Think turtles have an easy life? You might think twice after a visit to Turtle Travels, a new interactive exhibition at the Headquarters Library that gives visitors a chance to walk in their footprints.

Research shows turtles actually live in and travel through a surprising diversity of habitats. Their journeys are filled with challenges! These findings – and many other turtle studies – come from the use of radio telemetry that tracks how animals move around their habitats. You’ll have a chance to check out this science and see how it works.

Start your journey at the exhibition entrance. There’s a scenic mural, and turtle shell stand to stop and take a photo. Once you step onto the giant board game, follow the instructions and you’ll be detoured to interactive games. Find out what it’s like for a turtle trying to cross a road or traverse changing habitats. Be a turtle tracker and see how real field biologists track animals in the wild. The lively setting has plenty to keep children busy as they play the game. An underwater video shows how a sea turtle swims. Trek along this turtle terrain and you’ll find out that slow and steady not only wins the race but takes turtles on some amazing journeys!

You’ll also discover cool turtle and tortoise facts – how their bodies and shells have adapted to many different habitats, why they need shells, the hazards they encounter in the wild, how they are important to many different cultures, and more. Turtle Travels provides unusual perspectives on these amazing reptiles.

Does your child want a pet turtle? Wait! First find out what kind of care they need – and how the pet trade isn’t always the best deal for the turtle. The exhibition has a variety of family-friendly components, including:

• A Swiss Army turtle with moveable feet illustrating how turtle’s limbs are adapted to fit its environment
• A restful reading area to lounge and discover the many turtles that start in children’s tales

The exhibition will be on display at the Spartanburg County Public Libraries’ Headquarters Library in downtown Spartanburg from June 1 – August 30. The exhibit is brought to you by the Barnet Children’s Library Fund. For more information, visit the Spartanburg County Public Libraries’ website, www.spartanburglibraries.org.

About Turtle Travels

Turtle Travels is developed by the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative (EEC) with funding by Jane’s Trust and IMLS, and produced by EcoTarium (Worcester, MA) in partnership with the Sciencenter (Ithaca, NY).

About Spartanburg County Public Libraries

Spartanburg’s first public library opened on October 17, 1885, thanks to a generous donation from Mrs. Helen Fayssoux Kennedy in honor of her husband, Dr. Lionel Chalmers Kennedy, a well-known and respected physician who passed away five years earlier. Since that time, the library system has grown to include 10 full-service branch libraries and a Bookmobile. Now operating with a staff of approximately 200 employees, the Libraries continue to strive towards their mission to inspire people to pursue lifelong learning for a thriving Spartanburg County. Each location provides a variety of programming for children, teens and adults and is equipped with meeting room facilities, free internet access, and shelves full of books, magazines, movies, music and more. For those who are not able to come into a library, Homebound services delivers books to shut-ins almost every day. Additionally, many downloadable resources are available on our website, www.spartanburglibraries.org.