Darwin -- The Man, His Life and Ideas
Darwin, the most in-depth exhibition ever mounted on this highly original naturalist and his theory of evolution by natural selection, is on display right now at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. I saw it on Saturday and don't know why I waited so long -- it opened October 6th and will be at the museum until December 31st. If you'll be in the Philadelphia area this weekend, please go see it -- it's remarkable!
Darwin was an amazing man. He forever changed the perception of the origin and nature of our species, as well as the numerous other species on this planet, launching modern biological science. This exhibition is developed by the American Museum of Natural History (you know, the one where everything comes alive at night as Ben Stiller finds out in the movie Night At the Museum, playing now across the country?)
The exhibit takes visitors on a journey through Darwin's life, starting with his childhood and his relationship with his family, then moves to his life at school and as a young naturalist. It covers his fascinating five-year journey on the HMS Beagle to South America, the Galápagos Islands and beyond from 1831-1836, then his marriage, family life and study at Down House, and the shaping of his idea. Kids will like the live animals: two Galápagos tortoises, a five-foot long green iguana, and several ornate Argentinian horned frogs (which I thought were kind of cute).
"Darwin left a rich paper trail revealing just what he saw on the Beagle, how he came to his realization that life has evolved, how he discovered natural selection in 1838, and how he developed into a top-notch experimental evolutionary biologist while living at Down House for the last 40 years of his life," says Dr. Niles Eldredge, Curator of Darwin.
If you see the Darwin Exhibit, I suggest you also take in the IMAX movie Galápagos. The film follows Marine Biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin as she retraces Darwin's steps on his epic voyage. On land and in the water she encounters an abundance of marine life including marine iguanas and the world's largest shark - the Whale Shark. In the film, Dr. Baldwin delves deeply into the largely unknown waters surrounding this volcanic archipelago which Charles Darwin visited in 1835. Watching it will help you learn more about Darwin's world and the plants and animals he studied.
Note: Teachers, check out this Teacher's Guide to the Galápagos on the Franklin Institute's website.
Can't make the exhibit or don't live near Philadelphia? I picked up two books about Darwin that look interesting: Cyril Aydon's biography Charles Darwin, and Darwin, His Daughter, & Human Evolution by Randal Keynes.
And oh, got kids? Don't miss the Franklin Institute's Animal Grossology exhibit! Meet some of the slipperiest, smelliest, utterly dirtiest creatures on Earth in this disgusting exhibit. I checked it out and yes, it's gross. Your kids will love it.
Photos courtesy of the Franklin Institute. Iguana and Skull Wall photographer Dennis Finnin; Tortoise photographer Joe McDonald.
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