The newest permanent exhibit at the University of Nebraska State Museum in Morrill Hall, Explore Evolution, took a three-year evolution of its own.
The exhibit, which premiered to the public on Saturday, features the research of two University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists and was organized by Judy Diamond, a State Museum professor.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday night, Chancellor Harvey Perlman was on hand to offer praise, saying the exhibit is a turning point for the museum.
Diamond petitioned for and received the $2.8 million grant that funded the project. Six museums across the nation will also feature the evolution exhibit in their permanent galleries.
The project required expertise across a spectrum of fields, Diamond said, and features the work of artist Angie Fox, a scientific illustrator for the State Museum, and acclaimed science writer Carl Zimmer.
It also showcases the research of Charles Wood, director of the Nebraska Center for Virology at UNL, and Sherilyn Fritz, professor of geological sciences.
Others making contributions to the exhibit included scientists across the nation, five statewide 4-H organizations and 38 middle school students who served as a trial audience.
In addition to the Explore Evolution project, the National Science Teachers Associated Press released a book, "The Virus and the Whale: Exploring Evolution in Creatures Small and Large."
"The book is not a companion piece," said Sarah Disbrow, a Lincoln-based writer, editor and consultant for the project. "It can be appreciated in its own right."
The activities available through the book and the exhibit are accessible to all age groups, particularly those middle-school-aged and older, Diamond said.
"We designed the exhibit so there is something for everyone," she said.
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