The exhibition is on display from Saturday, March 8 to Monday, August 4, 2008 in the ROM’s Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, located on Level 2B in the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. The ROM is the first Canadian venue to host Darwin: The Evolution Revolution during its international tour.

Organized by The American Museum of Natural History, New York, in collaboration with the ROM and the Museum of Science, Boston, The Field Museum, Chicago and the Natural History Museum, London, Darwin is the most in-depth exhibition ever assembled on this highly original thinker and his revolutionary theory of evolution by natural selection. The exhibition features the most complete collection of specimens, artifacts, manuscripts and memorabilia related to Charles Darwin (1809-1882), offering visitors an engaging and enlightening insight into his extraordinary life and mind. Also featured in the exhibition is a number of fascinating live animals, dramatically bringing life to Darwin’s pioneering work.

Most renowned for his groundbreaking 1859 volume On the Origin of Species, Darwin is also acclaimed for his work as a botanist, geologist, and naturalist. In showcasing the evidence that led to Darwin’s realisation that all life has evolved according to natural laws, the exhibition also illustrates the impact of Darwin’s work to science and society in his day, and right up to the 21st century.

William Thorsell, the ROM’s Director and CEO, states, “The ROM is extremely pleased to host Darwin: The Evolution Revolution. Darwin’s insights into evolution form the foundation of much of the work we do in natural history, yet it continues to provoke lively debate to this day. The collaboration of these respected institutions delivers an exhibition allowing the public to understand Darwin as both a scientist and an
individual. We fully expect that our visitors will deepen their appreciation for his great contributions to science.”

Chris Darling, a Senior Curator in the ROM’s Natural History department, is the curator of Darwin during its ROM engagement. Darling says “An exciting aspect of this exhibition is that it allows us to take the same voyage of discovery as Darwin. Visitors are presented with the evidence that led Darwin to realize that all life on Earth evolves from common ancestors over millions of years guided by the process of natural selection. We are at Darwin’s side as he ponders geology, observes living plants and animals and collects fossils and other specimens during his historic voyage on the Beagle. We are also there when he returns home to carefully develop and refine his ideas as he struggles with issues of family, ill health and insecurity. Evolution is both intelligible and relevant to everybody. Darwin, the exhibition, illuminates Darwin, the man and scientist, in a vividly accessible manner.”

Darwin is comprised of nine enlightening sections. The Introduction conveys the awe and wonder that Darwin found in nature throughout his career. Visitors are introduced to Darwin’s character, most notably the naturalist’s passion that he used to examine the world around him. Highlighted in this section is Darwin’s original magnifying glass. This instrument serves as an iconic object, exemplifying the simple tools and approaches that Darwin used during his career. Throughout the exhibition, various magnifying glasses remind visitors of the scientist’s patience and the importance of observation in science.

The World Before Darwin illustrates the state of scientific knowledge prior to Darwin’s work. The visitor is informed that advanced thinkers of the 18th century speculated about evolution but did not understand how it may have worked. Natural scientists, and most of England, were aligned to the Church’s creationist position. Species’ origins were thought to be outside the realm of natural history, with these questions already answered by the biblical story of creation. By 1800, naturalists had collections, but classification criteria were haphazard at best, with no concept of how species were genealogically related. The prevailing view pointed to plant and animal species being created once, by God, and remaining unchanged from the time of their creation. Humans were not seen as just another animal species but were unique and created in God’s image. As many scientists were also clergymen, studying nature (God’s works) was comparable to studying the Bible (God’s word).

The exhibition’s third section, An Ordinary Man presents a short video overview of Darwin’s life and work, including an examination of the times into which he was born. Darwin’s influences on science, politics and society are also highlighted. Shot on location at Down House, Darwin’s longtime home, the video is narrated by Randal Keynes, Darwin’s great-great-grandson.

Early Life: Shooting, Dogs and Rat-Catching depicts Darwin’s early years and his influences, including those of family, and especially his grandfathers, Josiah Wedgwood (of Wedgwood china) and Erasmus Darwin, a purveyor of his own evolution concepts. It is established that Charles Darwin spent his early years at Shrewsbury boarding school where he was an indifferent student, during which time he was told by his father, “You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.” Objects including early natural history collections, a box of Darwin childhood mementos, family portraits and his letters home from school are among the highlights of this section.

Voyage of the Beagle traces Darwin’s five year voyage (1831–1836) on the HMS Beagle down the coast of South America, to the Galapágos Islands and beyond, a journey which Darwin called the most pivotal event in his life and one that confirmed his career as a naturalist. Visitors experience the extraordinary wonders witnessed by Darwin, as a young and adventurous man. This section demonstrates the three patterns observed by Darwin during his journey that convinced him that species are not absolute: replacement of species through time; geographic replacement down the South American coast of one species by another; and the micro-geographic replacement of different varieties on different islands in the Galapagos. Prominently featured in this section is the actual life-changing letter, the invitation to serve as HMS Beagle’s naturalist, from Darwin’s mentor, J.S. Henslow. Other personal items of Darwin’s are also showcased here, including his pistol and his Bible, the first time that these items have been together since the Beagle’s voyage. Another notable feature of this section is the gathering together for the first time of many of the specimens collected by Darwin, including beetles, butterflies, moths, bugs, and various fossils.

In the section London, visitors learn about Darwin’s life and career in the five years he spent in that city following his naval expedition. During this time, the specimens Darwin collected during his voyage were studied by other notable scientists and his reputation grew. By studying the fossils, he came to understand that living species are related to extinct ones by descent. The importance of variation among individuals was noted and Darwin came to realise that because more are born than can survive in the natural world natural selection is the mechanism of evolution. Variation, inherited characteristics, and selective survival equal adaptation. Also examined in this section is Darwin’s marriage to his cousin Emma Wedgwood and the birth of their children William and Annie. His comparing his children to “Jenny”, an orangutan they often visited in Regents Park Zoo, and the idea that humans, like all species, are the products of evolution, figure prominently in this section. Darwin’s correspondence with wife Emma, his 1842 "Abstract”, and his questionnaire on breeding are among this section’s highlights.

Darwin’s life at his home, where he lived from 1842 until his death in 1882, comprises the significant section, Down House. Here, it is demonstrated that Darwin knew that his revolutionary ideas would shake British society to its core and that he was quite hesitant to publish what he had written. In fact, Darwin kept his “Essay” secret for 21 years while he continued to research and study. He advised his wife to publish the document, written in 1844 (an expansion of his earlier “Abstract”) only upon his death. This section also discusses the death of their daughter in 1851, which devastated Darwin and his wife and shook what remained of his religious beliefs. His daughter’s death also impacted on the release of his On the Origin of Species. Published in 1859, the pioneering tome was an instant bestseller and prompted vigorous public debate. In it, Darwin brought together the considerable evidence of life’s diversity, animal and plant domestication, and the geologic and fossil record, supporting his theory of evolution. Darwin’s death and his burial at Westminster Abbey are also featured in this section. A fascinating feature of this section is a large projection of a virtual stroll through the grounds of Down House, especially the Sandwalk, where Darwin spent much time observing and thinking. As well, an audio installation can be heard here with a selection of Darwin’s writings and letter, read by his great-great-grandson. On display is a detailed reconstruction of part of Darwin’s study at Down House, with his desk in place. Numerous authentic personal possessions, including Darwin’s walking stick, microscope, and books, are featured here.

In Evolution and Natural Selection, it is clearly demonstrated that science through time has overwhelmingly supported the work of Charles Darwin. This, and the exhibition’s final section are perceptibly different in look and tone than the earlier sections in which biographical and historical details of Darwin’s life are featured. Various media explain evolution and natural selection, the key components of Darwin’s theory, including videos, simulations and interactive components. Numerous specimens vividly demonstrate the fact of evolution.

The exhibition’s final section, Legacy explores the legacy of Charles Darwin and the relevance of his work today. A video, Darwin, Science and Faith, features contemporary scientists and theologians discussing why Darwin’s discoveries are important to modern biology and modern science and touches on their personal views of how Darwin fits into their philosophies and beliefs.

Darwin: The Evolution Revolution is mounted in cooperation with English Heritage, the organisation 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. Niles Eldredge, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History

Darwin: The Evolution Revolution opened in late 2005 at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, after which it traveled to Boston’s Museum of Science. The exhibition arrives at the ROM following its engagement at The Field Museum in Chicago (on view until January 1, 2008). Darwin will be displayed at the Natural History Museum in London from October 2008 to March 2009, timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. -- www.rom.on.ca