Going Viral!A Public Program Exploring A Zoonotic Disease through the One Health Framework and the role of Museum Collections

Going Viral! is a public program aiming to teach museum visitors about the One Health framework, an approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of the health of people, animals, and their environment. Through this hands-on public program, participants gain an understanding of what a zoonotic pathogen is, how the environment affects the distribution of a pathogen (e.g., fungi, bacterium, virus) on a landscape, and how natural history museums help inform health-related research and response. Three iterative and interactive activities are designed to guide participants in asking thought-provoking questions and learn about the many uses of museum collections.