Art Knowledge News
' Darwin ' at American Museum of Natural History |
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| Friday, 13 January 2006 15:47 |
 New York City- Darwin, the most in-depth exhibition ever mounted on this highly original naturalist and his theory of evolution by natural selection, at the American Museum of Natural History. This comprehensive exhibition, which features the broadest and most complete collection ever assembled of specimens, artifacts, original manuscripts, and memorabilia related to Darwin, remains on view until May 29, 2006. Darwin continues a series of landmark exhibitions the Museum has developed on great thinkers, explorers, and scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Ernest Shackleton, and Albert Einstein. Darwin offers visitors an engaging and enlightening exploration of the extraordinary life and mind of Charles Darwin (1809–1882), whose curiosity, observations, and discoveries nearly 150 years ago forever changed the perception of the origin and nature of our own species, as well as the myriad other species on this planet, and launched modern biological science. Visitors experience the wonders Darwin witnessed on his journey as a curious and adventurous young man aboard the HMS Beagle on its historic five-year voyage (1831–1836) to South America, the Galapagos Islands, and beyond. Darwin is organized by the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the following institutions to which the exhibition will travel after it closes in New York: the Museum of Science, Boston; The Field Museum, Chicago; the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; and the Natural History Museum, London, England. The exhibition’s final stop on this initial tour is timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth.
The first clues that led Darwin to his theory of evolution came into focus during his voyage on the Beagle as the ship’s naturalist. The exhibition re-creates this experience with live Galápagos tortoises, an iguana, and horned frogs from South America, like those Darwin himself encountered, along with actual fossil specimens he collected. Darwin also features an elaborate reconstruction of the naturalist’s study at Down House, where, as a keen observer and dedicated experimenter, he proposed the revolutionary theory that all life evolves according to the mechanism of natural selection. It was a theory that Darwin would keep secret for 21 years while he continued his research and studies. Rare objects on display, coupled with descriptive text, illuminate the patterns he observed among species, which led to the publication of the astonishing and brilliant The Origin of Species, wherein he assembled the massive evidence of life’s diversity, animal and plant domestication, and the geologic and fossil record to support his theory of evolution. Visitors learn how Darwin arrived at the startling conclusion that life on Earth is not static, but changing, and how his controversial theory of natural selection offered a mechanism to explain the existence of the amazing diversity of life on Earth. These insights continue to guide Museum scientists and their colleagues worldwide today as they apply Darwinian concepts to global inventories of life, conservation biology, reconstruction of the evolutionary Tree of Life, and the treatment of diseases ranging from AIDS to SARS. “At a time when American education in science and mathematics is failing dreadfully—in ways that undermine this country’s economy and security and yield public confusion about major scientific issues, including the origins and diversity of life on Earth—the Museum is honored to join with its collaborators in presenting this show about Darwin,” said Museum President Ellen V. Futter. “The exhibition re-creates Darwin’s fantastic journey of discovery. Visitors will experience the sense of awe and curiosity about nature that led to the formulation of Darwin’s groundbreaking theory that remains the cornerstone of modern biology. As we seek new cures for disease and means to avert bioterrorism, Darwin’s work remains vitally important as does a new focus on improving science education in this country.” “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,” said Niles Eldredge, Curator in the Museum’s Division of Paleontology, and curator of Darwin. “This exhibition follows that trail of Darwin’s discovery of evolution by natural selection.” “Whether it’s studying a fossil to gain a deeper understanding of T. rex, establishing the ancestry of spiders, unraveling the genetic code of mushrooms, or digging into our own human origins, evolutionary theory lies at the very heart of The Field Museum’s mission and keeps us at the vanguard of scientific research,” said John McCarter, President of The Field Museum in Chicago. “Also critical to our mission is a policy to educate and inspire a broad public about the natural sciences through exhibitions and programs. The Field Museum is proud to be a collaborator on the Darwin exhibition. This exhibition and the Field’s own new 27,000-square foot permanent exhibition, Evolving Planet (opening in March 2006), are the latest examples of how we fulfill our public obligation to share current science with a broad public.” “Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking research, like that of more than 300 scientists who work at the Natural History Museum today, was based on direct observation of nature and his collections, some of which are held at our Museum,” said Dr. Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, London. “He was one of the most influential scientists the world has ever seen and his life and work continue to fascinate and educate. It is fitting that the world’s greatest natural history museums are working together to celebrate the bicentenary of his birth with this blockbuster exhibition.” The Exhibition Live animals and plants throughout the exhibition delight and inform visitors of all ages and connect them with the astounding diversity of life Darwin encountered during his studies. Starting at the entrance, visitors meet two live Galápagos tortoises, each one weighing nearly 50 pounds. In the exhibition itself there are other live specimens including a five-foot-long green iguana, ornate horned frogs from South America, and collections of carnivorous plants (such as Venus fly-traps and butterworts) and lush orchids. The large area devoted to the voyage of the HMS Beagle is filled with colorful and detailed re-creations of the environments and creatures Darwin witnessed in his travels, from marine iguanas to vermilion flycatchers and frigate birds to the amazing daisy tree. At different points in the exhibition, visitors are encouraged to touch specimens—such as the reproduction of a giant glyptodont skeleton (a prehistoric armored mammal)—and observe other items, such as samples of petrified wood, using a simple hand lens, just as Darwin did in developing and testing his groundbreaking theories. Computer interactives in the last half of the exhibition are designed specifically to engage young people with Darwin’s ideas: one on homologies (similar structures of common origin in different types of animals) encourages the examination of similar structural features among whales, frogs, humans, and other species, while another on natural selection allows visitors to modify a virtual environment and watch how the change affects the eating habits of birds and favors insects with certain colors and characteristics. Darwin is divided into the following sections: · Introduction—Live Galápagos tortoises, known for their impressive size and longevity, greet visitors as they enter the exhibition and convey the awe and wonder that Darwin experienced for nature throughout his career. Visitors are presented with this great scientist’s character, especially the persistence and passion that Darwin used to investigate the world around him. Darwin’s original magnifying glass serves as an iconic object that exemplifies the simple tools that Darwin used “to let Nature come to him.” Magnifying glasses at various points throughout the exhibition remind visitors of Darwin’s patience and keen powers of observation and of the importance of observation in science. · The World Before Darwin—When Darwin began his studies, organisms were commonly understood as unchanged since their divine creation only a few thousand years ago. Most thinkers of his day considered humankind to be a unique creation independent of all other animals. An antique display case filled with exceptional mounts of mammal, reptile, and bird skeletons from the Museum’s collection illustrates the early 19th-century mindset about nature that Darwin encountered. · Young Naturalist—Darwin was an indifferent student who abandoned a career path in medicine and moved with ambivalence toward entering the clergy before he was invited to be the ship’s naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle. By then, he was already an avid naturalist and collector of plants, animals, and rocks. In this section, visitors encounter a re-creation of a famous rock outcrop in Scotland called Hutton’s Uncomformity that Darwin and many other geologists of his time recognized as evidence of Earth’s long, ancient history. The geologic hammer that Darwin used for such fieldwork is also on display. · Theater: “The Life and Work of Charles Darwin”—A video biography of Darwin, narrated by his great-great-grandson Randal Keynes, author of Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution, introduces visitors to the political, social, and scientific climates of 19th -century England. The film retraces Darwin’s life via footage shot on location in England and elsewhere, and depicts his student years; his voyage on the Beagle; his time in London as a scholar; and his life at Down House, his country home outside London where he conducted decades of research and wrote The Descent of Man and many other of his other books including the seminal The Origin of Species. · A Trip Around the World—The Beagle’s mission was to explore and map the oceans and islands of South America and the South Pacific. The five-year journey, which Darwin called the most important event in his life, confirmed Darwin’s career as a naturalist. In fact, the actual life-changing letter, the invitation from Darwin’s mentor, J. S. Henslow, to serve as a naturalist on board the HMS Beagle, is prominently featured in this section. Also on display is a 26-inch long model of the Beagle. This section of the exhibition also showcases some personal items including his pistol and his Bible—the first time these items have been together since that voyage. This gallery also follows the clues Darwin saw on his Beagle voyage that ultimately led him to understand how living species are connected. Darwin’s explorations come alive for visitors of all ages in a large circular section that features many of the wonders Darwin witnessed on this voyage such as live Argentinian horned frogs and a green iguana from South America. Also on display are fossils and dramatic mounted specimens of the uniquely American modern animal groups he saw, including sloths, rheas, and armadillos. And gathered together for the first time are many of the actual specimens Darwin collected—beetles, butterflies, moths, bugs, and various fossils. · The Idea Takes Shape—Darwin’s revolutionary ideas unfolded during the five years that he lived in London after arriving home from the Beagle. Notebooks and letters charting the development of his thinking illustrate his growing reputation in London and the social climate within which he struggled to develop his theory. This section also includes specimens critical to his theory, such as the original fossil skull of a large hoofed mammal, Toxodon platensis, which he collected on the Beagle expedition and later discussed with colleagues. Also featured are love letters between Darwin and his first cousin Emma Wedgwood, of the illustrious Wedgwood family famous for its spectacular pottery, whom he married in 1839, as well as his personal notes debating whether or not to marry. · A Life’s Work—Another centerpiece of the exhibition is an elaborate reconstruction of Darwin’s study at Down House, where, by continuing to experiment with pigeons, plants, and other forms of life, he refined his theory of evolution and, in 1859, completed the book that took the public by storm, The Origin of Species. An original page of this manuscript is on display. This is only one of 28 extant manuscript pages and it is from the Museum’s own collection. Also showcased are many personal treasures related to Darwin’s intellectual journey and family life, including a writing box filled with mementos collected by his wife to remember their first daughter, Annie, who died when she was only 10 years old. A large-scale video presentation (created from 1,000 high-resolution photographs) transports visitors on a contemplative “virtual walk” with Darwin along the sandwalk path the naturalist created on the grounds of Down House. The “Sandwalk” was an important part of Darwin’s intellectual life; he strolled there many times a day, observing, experimenting, and thinking. · Evolution, Today—Contemporary examples of modern evolutionary research are arrayed around the re-creation of Darwin’s study, showing how his original perspectives and theory have been enhanced and enriched by subsequent discoveries in paleontology, genetics, and molecular biology. Videos and interactive stations help visitors understand concepts such as homology, adaptation to environment, and natural selection. Darwin’s evolutionary theory is central to science and is the foundation for all of modern biology. Yet, outside the scientific community, the theory has been the subject of controversy from the time of the publication of The Origin of Species nearly 150 years ago to today. The section “Social Reactions to Darwin” addresses various controversies that have arisen surrounding the theory since its debut, and also clarifies the distinction between scientific theories and nonscientific and theological explanations about the origin and diversity of life. In this section, some of today’s leading scientists discuss, in videotaped interviews, Darwin’s continuing impact on modern society and science. · Endless Forms Most Beautiful—The final section features a vibrant and colorful montage of live and photographed orchids, an incredibly diverse plant family that fascinated Darwin. His study of orchids’ nectar-producing organs and the shapes of the insects and birds that pollinate them helped him to understand some of the marvelous manifestations of adaptation in nature. In this section visitors hear a reading by Darwin’s great-great-grandson Randal Keynes from the last paragraph of The Origin of Species, in which Darwin poetically concludes his great work with these words: “from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” Organization Darwin is the first exhibition to feature an extensive and in-depth array of material related to Darwin’s life and works. The exhibition is mounted in cooperation with English Heritage, the organization that administers Down House, Darwin’s longtime home; the Natural History Museum, London; Cambridge University, one of the primary repositories of Darwin’s writings; and some of Darwin’s living descendants. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Eldredge and is designed and produced by the American Museum of Natural History’s Department of Exhibition. Companion Book The exhibition is accompanied by Darwin: Discovering the Tree of Life, a richly illustrated tribute to the life and ideas of one of the most enduring thinkers of the 19th century, published by W. W. Norton. The 288-page publication, written by exhibition curator Niles Eldredge, contains 100 illustrations and photographs. The book explores the everyday artifacts of Charles Darwin’'s life, his notebooks, and early manuscripts, and presents a comprehensive study of Darwin’s challenging intellectual and personal journey. Darwin: Discovering the Tree of Life is available in the Museum Shop at the American Museum of Natural History in a hardcover edition for $35.00. Darwin on Museum Web Site www.amnh.org Online visitors can explore Darwin via the Museum’s home page, www.amnh.org, which links to a site dedicated to the exhibition and featuring digital images of many of the documents and artifacts on view in the exhibition. The Web site also includes behind-the-scenes photographs on the making of Darwin as well as questions and answers about the exhibition. Darwin will remain archived on the Museum’s Web site after the exhibition closes, serving as a useful research tool as well as a primer on Darwin’s life and theories. American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its global mission to explore and interpret human cultures and the natural world through a wide-reaching program of scientific research, education, and exhibitions. The Museum houses 45 permanent exhibition halls, state-of-the-art research laboratories, one of the largest natural history libraries in the Western Hemisphere, and a permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and cultural artifacts. With a scientific staff of more than 200, the Museum supports research divisions in Anthropology, Paleontology, Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology, and the Physical Sciences. The spectacular Frederick Phineas & Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space, which opened in February 2000, features the rebuilt and rejuvenated Hayden Planetarium and striking exhibits about the nature of the universe and our planet. Home for more than three decades to the Museum’s celebrated 94-foot-long blue whale model, the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life reopened in May 2003, transformed through current scientific research and cutting-edge exhibitry into a fully immersive oceanic environment. The Museum, which was rated number one attraction in New York City in the Zagat Survey’s first-ever U.S. Family Travel Guide, as well as the number three most popular U.S. destination, shares its treasures and discoveries with millions of on-site visitors from around the globe each year. In addition, the Museum’s Web site, www.amnh.org, extends its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs to millions more beyond the Museum’s walls.Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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