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With a master’s in the history of science from Rice University, Joel A. Bartsch has been with the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) since 1991. Since 2004, Joel Bartsch has led the as CEO and president.
One of the popular destinations for visitors to HMNS is the Wiess Energy Hall. Initially launched in 1994 as a high-tech learning space, the 8,000-square-foot hall featured touch-screen monitors, a novelty at the time.
In 2017 that space was dramatically expanded to 30,000 square feet and rebranded as the Wiess Energy Hall 3.0. A mainstay throughout the years has been the time-traveling Geovator geological exploration vessel. This mock elevator combines digital animation and pneumatic airbags to simulate a journey to the center of the Earth.
Other installations depict energy science subjects ranging from deep-sea drilling and hydrofracking to emerging alternative energy processes. A centerpiece is the Eagle Ford Shale Experience, a theater that offers visitors a “four-dimensional” immersion experience of going through an abandoned oil well as it is fracked.
Another major draw is the 1:150-scale, 2,200-square-foot model Energy City, which vividly illustrates the full energy value chain. Enhanced through the use of 32 programmed projectors, the tableau encompasses oil tankers and fields, wind turbine farms, and nuclear facilities.
