Dig It! The Secrets of Soil
July 18, 2008 through January 3, 2010
For generations upon generations, we have lived on and learned to use soils.
Soils sustain our world.
Visitors to the Museum will journey into the skin of the earth and explore the amazing world of soils in Dig It! The Secrets of Soil. Completely familiar yet largely unknown, soils help sustain virtually every form of life on Earth. Dig It! will transport visitors to the world of fungi, bacteria, worms, and countless other organisms. Visitors will discover the amazing connections between soils and everyday life and think about this hidden world in a whole new way.
Without soil, life on land would not exist as we know it. The soils under our feet are a vast reservoir for life and play a part in almost every aspect of human existence – food, housing, clothing, medicine, ecosystems and much more. This vital living system is the focus of this dynamic new 5,000 square-foot Exhibition scheduled to open at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History on July 19, 2008. 
Over most of the Earth’s land, and under some shallow waters, lies a thin layer of soil. This “skin” is a complex and variable mixture of minerals, air, water, decaying remains of life, and countless living organisms. Dig It! will advance public understanding of the diversity, complexity, and importance of soils for daily life. An interdisciplinary approach to the subject will provide a new context to explore the Museum’s diverse collections including the many organisms that live in soils, the geological and environmental conditions that produce soils, and the cultures that rely on soil for survival.
Through dioramas, soil cross-sections (or "monoliths"), engaging multimedia programs, and hands-on activities, Dig It! will examine the physical and biological characteristics of soils, the processes that transform rocks to soils, the uses and benefits of soils, the global links of soils to air, water and climate, and the influence of soils on culture. Visitors will be surprised at the range of colors and patterns that are found in soils, and the many ways in which soils touch our everyday lives.
Dig It! is also being designed to travel through the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
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Rendering of a gallery within the exhibition.
Concept drawings by MFM Design (c) Smithsonian Institution
The Soils Exhibition is being developed under the Forces of Change Program at the National Museum of Natural History.
Dig Its! was made possible by support from founding sponsor the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), lead sponsor The Fertilizer Institute's Nutrients for Life Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior.
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