Event date:    Saturday, March 26, 2011  

Event place:  Apple Valley, CA

Family Fun Day at Victor Valley Museum

What does it take to survive in the Mojave Desert? Find out during a Family Fun Day at the Victor Valley Museum on Saturday, March 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program, suitable for families with children aged 5 to 12, is included with paid museum admission.

            “We will reveal the secrets of plants and animals that live in the extreme heat, dry climate and sometimes freezing winters of our famous Mojave Desert,” said Jolene Redvale, museum curator of education. “Don’t desert your dessert in the desert! Come and find out if you are suited for desert life—living underground, going dormant in summer, or drinking all the water you need for the year in just a few days!”

            The Mojave Desert is a hot, dry place, with temperatures exceeding 120° in summer, toppling below 32° on winter nights, and receiving fewer than 10” of rain annually. Today, people can add an extra layer of clothes or turn on the air conditioning. How does human activity put pressure on natural habitats? How did California Indians cope with the extreme environment of the Mojave Desert? How do plants and animals cope with these harsh, but beautiful, conditions? During the program, explore plant and animal adaptations like living underground, growing tiny leaves, making water, or migrating away.

            In “Don’t Desert Your Dessert in the Desert,” Family Fun Day, visitors will explore the many adaptations employed by desert plants and animals like the tortoise, the creosote bush, Joshua trees, and kangaroo rats. Invent special adaptations for a never-before-seen desert species; crawl underground with a tortoise; and discover some surprising, low-energy cooling methods used by plants, animals and people!

            The Victor Valley Museum is at 11873 Apple Valley Road in Apple Valley. Admission is $5 (adult), $4 (senior or military), and $2.50 (student). Children under 5 and San Bernardino County Museum Association members are free. Parking is free. For program information call the San Bernardino County Museum’s education division at (909) 307-2669 ext. 256 or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

            The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at (760) 240-2111 at least three business days prior to your visit.

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