Located in the Life Science Hall at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon, the 1,500 square foot Dangerous Decibels exhibit has 11 interrelated, multi-media, instructional, and entertaining components that use state-of-the-art technology, creative ingenuity and current hearing research information to address three educational goals:

• What are the sources of noise that produce hearing loss?
• What are the consequences of dangerous decibels?
• How do I protect myself from dangerous decibels?

The exhibit components include a ten-foot tall walk-through ear, which was specifically suggested by focus groups of students in 6th through 8th grades. In this part of the exhibit, visitors activate a sound source and observe how the parts of the ear work together with the brain to enable us to hear.

Many of the other components of the exhibit are interactive, and include such areas as:

An interactive computer game in a hearing screening booth. Here, visitors can test their hearing by listening to a series of tones, and pressing a button to indicate that they heard the tone, and in which ear they heard it. They may also participate in a voluntary research study conducted by Oregon Health Sciences University that records the results and some demographical information about the visitor.

View data from the Listen Up! exhibit research study »

A pair of telephones that visitors can use together to experience different levels of hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

Two headphones and a source of recorded sounds. Visitors listen to the sounds and try to guess the source first with, then without, simulated NIHL. Images of sound sources light up to indicate the actual source of the “mystery” sound. (see our web-based version of this game- Virtual Exhibit(link to it)

An interactive, networked computer game for 1-4 players in which visitors test their knowledge and answer a series of multiple choice questions about hearing, the ear, and hearing conservation. See our web-based version of this game

A computer-generated animated video fly-through of the ear structures, with a focus on the role of hair cells. Visitors see how hair cells respond to “safe” sounds, then see what happens with “dangerous decibels.” The video also shows real hair cells responding to music.

A video game in which visitors distinguish between safe and dangerous sounds in scenes representing daily life, and use strategies to protect their ears from dangerous sounds to score points and save their hearing. See our web-based version of this game.

A game in which visitors explore the correlation between decibel levels and exposure times that can cause permanent damage. Players place icons of everyday sound sources on a scale, and an arrow points to the decibel level and amount of time that can pass before hearing is damaged from that sound source. Visitors can test each one and then line them up from safe to most dangerous, or in any order they choose.

See our web-based version of this game ».

A computer-based game presents situations where the players must decide what to do about protecting him/herself from loud sounds in the presence of friends.

See our web-based version of this game »