Darwin Day is a day to celebrate a legendary scientist and his invaluable contributions toward our understanding the natural world. Over two centuries after he was born, the values embodied by Charles Darwin — perpetual curiosity, scientific thinking and an ongoing pursuit of truth — are as important as ever and we're very excited to live them up with a special day of entertaining and educational activities here at the Museum.
Born on Feb. 12, 1809, Darwin's groundbreaking research laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology. His observations of Galapagos finches during his voyage on the HMS Beagle played a crucial role in shaping a world-changing theory he outlined in his book "On the Origin of Species." He noted how the finches' beak shapes varied from island to island, adapting to different food sources, which provided key evidence for how species evolve over time through natural selection.
To honor Darwin's contributions to the field of science and our quest for truth, we invite you to join us for a day of engaging activities and fascinating exhibitions at the Museum on Feb. 12, 2025. Check out the activities taking place between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Museum's West Atrium:
Object and Activity Tables in the West Atrium
Zoology Collections Manager Jeff Stephenson displaying bird specimens at Darwin Day in 2018. (Photo/ Rick Wicker)
Darwinian Diversity at the Museum!
Come see some amazing examples of the remarkable animals that shaped Darwin’s understanding of evolution and natural selection. From Galapagos finches and giant Tortoises, to barnacles and beetles; we’ll share some thought-provoking species from the Zoology Collections that contributed to Darwin’s theory of evolution and the eventual publication of "On the Origin of Species."
The Abominable Mystery
Can you imagine what the world looked like before flowering plants evolved? Come see fossil plants from the Museum's Paleobotany Collections and learn about how forests have changed over hundreds of millions of years!
The works of Charles Darwin
Our Museum Archivist will display the second edition of Darwin’s "On the Origins of Species," as well as the original paper by Darwin and Alfred R. Wallace published in the Journal of the Linnean Society. We will also present other priceless treasures from our rare books collection.
Bird Bill Buffet
This activity table will showcase various bird beak adaptations, emphasizing how some birds’ beaks become specialized while others become more generalized. Household items will be available to demonstrate how different bird beaks are used to pick up different kinds of foods.
Evolution of Birds: T. rex to Turkey
This table will show how birds evolved from dinosaurs. Try a matching game activity to test your knowledge of which characters belong to dinosaurs and which evolved when birds showed up on the scene.
Pasta-ogney
Use noodles to build your own tree of life! In this hands-on activity, you will use similarities and differences between different shapes of noodles to build your own pasta phylogeny (evolutionary tree). Learn about how paleontologists who study fossils determine relationships among organisms today and in the distant past.
Science Division Pop-up Lecture
Clovis point from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Archaeology collection in space aboard the NASA international space station with astronaut Kjell Lindgren. (Photo/ Nia Alavaz)
Dr. Ka Chun Yu on the Evolution of the Universe
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
How did the universe evolve from the Big Bang to today’s expanding web of galaxies filled with gas, dust, stars and planets? Basic laws of physics explain the evolution of the universe, which doesn’t operate via natural selection unlike life on Earth. Yet Darwin’s ideas has still influenced our study of the cosmos. Learn how in this pop-up lecture!
The activities and events surrounding Darwin Day at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are all free with general admission or membership. We hope to see you here on Feb. 12th!