Today, Alphachimp's own Perrin Ireland, is the "artist in residence" at the The Nature Research Center, an 80,000-square-foot wing of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

The public is invited to a 24-hour grand opening celebration from 5 p.m. on Friday, April 20 through 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, 2012. This is the largest street party for Raleigh, North Carolina, expected to draw 50,000 nature-loving participants.

The NRC currently under construction, will bring research scientists and their work into the public eye, help demystify an often intimidating field of study, better prepare science educators and students, and inspire a new generation of young scientists.

The cornerstone of the NRC will be the SECU Daily Planet, an immersive, three-story multimedia space that will host live programming on current science issues and feature nature films on a giant screen. Other highlights include a 10,000-gallon aquarium with lionfish, bonnethead sharks and Atlantic stingrays, and Investigate Labs, where visitors can perform scientific experiments designed and led by Museum researchers and educators.

MORE: http://blogs.plos.org/takeasdirected/2012/04/17/perrin-ireland-alphachimp-nrc-artist-in-residence/