Shelley L. Smith
I am a biological anthropologist whose recent research explores how human evolution is presented to the public via museum exhibits. I am the author of two recent books: Connecting with Our Ancestors: Human Evolution Museum Experiences (Springer, 2024) and Developing the Hall of Human Origins: Adaptive Resilience (Routledge, 2024).
Connecting with Our Ancestors combines documentation and analysis of the contents of exhibits in 12 museums (Part 1) with interview discussions with experts involved in exhibit creation (Part 2) to explore variation among human evolution exhibits.
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-69429-5
It is my contention that museum exhibits, to be successful, must make a personal connection with visitors, inspiring them to learn more. Human evolution exhibits thus need contemporary relevance. It is crucial to find ways to bind our deep past to our lives today. Presenting our story, and our collective history, some human evolution exhibits reach an audience of millions each year. An understanding of evolution is fundamental to modern biology, and a lack of knowledge of basic principles has practical consequences, including impairing reception of health messages. The goal of the volume is to stimulate discussion of how the presentation of evolution, and in particular human evolution, can be improved, contributing to scientific literacy and engagement with evolutionary science. To enhance relevance to a broader public, I argue that incorporation of evolutionary medicine and clearer explanations of ancestry and human biological variation are needed.
The museums surveyed in Part 1 include four in Texas,* seven additional renowned U.S. museums,** and the Natural History Museum in London. Some of the 35 interviewees in Part 2 are prominent academic researchers; others contribute their expertise in design, art, and education. (Scroll down to see a list of those interviewed.) Topics discussed by the interviewees include exhibit content and changing exhibits, the ideal vs. reality in exhibit creation, self-assessments of exhibits, education and “edutainment,” and exhibit content intersections with religion, politics, and the history of representations of race / human biological variation. A bibliographic essay, appendices, and text boxes provide additional information for readers desiring more in-depth study.
* Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the museum formerly known as the Texas Memorial Museum; ** American Museum of Natural History in New York City, National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) in Washington, D.C., Field Museum in Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, California Academy of Sciences / Kimball Museum of Natural History in San Francisco, and the museum formerly known as the San Diego Museum of Man
Developing the Hall of Human Origins: Adaptive Resilience resulted from a spin-off project. (Thank you, Rick Potts!) It focuses specifically on the development of the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins at the Smithsonian.
As one of the most visited human evolution exhibits in the world and the largest such exhibit in the U.S., this hall has tremendous influence on public perception and knowledge of human evolution. The chapters explore how this exhibit came about, how it has changed since opening, and the associated educational and public outreach activities of members of the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program. The subtitle, “Adaptive Resilience” refers both to a central theme of the exhibit, our species’ adaptation to changing environments as a key feature of our success, and also to the resilience of curator Richard Potts in creating his vision for the hall (mid-to-late 1980s to 2010 opening). Contextual sections situate the hall’s development within the history of paleoanthropology, the politics of evolution and climate change, and African contributions.
See websites.uta.edu/shelleylsmithresearch/home/articles/ for journal articles associated with my museum project.
See the Gallery for a selection of museum photos: websites.uta.edu/shelleylsmithresearch/gallery/
I acknowledge with gratitude the following individuals who graciously gave their time for the Connecting with Our Ancestors book:
Zeray Alemseged, Donald N. Pritzker Professor, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago; Anonymous (2); Nicole Burt, Curator of Human Health and Evolutionary Medicine, Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Jennifer Clark, Museums Specialist, Human Origins Program, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Alisa Crisp, Interpretation Developer, Natural History Museum, London; Rob DeSalle, Curator, Molecular Systematics, and PI, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History; Ali Freyne, Bioarchaeology Research Assistant, Natural History Museum, London; Nicole Garneau, Curator of Human Health, Chair of Health Sciences Department, and PI of the Genetics of Taste Lab, Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Sarah Goodin, Exhibit Developer and Interactive Designer, California Academy of Sciences; John A. Gurche, Artist in Residence, Museum of the Earth, Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York; Yohannes Haile-Selassie, (formerly) Curator and Head, Physical Anthropology Department, Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Will Harcourt-Smith, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Lehman College, CUNY; Resident Research Associate, Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History; Louise Humphrey, Researcher in Human Origins, Natural History Museum, London; Louis L. Jacobs, Professor Emeritus, Department of Earth Sciences, and President, Institute for the Study of Earth and Man, Southern Methodist University; Lyman Jellema, (formerly) Collections Manager, Physical Anthropology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Rose Jones, (formerly) Director of Evaluation, Perot Museum of Nature and Science; Dan Kohl, (formerly) Chief Innovation Officer, Perot Museum of Nature and Science; Frances A. Kruger, Senior Exhibit Developer and Manager of the Interpretation and Graphics Team, Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Karen Lacy, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Muse Curatorial Consulting Group, and Adjunct Lecturer, San Diego City College; Robert Martin, Curator Emeritus, Anthropology, Field Museum; Pamela R. Owen, Associate Director, Texas Memorial Museum (Texas Science & Natural History Museum), University of Texas at Austin; Becca Peixotto, (formerly) Director and Research Scientist, Center for the Exploration of the Human Journey, Perot Museum of Nature and Science; Briana Pobiner, Education Program Specialist and Human Origins Program, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Rick Potts, Director and Peter Buck Chair, Human Origins Program, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Meg Rivers, Exhibition Project Manager, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Sydney Smith-Garcia, Education Specialist: Race, Equity, and Social Justice, San Diego Museum of Man (Museum of Us); Chris Stringer, Research Leader in Human Origins, Natural History Museum, London; Denise Su, (formerly) Curator and Head of Paleobotany and Paleoecology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Ian Tattersall, Curator Emeritus of Biological Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History; Edward Clayborn Theriot, (formerly) Director, Texas Memorial Museum; Jane and Rolland Bloomberg Centennial Professor in Molecular Evolution, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin; Dirk Van Tuerenhout, Curator of Anthropology, Houston Museum of Natural Science; Charles H. Walter, Director, Mayborn Museum Complex, Baylor University; Daniel Wormald, Learning Researcher, Department of Learning Research and Evaluation, Natural History Museum, London; and Julia Zichello, Assistant Director of Exhibition, Education, and the Sackler Educational Lab for Human Origins and Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History.
Note: Some affiliations listed above have changed since the time of interview and/or book development.