIGHING PAPER!! I can't stress this enough. I've noticed a general corroding
of it, and it's a fairly expensive item that we crusaded for a year to get. If you mess it
up any more, I'll set my attack llama after you until you die.
Attack llama?
Okay, a little harsh. But if you put crud on the balance you're buying the new one
(and we always know who messes stuff up. We just keep asking people until we find when
it stops working.)
WOW! Look at all this neat
stuff!
Isn't it great? That's really why we keep coming back. But please try and put
the bottles back where you found them, and if you carmelize some sugar or something, clean out the
glassware before you go home. No one else likes scraping dried glue or charcoal off
Pyrex any more than you do. Just a little common courtesy, and we'll be blowing
things up happily for years.
So, I can do anything I want to?
Within reason.
Define that.
Fair enough. Anything in the blue demo folder is pre-approved. It might take a
bit of preparation (and who does 'water-wine-milk-beer' anyway?) so most of us do the same
sort of stuff, with quite a bit of individual style. As for that really cool thing
that your high school teacher did that one time -- well, you've got to get it approved. You
could ask me but I'll approve anything, and then it might get overturned, so just save time and
ask the president, Dan. Especially you must get approval for anything that requires
outside resources. You perform unauthorized demonstrations at your peril. We
won't
help you if anything goes wrong -- and it could be expensive. Really, it's not worth
it. We'll do some amazingly great stuff, don't worry.
Okay, is anything expressly
forbidden?
Yes. At the museum, you may not perform "The Electric Pickle" or
thermite. (We do these at Explosions, during National Chemistry Week, on our own turf.) Because of
the sad condition of the ventilation system, try to avoid demonstrations that
produce toxic smoke. Also, no fire outside the demo room, and don't throw liquid nitrogen at
any audience member. (Well, "close to" is all right, but not
"on".)
Do I have to wear goggles?
Yes.
All the time?
Yes.
Oh, come on.
You have to wear goggles whenever you're dealing with chemicals during the demonstration.
This is only partially for your protection -- after all, you're all adults; if you want to
risk
your vision it's generally your own bidness -- but as an organization we MUST set a good
example for the kiddies. But it is for your protection, and we do want to set a good
example, and when we don't there's always someone writing to the museum demanding
to know (pretty fairly) WHY not. Let's not burden Dan with hate mail, OK? Just
protect your vision and move on.
Umm, the room's filling with smoke.
Hopefully this is because you just did your finale of "Fireworks." If so,
leave the room. Mingle with the audience. Wait a while. Make sure the door is closed.
Make sure you turn on the fume hood before you do smoke-producing demonstrations.
Looks like we're out of . . .
Not a problem. We've got a standing account with the chemical stockroom. Just
tell one of the officers what we're low on, and we'll talk to the appropriate people about
it. In the meantime, try and go easy on whatever's low. E-mail
Chris Berger or David
Barron and tell them.
The kids want some GAK. Should
I give it?
No. It gets everywhere. Tell the kids that the dinosaurs eat it and the museum
doesn't allow it outside the demo area anymore. You should encourage the kids to touch the
GAK (but make sure you've got paper towels on hand.)
Hey, you big bed-wetting doody
head. My question isn't here!
Sorry . . . I can't think of everything. If you want to know something that isn't
here, ask the person you demo with, or e-mail me with your
question. I'll answer it, and if I think
it should be dogma, I'll put it up on the page. Or Dan can overrule me at any time.
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