Michigan State University students have developed an innovative game inspired by the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition “Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest.” This interactive game, now available for download on iOS and Android devices, provides users with a unique way to engage with the exhibition, blending technology, storytelling, and environmental science for an educational and immersive experience.
“At the MSU Museum, we strive to make learning accessible and engaging,” said Caroline White, CoLab Studio education and learning manager. “This game showcases the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and creativity in achieving that mission.”
“Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest” was developed by the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service and launched its national tour at the MSU Museum in April 2023. It is currently on display at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry through July 6, 2025. The exhibition emphasizes the importance of the boreal forest, Earth’s largest terrestrial ecosystem and the last intact forest of its kind. Through stories, artifacts, and multimedia displays, the exhibition explores themes of climate change, Indigenous perspectives, and humanity’s connection to this vital ecosystem.
As the exhibition continues its national tour, visitors can enhance their exhibition experience by downloading the mobile game “A Boreal Balance” or playing the desktop version available onsite. Created by a multidisciplinary team of MSU students in collaboration with the MSU Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, the game helps players understand how their everyday choices impact ecosystems.
Emily Paterson, a Smithsonian Leadership for Change intern in 2023 who focused on the user experience and writing of the game, shared her excitement about the project: “This has been the coolest experience of my undergraduate career. As someone passionate about addressing the urgency of climate change, it’s incredibly meaningful to create a tool that educates and inspires positive impact in such a public-facing way.”
Nicole Stocks, the production and design student lead for the game, added, “MSU has always been a great teaching institution. This project gave me the chance to collaborate with students outside my major—people I might never have met otherwise. It was an amazing experience.”
These collaborative efforts are made possible by the MSU Museum’s prestigious status as Michigan’s first Smithsonian Affiliate, earned in September 2001. This affiliation enables the Museum to engage in innovative collaborations with the Smithsonian and other affiliates, fostering initiatives that advance research, knowledge and public engagement. Since becoming an affiliate, the Museum has participated in numerous joint projects that benefit MSU, Michigan and Smithsonian national programs.
This story originally appeared on the MSU Museum website.