Museum tries to keep history above water in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I'm Dr. Anthony Lazewitz, and this is Climate Connections. At Strawberry Bank Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, visitors explore a 19th century sea captain's home, a Victorian mansion, a World War II era grocery store, and other buildings that have stood for generations. Our route mission is historic preservation and teaching the evolution of this historic neighborhood. But Rodney Rowland, the museum's director of facilities and environmental sustainability, says that as the climate warms, some of this history is at risk. More extreme storms cause surface flooding on the low-lying property. And rising seas are pushing the underground water table higher, so some of the building's basements flood with groundwater during seasonal high tides. We've already seen history lost, we've already spent quite a bit of money from damage caused by water. The museum is developing plans to better manage stormwater on the property, and to upgrade some basements to protect against more frequent floods. And an interactive exhibit teaches visitors about sea level rise and how communities can adapt. We have 100,000 people that come to the site a year. We want to make sure every single one of them knows that this is a growing concern. For this historic neighborhood and coastal areas around the world. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale Center for Environmental Communication. To hear more stories like this, visit climateconnections.org. ♪♪