走進哈佛大學：哈佛自然歷史博物館

The Harvard Museum of Natural History was established in 1998. While HMNH is a relatively new institution, its roots and the collection of its parent museums the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Harvard University Herbaria，and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum can reach back to the 19th century. The collections in these museums are about 21 million specimens. Only a small fraction are on display in the HMNH galleries. The aim of establishing HMNH is to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the human place in it, sparking curiosity and a spirit of discovery in people of all ages.

哈佛自然歷史博物館成立于1998年。雖然該博物館是個相對比較新的機構，其根源和母館——比較動物學博物館、哈佛大學植物標本館、礦物和地理博物館，可以追溯到19世紀。母館大約擁有2100萬種標本，只有一小部分在自然博物館的展覽館 展出。成立自然歷史博物館的目的在于加強和提高公眾對自然界和人類世界的認識和鑒賞能力，激發(fā)不同年齡的人的好奇心和探索精神。

With this aim in mind，the Museum has come up with many ideas to attract the public’s attention and interest. First, there are permanent exhibits and special exhibits. The permanent exhibits are on exhibition all year long and are held respectively in the Great Mammal Hall, Evolution, Arthropods: Creature and Rule, the Glass Flowers, the Zoological Galleries, and the Mineralogical and Geological Gallery. These exhibits are unique and cannot be found anywhere else in New England. The special exhibits present unique and diverse perspectives on the changing world: its past, present, and possible futures. Therefore, the special exhibits will display different things with different themes at different times.

懷著這個目標，自然歷史博物館想出了很多吸引公眾注意力和興趣的方法。首先，展覽分為常設展和特別展。常設展全年都有，分別在大型哺乳動物館、自然演變館、節(jié)肢動物館、玻璃花館、動物學館、礦物和地質館里舉行。這些展品都是獨一無 二的，在新英格蘭的其他地方是找不到的。特別展主要 向人們展示這個不斷變化的世界：其過去、現(xiàn)在和可能 的未來，以及與這些變換有關的各種各樣的獨特的觀點。所以，特別展會在不同時間展出不同主題的東西。

In addition to those exhibits, there are lectures and classes for both adults and kids. These lectures and classes are given and taught by renowned authors, Harvard faculty, and other scientists. The purpose is to excite the public interest in natural history. Not only individuals are encouraged to come, but schools are encouraged to organize the students to visit the Museum. Therefore, the Museum has offered the opportunities for school children to visit the museum after school and to study at the museum.

除這些展品外，還有為大人和孩子開設的講座和課程。這些講座和課程由知名作家、哈佛教授以及其他科 學家擔任主講，目的是激起公眾對自然史的興趣。博物館不僅鼓勵個人來參觀，還鼓勵學校組織學生來參觀。為此，博物館為學生提供了放學后參觀博物館和在博物館學習的機會。

What attract people most may be the Travel Program. Each year, the Museum will offer over 40 trips to all 7 continents, including special family programs. Such a program will give people a first-hand experience of the cultures and natural history of the world’s remote and beautiful areas. Such a program is not just for fun. These experiences are valuable to carry out the extensive educational programs mentioned above.

最吸引人的項目應該是旅游項目了。每年博物館都會提供40次到七大洲旅游的機會，其中包括特別家庭計劃。該項目讓人們可以直接經(jīng)歷世界上偏遠而美麗地區(qū)的文化和自然史。該項目不僅是為了好玩，這些經(jīng)歷對于上述廣泛的教育項目的實施是很有價值的。