Desert trip: subterranean museum and seed game display

On our trip to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (see last post), we stopped at the park HQ, which looks like there's absolutely nothing there except a gravel parking lot, restrooms and an infinity of prickly plants.  But the big surprise is that the park HQ is actually built into the earth, and that whole cactus-covered mound you saw actually covers the roof of the place.  It's a wonderful way to build things: first for not cluttering the landscape with another ugly building, then there are benefits when it comes to heating and cooling such a structure.  So, you walk through the glass doors and into a huge open space beneath the mound, with a few thousand square feet of displays, classrooms, even a small theater.

Since I am always looking for ways that board games and gaming affect our minds, media and arts, I was pleasantly surprised to see this panel of the extensive nature display:

It was about 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide.  It looks like there was supposed to be a spinner where the red arrow was pointing.  I oddly forgot to test it out.  But the overall idea is worth sharing.  You play a seed in the vast desert and try to get through to become an adult plant without getting eaten.  Really cute.  It's just a roll-and-move game, but it must have made the topic more fun for thousands of kids over the years.

It looks like it could be playable, and would have made a good black-and-white handout for visiting students.  I was a bit bummed that I couldn't read all the text in my photo when I got home.  But here are some of the ones I could make out: 

- Green bark means you can make food without leaves - Go Ahead 3

- Desert iguana takes a bite out of you - Go Back 2

- Yellow dot on your blossom guides bees to your pollen - Go Ahead 3

- Hungry Pocket Gopher heading your way - GAME OVER

And my favorite:

- Roadrunner plucks you to use in his courtship display - GAME OVER.

And when you turn around, there is this wonderful life-sized display:


All underground in one cool, sheltered spot.

Enjoy!

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