Long lines greeted the opening of an acclaimed exhibit on the life and work of iconic naturalist, geologist and thinker Charles Darwin at Guadalajara’s Trompo Magico children’s museum.
The traveling three-month show – aimed at adults as well as children – is presented by the American Museum of Natural History in New York and explores the life and work of the man whose theory of evolution forever changed the perception of the origin and nature of species on Earth.
Through more than 400 specimens, documents, film, interactive media and representations of Darwin’s personal effects, this landmark exhibition offers visitors a unique glimpse into the British naturalist’s intellectual and personal world and the experiences that first led him to formulate his groundbreaking theory and the publication of the revolutionary tome, “The Origin of the Species,” in 1859.
The exhibit is spread out over ten themed rooms that explore Darwin’s family heritage and early life, retrace his five-year voyage aboard the HMS Beagle and chart the development of his ideas through facsimilie notebooks and letters. Live animals are included in the exhibit, which also recreates Darwin’s study at his home at Down House, Kent.
CBS News described the exhibit as “the most in-depth exhibition ever mounted on Darwin.”
The exhibit has previously been shown in Mexico City and Cuernavaca. It has toured 14 countries and been seen by four million visitors.
Hosting the exhibit at Guadalajara’s premiere children’s museum permits greater access to a younger demographic, organizers say. The curators expect 90,000 people to visit the exhibit through the end of January.
The three-month show also includes a series of parallel activities, including workshops, conferences, film screenings and nocturnal camps for children.
As well as the American Museum of Natural History, the exhibit is presented in collaboration with The Field Museum, Chicago; the Museum of Science, Boston; the Natural History Museum, London, England; and the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.
The Trompo Magico is located at Avenida Central 750, Colonia Poniente Residencial, Zapopan. Open Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Entrance fee for adults and children: 40 pesos. Free entry on Thursdays. For more information visit trompomagico.com.mx.