Pattern and Process: Natural History Museum Exhibits on Evolution

Of any public institution, natural history museums have the most extensive intellectual and physical resources for teaching the public about evolution. This chapter traces how evolution exhibits in natural history museums have changed over the past century from displays based on collections of biological diversity to experiential teaching units that focus on processes and mechanisms of evolution that are based on contemporary research findings. To assess how well these efforts help people understand evolution will require a significant commitment to experimentally-based learning research to determine how to create meaningful educational change through the experience of visiting exhibits.