WIESBADEN, Germany As part of Darwin Year 2009 — the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and 150th anniversary of his groundbreaking work “On the Origin of Species” — Stuttgart’s Natural History Museum is featuring a special exhibit titled “The River of Life — 150 Years of the Theory of Evolution.”
Integrated into the museum’s regular collection the exhibit includes a replica of the HMS Beagle, the ship on which the English scientist spent five years traveling the globe collecting specimens and conducting research, interactive computer displays, skulls of early humans and a host of other exhibits.
While most of the descriptions are in German, English-speaking visitors will find plenty to examine showcasing the development of Darwin’s theory, its impact on the scientific community, modern gene research and the ongoing debate between those who believe strictly in the creation of the world by a higher power, the idea of Intelligent Design and those who are convinced of evolutionary theory.
Quotations on the walls throughout the exhibit reflect the wide-ranging ideas men and women have continued to express while trying to make sense of the origins of life on planet Earth. Whatever one’s personal beliefs, the River of Life exhibition offers a detailed look into the ways into which humans have attempted to explain humankind’s origin and evolution.
While those accustomed to the expansive exhibits of Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Natural History Museum may find Stuttgart’s relatively small collection limited, visitors young and old will certainly find something of interest among the various showcases of animal and plant life.
Stuttgart’s Museum Schloss Rosenstein is located at Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart.
Admission is €5 for adults, €3 for students and €11 for a family ticket. Children ages 6 and below enter for free. The exhibit runs through May 24, 2010. Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information about the exhibition visit www.evolution2009.de or www.naturkundemuseum-bw.de.