Springfield Museums
Who Invented the Environment?
Presented by Joyce Bedi, senior historian, Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, National Museum of American History
Thursday, April 22, 2021
Suggested audience: adults and older youth, ages 14+
The words “environment,” “wilderness,” and “nature” evoke images for us, whether of pristine woodlands or polluted streams. The roots of today’s environmentalism are found partly in 19th-century ideas about nature. As American explorers discovered the natural wonders of the country, writers, painters, and photographers romanticized the mighty wilderness. Scientists and inventors played a different role, developing and using a range of instruments to collect and interpret environmental data. This talk illustrates how artists, scientists, and inventors have helped to shape our changing perceptions of the environment.