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A Life’s Work
At Down House Darwin continued to refine his theory while studying barnacles, pigeons, and plants. He finally published his theory when a similar theory from another scientist forced his hand.
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Don’t Miss:
A painstaking reconstruction of Darwin’s study, with his microscope and other objects brought from Down House itself.
One of the few existing manuscript pages from The Origin of Species, along with a first edition of the published book.
A small wooden writing box filled with keepsakes of Darwin’s daughter Annie, who died of tuberculosis at the age of ten.
A large-scale, time-lapse video of the sandwalk path where Darwin often strolled—observing, experimenting, and contemplating as he walked.
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Evolution Today
Explore the science of evolution and the refinements it has undergone since Darwin’s time as new research methods are developed and new information gained.
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Don’t miss:
Learn more about the workings of natural selection and some of its recent applications in a science theater video.
Several prominent biologists discuss their views on reconciling science and faith.
Interactive stations explore concepts that are central to evolution, such as homologies (similarities in structure that indicate two species evolved from a common ancestor), adaptation to the environment, and natural selection.
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Epilogue: Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Walk through a display of live and photographed orchids—a beautiful and diverse plant family that fascinated Darwin. Hear Darwin’s great-great-grandson reading from the final paragraph of The Origin of Species:
“…from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” |
