See the Smithsonian’s ‘Exploring Human Origins’ Exhibit
The Newport Branch will host the traveling Smithsonian exhibition Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?
The Campbell County Public Library was selected through a national competition offered by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and the American Library Association (ALA) to host the exhibit.
In addition, scientists and other experts from the NMNH Human Origins Program will visit The Newport Branch to host events for the community, including science programs, an educator workshop, community conversations, special tours and more. The exhibit programs are listed below. To see the library’s full program calendar, visit cc-pl.org/events.
Through panels, interactive kiosks, hands-on displays and videos, Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human? invites viewers of all ages to explore to learn about the milestones in the evolutionary journey of becoming human.
The traveling exhibition encourages a public conversation that focuses on multiple perspectives of what it means to be human — one that embraces the ideas and beliefs of non-scientists and fosters greater appreciation of the complexity of the science of human evolution.
The exhibition opens at the Newport Branch on Thursday, May 29 and closes on Friday, August 1.
The exhibition is free and open to the public during library hours.
Programs for Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?
All programs for the Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human? exhibit are held at the Newport Branch and are designed for adult attendees, unless otherwise noted.
7-9 pm Friday, May 30
Help us welcome the Smithsonian to Campbell County with this special production by Falcon Takes Flight, a wing of Falcon Theatre. “(Un)common Ground,” is a dramatic reading exploring how we are related with all of life and what makes us unique. It will be the first in a series of programs connected with the Exploring Human Origins exhibit. This production will feature poems from Richard Hague, Pauletta Hansel, Nancy Jentsch, George Ella Lyon, Maurice Manning, Roberta Schultz, and Sherry Cook Stanforth.
Stick around after the production, enjoy some appetizers and view the exhibit.
Exploring Human Origins: Educator Workshop – Exploring Evolution for Science Educators
10 am-noon Friday, June 6
Presented by Dr. Briana Pobiner and Dr. Lee Meadows of the Smithsonian Institute, this workshop features the study of evolution and hands-on practice in presenting the Human Origins Program resources provided for each community. Classroom, homeschool, museum and nature center educators are all welcome to attend.
Exploring Human Origins: Evolution Lecture with Dr. Rick Potts
7-8:30 pm Friday, June 6
Dr. Rick Potts, exhibition curator and director of NMNH Human Origins Program, will give a lecture for the public about the latest research in human evolution and an overview of exhibition themes and messages.
Exploring Human Origins: Special Tour for Clergy and Religious Leaders
11 am-12:30 pm Saturday, June 7
This special tour of the Exploring Human Origins exhibit is designed to engage religious leaders in a respectful conversation on the topic of human evolution.
Exploring Human Origins: A Community Conversation
6-7:30 pm Saturday, June 7
Join with other members of our community to explore together, in small group discussions, a variety of answers to the question, “What does it mean to be human?” As part of these conversations, we will consider how answers to this question might intersect with a scientific understanding of human origins as displayed in the exhibit.
Exploring Human Origins: Cincinnati Museum Center – Evolution of Diversity
1 pm Thursday, June 12
For grades 3-8.
Join the Cincinnati Museum Center as we look at how land masses have moved and changed through time. Through the museum’s programs-on-wheels, explore a timeline of major species events and how they adapted. Examine fossils and dioramas from the museum.
Exploring Human Origins: Evolution All Around Us
7 pm Thursday, June 26
Dr. Joshua Cooper presents on the process of speciation and the exciting research being conducted at Northern Kentucky University in partnership with University of Texas at Austin.
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