Opening of Wicked Plants: The Exhibit

This
new exhibit will introduce visitors to the evildoers lurking in their own
backyards and beyond. Inspired by Amy Stewart’s best-selling book Wicked
Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother and other Botanical Atrocities, the exhibit gives visitors a hands-on experience with some
of the world’s most diabolical botanicals—without the risk of intoxication,
addiction, dismemberment, or other danger. Menacing interactive displays set in
an eerie environment are designed to educate and entertain children and adults
with information about some of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations.

Designed
to educate the public and increase science literacy, Wicked Plants exposes plants associated with myriad negative health
effects, including addiction, obesity, allergies, pain, poisoning, cognitive
impairment, organ failure, and even death. Showcasing more than 100 plants, the
exhibit takes an open- ended approach to health education, providing visitors
with an opportunity to weigh the risks of utilizing specific wicked plants.

Visitors
will step into a macabre world where plants hold the power. Poisonous,
carnivorous, or just plain nasty, the diabolical botanicals represented
throughout Wicked Plants are shown in all their fearful
glory. Guests will be introduced to infamous plants that have left their mark
on history and claimed many an unfortunate victim.

Upon
entering a decrepit old home, guests will be introduced to the crime family of
the plant world, the deadly Nightshades. A veritable rogue’s gallery features
portraits of these intriguing characters who beguile unsuspecting victims. In
the conservatory, weeds of mass destruction have taken over, while a crime
scene in the potions laboratory teaches that things aren’t always what they
seem, especially in the plant world.

A
supper served in the dining room could be a visitor’s last. Guests will
discover that even the most mundane foods can be poisonous under certain
circumstances. The terrible toxicodendrons in the parlor can really get under a
visitor’s skin. From poison ivy to poison arrows, the collection of weaponry in
the hallway uses plant derivatives to immobilize and even kill prey.

The
social misfits of the plant world are relegated to the bathroom. Visitors will
find botanicals that smell foul, and even some that catch fire. Plants in the
yard are on the offensive: some secrete sap, some produce exploding fruit, and
some have stems that embed into skin. Unruly and altogether mean, these plants
are on the attack.