Why do coconuts float?

Because they can't swim.

OK, that's just a little "Beakman's World on Tour" humor. (Coconuts actually float so they can spread their seeds.)

The whole why/because, question-and-answer format is the focus of North Museum's new interactive exhibit, officially opened Saturday. Based on a 1992-1998 nationally syndicated kids' TV show, "Beakman's World on Tour" was created by the Cincinnati Museum Center in Ohio in 1998 and has previously been booked into places like the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the Discovery Museum of Bridgeport, Conn.

It arrived in Lancaster last week on two 53-foot-long tractor trailers, and now occupies 3,000 square feet of space at the natural history museum at 400 College Ave.. Covering topics as diverse as rain forest ecology, space, evolution, and the inner workings of the human body, it's the largest — and most expensive — show North Museum has ever brought to Lancaster.

It cost $40,000 and will be on site until Jan. 13, when it will be trucked out to the American Museum of Science & Energy in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

"We've been booking traveling exhibits for the past four years," said North Museum Collections Manager Alison Eichelberger Saturday, as visitors began pushing buttons, playing games, and watching videos clips of 'Beakman's World."

"This past spring, we had 'Forest Journey' from the Franklin Institute. We explore any avenue to increase our numbers. Too many people in our community don't even know we're here."

Eichelberger, who said she prefers "real science to goofy TV stuff," isn't sure "Beakman" will put the museum on the map. But she hopes so. Since "Beakman's World" returned to syndication a year ago (it can be seen Sunday mornings on CW-15), there's a chance it will pull in the 6- to 14-year-old target audience with its two dozen hands-on play stations.

"I grew up watching 'Beakman,'" said Corie Stauffer, 23, of Lancaster.

"It was my idea to bring my family here. Beakman does crazy things. My favorite is the intestines."

Stauffer was referring to a station that encouraged visitors to unroll a lengthy rope, giving an idea of the length of each person's intestines.

"This is all stuff kids can relate to," said Jim Stauffer, Corie's grandfather and a retired Manheim Township science teacher.

"The way it's presented draws kids in," said Sarah Clarke, North Museum program manager.

"You can put your foot in a dinosaur footprint or play germ foosball. It's eclectic, junkyard-esque, and just plain fun." Clarke, the wife of Wheatland executive director Patrick Clarke, searched for a zany hook to "show people what we can do when we move into a new space and have more room."

She was willing to shift stuff around on two floors of the museum to make room for Beakman and Friends.

Besides the frizzy-haired, lab-coated Beakman and his lab rat sidekick, the exhibit features two penguins named Don and Herb, a tribute to Don Herbert, TV's original "Mr. Wizard."

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Marty Crisp is staff writer for the Sunday News. Her e-mail address is mcrisp@lnpnews.com.
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