Undaunted
Undaunted: Five American Explorers, 1760-2007, June 22, 2007-Dec. 28, 2008, Museum of the American Philosophical Society, Philosophical Hall, 104 S. Fifth St.
exhibition
;)
(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION) |
Meet limnologist Ruth Patrick, mid-19th-century physician Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, painter John James Audubon, zoologist Titian Ramsay Peale and astronomer David Rittenhouse: They are five scientists who made a motto out of "Explore your world" long before it was Discovery Channel's catchphrase. "The meaning of the word 'explore' is not just for Peale and Kent, who explored parts of the world that have never been seen before," says Sue Ann Prince, curator of the Philosophical Hall's new Undaunted: Five American Explorers, 1760-2007. "It's also about examining the world, like Ruth Patrick" — an environmentalist who pioneered the study of biodiversity as an indicator of river pollution. To demonstrate the meticulous and groundbreaking works done by Patrick, Kane, Audubon, Peale and Rittenhouse, the American Philosophical Society is exhibiting its permanent collection of books, maps, watercolors, sketches and original instruments used by the five society members, including a rare edition of Audubon's The Birds of America. "[They shared an] insatiable curiosity," says Prince. "They had the kind of determination that it takes to follow through. They didn't just say, 'Wouldn't it be cool to go to the Arctic?' — they went ahead and did it." For visitors ready to do their own exploring, the exhibition includes an LED-lit Celestial Garden that mimics the Philly night sky, a marked path of Philly's Dock Creek (now buried beneath Dock Street) and urban expeditions based on historical practices, all ready for eager and inquiring minds.
Undaunted: Five American Explorers, 1760-2007, June 22, 2007-Dec. 28, 2008, Museum of the American Philosophical Society, Philosophical Hall, 104 S. Fifth St., 215-440-3400, www.amphilsoc.org/exhibitions.
Also In This Week's Arts Section
Comments
Be the first to comment on this article.