Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry selects month-long visitor

The MSI initiated "the month at the museum contest" in July, looking for an "adventurous, outgoing person with a strong interest in learning about science and the world" to be its month-long visitor.

Over 1,500 people worldwide applied for the job which includes living in a "chic science geek" bedroom, a 16-by-16-foot cube made of plexiglass, interacting with museum guests and experiencing everything the museum offers even after it is closed.

McGroarty was one out of five finalists. Her flask was the only one which erupted when hydrogen peroxide was added in a chemistry experiment, and she enjoys high popularity with more than 20,000 online votes from Sept. 27 to Oct. 4.

Starting on Oct. 20, McGroarty will "live and breathe science," experience all the fun and education the museum has to offer as well as report her experiences to the outside world, according to the MSI's official website.

"We hear so often from guests that a single visit here transformed their lives, and now we all get to see what spending an entire month here could do," Rob Gallas, vice president and chief marketing officer of the MSI, said.

The MSI, which opened in 1933, is one of the largest science museums in the world. It has more than 35,000 artifacts as well as nearly 14 acres of hands-on exhibits. By 2008, the MSI had welcomed more than 175 million visitors. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version.