musings | in the halls and beyond the walls

Myles Gordon, Vice President for Education, American Museum of Natural History
© AMNH

Dear Colleagues,

In the wake of the terrorist attacks and profound tragedy of September 11^th, so many of us felt powerless and vulnerable. In a world suddenly and seemingly out of control, we looked for ways to assert ourselves, to feel constructive, and to regain a sense of purpose and control. Unprecedented donations of blood, goods, and money poured in. Here in New York, people stood in line for hours to register to volunteer their time and energy in whatever ways they could. We all simply wanted and needed to do something.

As educators, we are incredibly fortunate that the very work we do provides us with the chance to make a real difference. We have an unusual responsibility and opportunity. There is plenty for us to do.

September 11^th has taught us just how little we know. While restaurants, movies, and theaters stood empty, people were glued to their televisions, hungry for information and news. In the days and weeks that followed, books on Islam and foreign relations, and maps of Asia and the Middle East, once gathering dust on the shelves, quickly ran out of stock. It is just two months since the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked. Every day there is additional news, and every day the world seems a little less certain and a whole lot more complex. It has become difficult to imagine the world that our children will inherit.

One thing is clear: ignorance will not serve us well. We have seen the ways in which ignorance, coupled with fear, can lead to misguided and sometimes violent acts of prejudice. We can see how it leaves us ill prepared to deal effectively with other countries and to participate fully in public discourse about strategy and policy. This is a teachable moment. We need to commit ourselves to learning and teaching about the world in which we live and all the people with whom we share this planet.

Visitors in the Hall of Mexico and Central America.
© AMNH

We at the American Museum of Natural History have been working on ways to meet this challenge with our unique resources—our scientists, our collections, and our exhibitions. We have been talking with others and reviewing information and materials. We have been designing programs for our constituencies: schools, families, and the general public. This special issue of Musings is part of our response. In this issue, we share what are in effect excerpts from our conversations and efforts with the hope that they will inform and contribute to your educational endeavors. We are eager to hear about your ideas and your experiences.

Schoolgroups and families enter the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

For 132 years, the American Museum of Natural History has operated with great optimism on the premise that ignorance is surmountable—that the world is susceptible to being known and understood. In these difficult and uncertain times, though saddened by terrible events, we remain confident that understanding human culture, the natural world, and the cosmos gives us a powerful set of tools with which to create nothing less than a better world.

Myles Gordon