Updated June 29, 2007.

The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) is a major participant in NCED. During 2002-2004, NCED researchers and SMM exhibit developers designed, prototyped, and built a 1.75 acre facility outdoor park at SMM, The Big Back Yard. 

The park's theme is "Erosion, Transport, and Deposition: Source to Sink." It features a 9 hole, regulation miniature golf course that leads golfers through a variety of natural and engineered river landscapes. Interactive exhibits based on NCED experiments provide additional opportunities for Earth-surface exploration, while an energy-efficient building serves as a year-round classroom. The park, which opened to visitors in June, 2004, welcomes the public May-September of each year.

Watch DragonflyTV explore the Big Back Yard!

The Big Back Yard is the setting and inspiration for the Youth Science Center Park Crew program. The crew, composed of local high school youth, serve as guides in the park. NCED staff and graduate museum assistants provide ongoing connections in all programs to NCED research.

In addition to the Big Back Yard and Youth Science Center Park Crew, NCED and SMM have created an interactive dam removal model. This model was part of a joint (NCED and USDA Forest Service) river restoration research exhibit at the 2005 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. To rent this model, the Elwha Dam Removal Model, for classroom use, contact Education Director Karen Campbell.