Interpreting Urban Geology

Abstract

Urban sites are advantageous locations for geological instruction because they provide a high diversity of easily accessible geological materials. A series of geologic field trips to urban settings has been developed by The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The trips are designed for students, educators, and the general public. They include visits to downtown Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art, University Circle (a cultural area), the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, a historic older neighborhood, two historic cemeteries, and a monument company. The trips have been among the most popular of the Museum's field-trip offerings, appealing to a more diverse audience than more traditional field trips to non-urban sites. They have proved to be effective and enjoyable ways of conveying a wide variety of geological information to participants of all levels and backgrounds. The trips, and related programs and publications, have also stimulated favorable publicity and cooperation with other institutions.