Event Description
Join the Academy for a day featuring Tiktaalik roseae before this famous fossil returns to Canada. Tiktaalik roseae, better known as the "fishapod," is a 375-million-year-old fossil fish that was discovered in the Canadian Arctic in 2004. Its discovery sheds light on a pivotal point in the history of life on Earth: when the very first fish ventured out onto land.
Heralded as a transitional fossil worthy of Darwin's notice, Tiktaalik roseae has been the subject of a myriad of blog posts, articles, books, and documentaries. From May 2 through June 7, the Tiktaalik fossils are on display at the Academy for one last time before they return to their country of origin. Come see the fossils and hear from the man at the center of a remarkable story that has made a profound impact on our scientific and popular culture.
Vertebrate paleontologist and Drexel University professor Ted Daeschler will share a personal account of his 15-year odyssey with Tiktaalik roseae.
Auditorium
11 a.m.
Family Reunion
Meet some of the furry, feathered, and scaly descendants of our lobe-finned fish ancestors during this live animal show!
Farewell to Fins
1 p.m.
Ted Daeschler will share a personal account of his 15-year odyssey with Tiktaalik roseae, starting with the audacious idea of exploring for Devonian-age fossils in the inhospitable terrain of the Canadian Arctic. Persistence paid off and the announcement of a major scientific discovery brought the world to the Academy's door.
Tick Tock Tiktaalik
3 p.m.
Life on Earth has been evolving for 3.5 billion years and shows no signs of stopping. Explore some of the major milestones of this story during this interactive stage show.
At Science Live
Transitional Fossils
Tiktaalik is just one of many transitional forms found in the fossil record. From fins to feet and back again, investigate the fascinating world of transitional fossils, those windows into our ancient past that help tell the story of how life evolved.
Independence Foundation Gallery
In A Farewell to Fins, the key specimen of Tiktaalik will be on display one last time before all the fossils travel back to their country of origin. Alongside the Late Devonian fossils will be displays of cartoons, toys, books, a Canadian coin, a bottle of beer, and other cultural materials that use Tiktaalik’s likeness to refer to the point in time when a fish crawled out of the water and everything changed—forever.
North American Hall
Craft a Tiktaalik
Make your own version of Tiktaalik with movable fins to take home.
Win, Lose, or Draw
Explore some of the mechanisms of evolution that have resulted in the diversity of life on Earth through hands-on activities and interactive games.
Dinosaur Hall
Fossil Prep Lab
See paleontology in action at the Academy's Fossil Prep Lab. You can watch as our staff, volunteers, and other skilled workers prepare fossils for study by scientists from other research institutions. |
