Most people are afraid of sharks — especially if they’ve seen the movie “Jaws” and read about shark attacks in the news — but Richard Pyle, researcher and associate zoologist at Bishop Museum, said that sharks get a bad rap.
“Sharks are among the most misunderstood animals on the planet,” he said. “I’ve spent many hours with different species of sharks, and they almost never pose any real threat. I’m always excited when I see sharks underwater, especially when I have a camera.”
“Planet Shark: Predator or Prey,” which opened Saturday at Bishop Museum, gives visitors a chance to get face to face with life-size models of eight sharks — without getting wet.
“While there are some really quality documentaries shown on television, the majority of shows amplify the drama at the expense of presenting the real story,” Pyle said.
He said the “Planet Shark: Predator or Prey” exhibit does a good job of dispelling myths.
>> Name of exhibit: “Planet Shark: Predator or Prey”
>> Dates: Through Sept. 5
>> Where: Bishop Museum, Castle Memorial Building, first floor
>> Admission: $22.95, $14.95 youth 4-12, $19.95 for seniors over 65. For Hawaii residents and military: $14.95, $10.95 and $12.95, respectively. Parking is $5.
>> What it’s about: The interactive exhibit features life-size models and information about the impact of the shark-fin trade, satellite programs and tagging programs. Fossils and a collection of real teeth and jaws are on display.
>> Age recommendation: It’s an all-ages exhibit. There are games young children can play, captivating cinematic projections of sharks that everyone will enjoy and some in-depth scientific features that might teach adults a thing or two.
>> Kid-friendly aspects: Kids will enjoy the multisensory movie gallery. Detailed images of underwater footage flow through a mass of projectors and merge with digital surround sound to saturate the space in a stunning display.
Shark statues are cast from real sharks to give kids and families a sense of the diversity of sizes, shapes and characteristics among these creatures. Models of a tiger shark, thresher shark, hammerhead shark and great white shark are featured.
Visitors can view shark fossils, some up to 370 million years old, along with real jaws and teeth. The artifacts are accompanied by information explaining the characteristics of each kind of shark. There’s also jaw replicas and fossilized teeth from the Megalodon, a 50-foot shark that went extinct approximately 1.6 million years ago.
>> Hands-on features: The shark cage was a hit. Kids and adults can step inside a full-size shark cage and explore other tools used by humans to view and study sharks. Those tools include chain-mail suits, shark pods and shark-deterrent technology.
Younger children will enjoy the shark jigsaw puzzle and a ring-toss game. The exhibit incorporates touch screens to provide further information.
>> Parents will like/won’t like: Parents will like educational aspects of the exhibit — and their kids’ excitement at seeing the oversized jaws and the great white shark replica. But some younger children might be afraid of the life-like models.
>> Estimated time to tour: An hour; maybe a little longer.
>> Curator says: “The exhibit is truly immersive, and we’re excited to witness the reactions of people when they first walk into ‘Planet Shark,’” said Brad Evans, director of exhibits and production at Bishop Museum. “There’s something in the exhibit for everyone, from games that toddlers can play, to ancient shark fossils, to sophisticated touch-screen interactives that teach people about sharks.”
>> User review: Cary Martin visited the exhibit with her family Friday. “We really enjoyed all of the interesting facts. We home-school, so I told the kids that they need to find three facts to share.”
Her 11-year-old daughter, Mia Martin, said, “My favorite thing was going into the shark cage. I pretended that there were sharks swimming all around me.”
Kerry Anduha was viewing the exhibit with her 10-year-old daughter, Torrie, and 18-month old son, Ean. “Growing up in Hawaii, it’s good to come and learn more about the sharks, especially since they are coming in so closer to shore now,” she said. “Once you read all of the information, they are not as scary as we make them out to be.”
>> For more info: 847-3511, bishopmuseum.org
