Exploring a volcano in New York City: the New York Virtual Volcano Observatory

The New York Virtual Volcano Observatory is a pilot outreach program that blends virtual experiences of volcanic activity with hands-on exploration of volcanic rocks to enable a mixed-reality exploration of volcanic processes. A unique aspect of the NY Virtual Volcano Observatory (NYVVO) is its location in a historic landmarked house on Governors Island, a former military installation dating to the Revolutionary War that is now a 170-acre public park. Over 800,000 people visit Governors Island each summer via inexpensive ferries from Wall Street and Brooklyn, bringing a large and diverse audience to the island. Other outreach programs on the island focus on climate, art, sustainability, and ecology. Consequently, visitors are eager to learn about and connect with nature. However, NYVVO is located in a region of the U.S. not traditionally associated with volcanoes, despite the surprisingly rich igneous geology of the 200-million-year-old Central Atlantic Magmatic Province near NYC. This backdrop presents both challenges and opportunities for outreach focusing on the relationship between volcanoes, climate, and ecology in the past and present. We will summarize initial lessons from operating NYVVO, including data on visitorship and visitor feedback.