Exhibit “Makes Cents” at the National Corvette Museum

Money isn’t just about dollars and cents.

The ancient Aztecs used chocolate for money, and Yap islanders used 500-lb. stones! So what is money and how does it work?  PNC Bank presents Moneyville, a special hands-on exhibit at the National Corvette Museum offering a tour of money’s many forms and functions with a lesson on how it has changed dramatically throughout history.

Guests at the Museum will see samples of currency from pounds to pesos, have the opportunity to put their face on a million dollar bill, play the stock market and even run a lemonade stand.  Moneyville, on loan from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, uses the fascinating subject of money to build math skills and economic expertise in a fun, immersive setting.  The colorful city includes a PNC Bank, store, anti-counterfeiting lab, stock market and international port.

Create your own “money,” explore anti-counterfeiting measures and see what a million dollars looks like.  Throughout the exhibit, discover how money is made, spent, earned and saved, and how it connects people around the world.  Explore the history, science and culture behind coins and currency and start to see money in a whole new way.

A recent study by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics reveals that many students are not learning the math they need in school.  That’s where Moneyville comes in.  “This exhibit makes learning cool,” said NCM Education Coordinator Kellie Steen.  “Whiz-bang computer games, a multitude of video screens, and eye-popping graphics engage kids (and adults) in a variety of hands-on activities that show them that using math is fun.”  The temporary exhibit joins the Museum’s existing hands-on educational displays, including the interactive driving simulators and new KidZone.  “Visitors to the Museum will get to see our 70+ Corvettes on display; spend time in our KidZone with Pat’s Super Service Center, assembly line and drive-in movie; and take our simulators out for a test drive in addition to this special exhibit.  It’s like two Museums in one,” Steen added.

In addition to the exhibit sponsorship, PNC Bank is providing a number of educational opportunities for children and adults, offering seminars and workshops on a variety of financial literacy topics.  “According to a report by the Consumer Federation of America, the average U.S. family is spending more than $1,000 per year in interest and fees,” said Museum Marketing Manager Katie Frassinelli.  “Everyone stands to gain from learning how to be more money-savvy, and we are excited about the financial literacy seminars PNC Bank will be offering at the Museum.  They will be sharing great money-management tips for our visitors.”  A Moneyville Camp for kids is also planned for March 7-8.

PNC Bank founded the Grow Up Great program, helping to prepare children from birth to age five for success in school and life.  As part of the program they partnered with Sesame Workshop to create Math On-The-Go! Cards, offering fun ways for children and their parents to explore math in their everyday routines.  These bi-lingual cards are incorporated into the Moneyville exhibit, and children have the opportunity to take some home from the exhibit.  The cards can also be downloaded from their website at: http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com/parents_caregivers/happy_healthy_ready_for_school.html

The National Corvette Museum is open seven days a week, 8am-5pm Central Time. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and over, $5 for youth age 6-16, and children age 5 and under are free.  The Museum also offers family admission for $25 for everyone in a household.  PNC Bank customers receive special pricing when showing a bank card or other proof.  Group rates are also available with advanced reservations.  For more information, visit www.corvettemuseum.org or call 270-781-7973.  To get the latest information on exhibits, upcoming events, camps and more – sign up to receive our Community Events & Activities email on our website.

MONEYVILLE was produced and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  The exhibit was made possibly with funds provided by the National Science Foundation.  MONEYOPOLIS is a registered trademark of Ernst & Young. The MONEYVILLE trademark is used under license.

Corvette Museum Welcomes 'From Here to There' Science Exhibit

Explore the science of how things move by land, sea and air at the National Corvette Museum’s new traveling exhibition, From Here to There, open now through April 16.

Lift, launch and levitate as you experiment with hands-on exhibits that make learning about gravity, friction, and the laws of motion fun. Ride a hovercraft to experience how air pressure works, adjust wind speed to form fabric into an airfoil, and float your sailboat to experiment with the effect of wind, rudder and sail positions.

Visitors can turn up the heat to launch a colorful hot air balloon, operate an authentic canal lock system to move a boat from one water level to the next, and experiment with pneumatics, pulleys, hydraulics and levers to see what kind of mechanical advantage works best.

From Here to There consists of twelve fun, interactive exhibits. “Each exhibit is designed to spark conversation and encourage interaction among families, friends and other museum visitors,” said Katie Frassinelli, Marketing Manager.

The 1,500 square foot exhibition is color-coded and divided into three main categories: transportation by land, sea and air.

At the Earthmovers exhibit, visitors can discover how simple machines can help move things across land. This ball-pit is fun for all ages, but is designed with the museum’s youngest visitors in mind.

Air Tubes allow visitors to send colored balls in a rushing channel of air from one station to another. Visitors can watch the balls as they dart across walls, over the exhibition entrance, and appear at the other station in record time.

In addition to exhibits like Waterways and Set Sail that explore transportation by water, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with exhibits that explain the principals of how things move.

Visitors can Feel the Friction as they try to move different weights across dirt, tracks and through water and Start Your Engines! to explore how internal combustion engines work to power anything from cars and airplanes to lawnmowers and snow blowers.

“We’re excited to bring this hands-on exhibit to Bowling Green,” said Kevin Carrico, PNC Regional Manager. “PNC’s Grow Up Great program offers educational opportunities to children everywhere, and From Here to There has activities families not only from south central Kentucky can enjoy, but also the many visitors who pass through our wonderful community.”

This exhibition will be on display through April 16, 2011 in the Museum’s Exhibit Hall. Discount tickets are available for the public at any Warren County PNC branch. Additionally, PNC customers may show a bankcard to receive discount admission.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center of Rochester, NY and the Sciencenter of Ithaca, NY developed From Here to There as part of the Traveling Exhibits At Museums of Science (TEAMS) collaborative. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, From Here to There is sponsored locally by PNC.

The National Corvette Museum is a 501 (c)(3) educational non-profit organization located at I-65, exit 28 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Museum is open daily from 8am to 5pm CT.

Based in Pittsburgh, PA, PNC operates more than 2,400 branches and 6,500 ATMs in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Warren County offers five branches and 8 ATMs for your banking needs. PNC’s Grow Up Great program is a 10-year, $100 million investment in school readiness to help prepare children from birth to age five for success in school and life.