If you didn't know better you might think a three-month-long exhibition about the life and studies of Charles Darwin was irrelevant. After all, the man's been dead for more than a century, and the world's had plenty of time to digest his theory of evolution.
Then again, it was only last year that the Dover, PA school board committed to intelligent design was booted out of office. Kansas's state school board has just returned to "moderate" pro-evolution hands, ensuring the fifth set of science standards in eight years, and until last year, Georgia textbooks carried a disclaimer that "evolution is a theory, not a fact."
So, it just may be that now's as important a time as ever to commemorate the man who brought us the "theory" of evolution. Dennis Wint, President and CEO of the Franklin Institute, certainly feels this way. "At this time in particular, when Darwin's theory of evolution is making headlines, I feel it's appropriate to provide our visitors with this opportunity to take in the exhibit, reflect on it, discuss the issues and come to their own conclusions."
"Darwin" comes to Philadelphia's Franklin Institute by way of New York's Museum of Natural History. The exhibit, which culminates December 31, blends live animals (Galapagos tortoises, a five-foot-long green iguana and others) with specimens and artifacts from Darwin's lifetime and interactive computer and video displays. Furthermore, visitors craving an epileptic-seizure inspiring educational medium can shell out $5 to enjoy an IMAX movie, Galapagos, about the unique islands that sowed the seeds for Darwin's work.
The result is a multifaceted look at how one of the most profound and controversial theories originated. "Darwin" doesn't just strip away the mystique from the theory that gave us "survival of the fittest," it provides an in-depth biography of the man behind it. Darwin's life has simultaneously been lionized and sterilized in our history books. "Darwin" illuminates the imperfections, missteps and self-doubt that marked Darwin's journey of discovery.
From his self-described "absolute and perfect state of idleness" during his years at Cambridge to his almost na've excitement on his adventure on the Beagle to his conflicted and tragic time in London, "Darwin" adds a new dimension to the father of evolution.
One story details Darwin's hunt for the lesser rhea, a variation of flightless birds that Darwin ultimately found, half-eaten on his dinner plate. A story from Darwin's later life explains his struggles with guilt over the death of his young daughter, wondering if he passed a weakness onto her. Anecdotes like these sweep away the mythology of Darwin, but at the same time portray his indomitable spirit of adventure and intellectual curiosity.
This allows Penn students reading between the lines of Darwin's biography to take away more from the exhibit than a lesson on evolution. Darwin's story, retold in the exhibit, isn't just about the incredible scientific legacy he left. It is about a life dedicated to following one's passion, embracing chance and taking risks.
