CITY ARTS : Pollution Solution

A new exhibit at the California Museum of Science and Industry wants visitors to think about the quality of the air they breathe--and what they can do to make it cleaner.

Opening on Earth Day, which is Friday, the exhibit identifies air pollution sources and shows how smog can be reduced through mass transit and building environmentally sensitive projects.

Although the exhibit provides serious information, exhibit curator David Bibas said he and designer Alexandra Wilson tried to make it engaging and fun.

“We try to highlight the science behind all these environmental issues,” Bibas said. “We talk about all the pollutants, their sources and the impacts, and we try to do that in ways that attract people.”

The exhibit’s four sections highlight air quality, transportation, urban design and energy. Children can design a three-dimensional neighborhood using scale-model buildings to learn about environmentally sensitive urban design.

The 3,000-square-foot exhibit was created with Los Angeles and all its pollution and transportation problems in mind, Bibas said. “These are problems we think people should be made aware of for the sake of the quality of their environments,” he said.

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Museum of Science and Industry, Exposition Park, 700 State Drive; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free.