An exhibition recently opened at the American Museum of Natural History (on view until May 2006) focuses on the life and work of Charles Darwin. The exhibit takes the visitor through the path that gave birth to the momentous theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

The theory and fact of evolution has, especially for us scientists, become so universal that we easily forget how remarkable and fundamentally shocking it is to discover that life builds itself. An evidence of this is the fact that, almost two hundred years later, evolution is still the subject of ongoing controversy and debate. In that sense, the new exhibition might seem almost courageous. Indeed, an article¹ in the British Daily Telegraph newspaper shockingly reveals that the exhibition could not find a corporate sponsor, and suggests this is “because American companies are anxious not to take sides in the heated debate between scientists and fundamentalist Christians over the theory of evolution.” This is astonishing when placed in the context of our time, marked by remarkable scientific development with new technologies providing strong evidence in support of evolution. In the article, a trustee of another prominent museum in New York declares, “It’s a disgrace that large companies should shy away from such an important scientific exhibition.” The exhibition cost is currently being supported by private donations.

This giant tortoise (Geochelon elephantopus) is just one of several live species featured in Darwin. photo © Denis Finnin, American Museum of Natural History

The exhibit tells the story of Darwin chronologically, marked by easy to follow highlights that explain the connections between the objects displayed and the ideas formed. On view are original specimens he collected, letters, notebooks, and a replica of Darwin’s study from Down House in Kent.

The collection starts with a brief introduction to the scientific context in which Charles Darwin developed, with the display of his magnifying glass as an example of the simple tools used at that time. Challenging questions and ideas about the nature of species had already been raised by the early 1800s. Forward thinkers such as Erasmus Darwin, Charles’ grandfather, and then Jean-Baptiste Lamarck remarked on similarities in various skeletal structures and had already speculated that species evolved, endorsing a linear evolution. It is however not surprising that in this era of religious conformity, the study of evolution was not the concern of the scientific mainstream, and convincing explanations of the mechanisms of evolution had not arisen. Humans were not considered part of the natural world, and James Ussher’s interpretation of the Bible and Middle Eastern and Mediterranean histories estimated the Earth as only 6,000 years old, not enough time for evolution to have taken place.

An introduction to Darwin’s family shows that Charles Darwin, born on February 12, 1809 (the same day as Abraham Lincoln) was part of a remarkable family, not surprisingly described in 1896 by Edward Poulton as a “striking example of hereditary power.” His grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, was a medical doctor, poet, and natural philosopher, who is believed to have inspired Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. His father was also a medical doctor, whose inductive powers made him a bit of a Sherlock Holmes for whom Charles had great respect. The mother, Susannah Wedgwood, belonged to the family renowned for its pottery.

Following its chronological order, the exhibition takes the visitor in a journey through the years of the young Darwin at Cambridge University. These years are marked by important influences: J. S. Henslow, who encouraged the young naturalist, and A. Sedgwick, who took Darwin in a geological expedition through Wales and taught him “how to make out the geology of a country.” Some of the presented entertaining highlights of these years include Darwin’s own stories of his passion for collecting beetles. Also displayed are the original letters of invitation to join the trip aboard the HMS Beagle as an unpaid naturalist, of Darwin’s plea to his father, and of the permission granted. An amusing event prior to his trip was the additional impediment that almost caused his rejection by Captain FitzRoy. Darwin tells in his autobiography that the Captain, a believer in physiognomy (the interpretation of facial features to tell a person’s character), “doubted whether anyone with my nose could possess sufficient energy and determination for the voyage.” Another enjoyable story recounted is Darwin’s association with a Cambridge club for eating animals “unknown to human palate.” This practice was certainly made use of during the voyage of the Beagle, when Darwin (along with those whose “stomachs soar above all prejudices”) challenged his palate with many of the newly discovered species, ranging from iguanas and armadillos to tortoises. The latter was a desired catch since one tortoise provided 200 pounds of meat for the crew.

The journey of the HMS Beagle lasted from December 1831 to October 1836, with two set purposes: to create detailed maps by surveying the coastline and harbors of South America, and to test clocks for the British navy. A miniature replica of the ship is on display. The remains of the original ship were just recently found lodged in a swamp in Essex, in Southeast England.

The exhibit is populated by many examples of species encountered by Darwin at various stages of the expedition, including live Galápagos tortoises, a green iguana, and ornate horned frogs. The numerous displays are a good illustration of the overwhelming number and diversity of species collected and carefully studied by Darwin.