Events Calendar

Penn Museum
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4000
www.museum.upenn.edu

Surviving: The Body of Evidence
April 19, 2008 through May 3, 2009

Penn Museum takes an up close and personal look at the scientific study of evolution with this challenging new exhibition that puts you—and your fellow humans—at the center of the inquiry, on a journey of self-discovery.

Surviving, an interactive, multimedia exhibition supported in large part by a grant from the National Science Foundation, begins with the premise that you—and your fellow humans-—are survivors.  Your body holds the evidence.  The process of evolution and its outcomes have had a profound impact on every aspect of your daily lives.  And the process continues.

The dinosaur that changed the world, Hadrosaurus foulkii, rises again for a months-long celebration of dinosaurs. Hadrosaurus foulkii occupies a singular place in the history of American paleontology. At the time of its scientific description in 1858, it was the most complete dinosaur skeleton unearthed and it was found in Haddonfield, N.J. When it was placed on exhibit at The Academy of Natural Sciences in 1868, it was the first mounted dinosaur skeleton displayed anywhere in the world. To mark the 150th anniversary of its description, the Academy remounts a cast of this plant-eating dinosaur as the centerpiece of a special exhibit and months-long dinosaur celebration. Read more

The American Philosophical Society holds the largest collection of Darwin materials in North America. It is second only to Cambridge University as a resource for studying the life and work of Charles Darwin. Included are books and manuscripts related to the life and work of this seminal figure in the field of biology: the handwritten title page of On the Origin of Species and over 700 letters that reflect his correspondence with other scientists.  The APS collection also contains extensive materials on the history of the theory of evolution.

Dialogues with Darwin will draw on this remarkable collection to stimulate three kinds of dialogues with Darwin's ideas. Historical books and letters will document the scientific dialogue between Darwin and his science colleagues. Commissioned artworks, integrated into the exhibition, will create a contemporary dialogue linking present to past and art to science. Innovative interpretative activities and materials, embedded in the exhibition as well as on the web, will give visitors the opportunity to participate in their own dialogues not only with Darwin, but also with current Darwin experts and even with each other.

The Mütter Museum highlights some of the ways in which evolution has necessitated the advancement of medicine.

A new small exhibit addresses how the evolutionary advancement of the human species becoming bipedal (walking on two legs) resulted in a narrower pelvis in females. This coupled with the increased cranial size in newborns resulted in the need, over the years, for assistance in giving birth. We have advanced from primitive birthing stones (10,000 years ago) to the modern day field of obstetrics.  The exhibit addresses this evolutionary phase and considers how we have adapted. Featured are some of the Museum's prized instruments and objects, such as an original replica of a Chamberlain Forceps, the first known obstetrical forceps ever invented, and some examples of a female pelvis, as well as other objects and images that highlight this topic.

An accompanying handout for both school groups and general visitors, available beginning in May, guides visitors through the evolution related exhibits in the museum. In addition, a supplemental Cell Phone Audio Tour Guide, available beginning in May, explores certain portions of the exhibits in more depth while also focusing on evolutionary aspects.

Upcoming: related lecture, to be announced.