Why Use Rubber Mulch for an Interactive Museum Dig Pit?

People love hands-on museum exhibits like dig pits. It’s fun to uncover fossils, treasure, or other hidden objects with your own hands. Some museums use real sand or dirt for these exhibits. These materials make the experience more realistic, but they’re also a lot messier. Rubber mulch is a great alternative if you want a cleaner dig pit. Rainbow Mulch is also washable, making it easy to clean and reuse in hands-on exhibits.

Why You Should Use Rubber Mulch in Your Museum Dig Pit

It’s Easy to Dig Through

Rubber mulch is easy to dig through with your hands or small tools. When children dig through the play pit, they can move the pieces aside without having to handle heavy or compacted fill. When a group is finished with the exhibit, your staff can easily reset it by simply raking the mulch.

It’s a Softer Surface

Rainbow Mulch rubber mulch is softer than other clean fill materials like gravel or hard plastic beads. Your visitors will be able to comfortably kneel and dig in the pit without scraping their knees or getting their clothes dirty. This cushioning is what makes rubber mulch perfect for outdoor playground equipment too. 

It Doesn’t Decompose

Rubber mulch doesn’t rot like organic material or wood mulch. You can use the same rubber mulch for years. Using rubber mulch instead of organic materials is a great way to reduce your museum’s maintenance costs.

Rubber Mulch is Durable

Your most popular exhibits might be used by dozens or even hundreds of visitors every day. Your dig pit’s fill materials need to be durable enough to handle this volume. Rubber mulch can be used over and over without breaking down. 

Factors to Consider When Designing a Rubber Mulch Dig Pit

Digging Depth

Your dig pit needs to have enough rubber mulch to cover the objects your visitors are meant to find. The amount of mulch you need will depend on how big your area is and how deep you want the pit to be. A shallow pit might work well for small fossils or replica artifacts, but you’ll need a deeper pit if you want to cover larger objects.

Rubber Piece Size

Rubber mulch pieces are easy to handle and contain, making them a practical option for hands-on dig pits. The pieces create plenty of space for hiding fossils, treasures, and other objects while still giving visitors a tactile digging experience.

Containment

Rubber mulch is a lot easier to contain than dirt or sand, but it can still get tossed around by enthusiastic diggers. We recommend you design your dig pit with raised sides and other barriers to keep as much of the mulch inside the exhibit as possible. 

Accessibility

You should also consider how visitors of different ages and abilities will reach your digging area. The height and depth of your dig pit will influence who can comfortably participate while standing, sitting, or using a wheelchair.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Make sure you train your staff to regularly inspect the dig pit for trash, personal items, damaged pieces of the exhibit, and other items that don’t belong. This can be done between groups while your staff resets the exhibit. 
Rainbow Mulch can also be sprayed with an all-natural disinfectant for routine cleaning. For areas that need a deeper clean, the mulch can be collected in a mesh bag and washed in a washing machine, or sprayed with soapy water and left to air dry.

Other Ways Museums Can Use Rubber Mulch

Our playground rubber mulch can work for all kinds of museum exhibits. Here’s a list of all the exhibits we can imagine adding rubber mulch to:

• Archaeology excavation simulations
• Mining or geology exhibits
• Dinosaur exhibits
• Sensory play pits
• Nature or habitat exhibits
• Construction-themed exhibits
• Agriculture exhibits
• Treasure-hunt stations
• Space or planetary exhibits
• Transportation exhibits

FAQs About Rainbow Mulch

Is your rubber mulch safe for children to play in?

Yes, Rainbow Mulch is made of 100% virgin rubber, free of plastics, phthalates, BPA, and lead. We never source our rubber from recycled tires. Virgin rubber is safe for children, adults, and pets to play in. Our rubber mulch is long-lasting and offers superior impact absorption compared to other kinds of mulch.

Will rubber mulch affect the realism of our archaeology exhibit?

It won’t look as realistic as actual soil or sand, but it’s a great choice if you want to balance realism with durability and maintenance needs. We offer Rainbow Mulch in a variety of multi-color blends to make it look more realistic. We recommend an earth-tone mulch blend for dig pits. 

Is rubber mulch a good choice for high-traffic exhibits? Can it be reused when an exhibit changes?

Yes, and yes. Virgin rubber mulch is durable and doesn’t break down like wood chips. Our rubber mulch lasts for years, so it’s a great choice for rotating exhibits and travelling exhibits.

What’s the difference between rubber mulch and crumb rubber?

The main difference is the size of the pieces. Rubber mulch consists of larger pieces, while crumb rubber is made of tiny granules similar to the infill used on some artificial turf fields. Rainbow Mulch is a rubber mulch product, not crumb rubber.

How much rubber mulch should we order for our dig pit?

It depends on the footprint of your dig pit and how deep you want your dig pit to be. Call our team at Rainbow Mulch today, and we can help you determine how much mulch you’ll need.

Can we test your rubber mulch before committing to a full installation?

Yes, contact us today to request a free sample of Rainbow Mulch. For large projects that may require a specific sample package, please email hello@rainbowmulch.com. 

Contact Rainbow Mulch Today

Non-Toxic Rubber Mulch for Museums and Indoor Playgrounds

Are you considering rubber mulch for one of your museum exhibits? Contact our team at Rainbow Mulch today. We’re happy to answer all of your questions about our non-toxic rubber mulch and help you choose the best products for your exhibit.