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 World's
most famous fossil "Lucy" COMES To Seattle. West
Coast premiere Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures
of Ethiopia. Now through March. 8,
2009
Seattle's Pacific Science
Center Launch of Lucy's Legacy
If Einstein
were alive, he'd hang out here. Drop by Pacific
Science Center on Oct. 16 for Science with a Twist,
an event for adults 21 and over. Immerse yourself
in an evening of discovery as we celebrate the
arrival of Lucy, a 3.2 million-year-old ancestor to
humans and the star of our featured exhibit, Lucy's
Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of
Ethiopia.:
Website
Discover five-million-year
history of the Cradle of Mankind
SEATTLE-
Ethiopia is the cradle of mankind, the birthplace
of coffee, the purported resting place of the Ark
of the Covenant - and home to legions of Bob Marley
fans. Discover five million years of this country's
diverse history and culture in the world premiere
exhibition Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of
Ethiopia, on display at Pacific Science Center from
Oct. 4, 2008 - March 8, 2009.
http://www.pacsci.org/lucy/
The exhibition
will include the original fossilized remains of the
3.2 million-year-old hominid known as Lucy. With 40
percent of her skeleton intact, Lucy remains the
oldest and most complete adult human ancestor fully
retrieved from African soil. Other important
paleoanthropological discoveries will also be
represented to complete the current account of
human evolution as known to scientists
today.
 "Lucy's
Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia provides
visitors with an extraordinary opportunity to come
face to face with Lucy, the oldest, most complete,
and best preserved adult fossil of any
erect-walking human ancestor," said Bryce Seidl,
president and CEO of Pacific Science Center. "The
discovery of Lucy continues to profoundly influence
our understanding of human origins. "Lucy's Legacy"
provides people the opportunity to better
understand current scientific theory of human
evolution and to see for themselves how, more than
30 years after her discovery, she continues to
create debate."
The 1974
discovery of this famous hominid contributed to the
definition of a new species, Australopithecus
afarensis, and continues to have a major impact on
the scientific understanding of our human origins.
Through additional artifacts spanning over 1.6
million years visitors will also experience
Ethiopia, Lucy's homeland. With eight locales on
the World Heritage List, Ethiopia is rich in
history and culture and it holds a unique position
in the study of paleoanthropology.
"Ethiopia's
natural diversity also extends to the plurality of
its peoples," said His Excellency Ambassador
Mohamoud Dirir, Minister of Culture and Tourism of
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. "Her
people speak more than 80 languages. Ethiopia is a
home to different faiths and religions. Judaism,
Christianity, Islam and a number of traditional
indigenous beliefs have peacefully coexisted for
millennia. These long-stretched and deep-rooted
values have made Ethiopia a country known for its
proverbial hospitality."
Explore over
2,000 years of history of the ancient civilization
of Axum, which became the first Christian African
nation in the 4th century A.D.; the people who
created the spectacular rock-hewn, underground
churches of Lalibela (named after the last king of
the Zagwe dynasty) in the 13th century A.D.; and
the stunning architecture of the Royal Enclosure at
Gondar, built in the 17th century A.D. Discover a
dynasty of emperors that ruled Ethiopia through
1974, believed by Ethiopians to represent a direct,
unbroken line of descendants of the Queen of Sheba
and the biblical King Solomon.
More than 100
artifacts illuminate Ethiopia's rich heritage. See
early stone tools found in Ethiopia; a wide
selection of objects from the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church such as illuminated manuscripts and
processional crosses; a selection of Korans from
the holy city of Harar, the fourth most important
site in Islam; and the first coins minted by an
indigenous African civilization. Paintings, musical
instruments, implements of daily use, a scale model
of the famous Church of St. George in Lalibela and
more will also be on display.
"The history of
Ethiopia, known to many as Abyssinia, is rich,
ancient, and in many ways, still unknown," said
Seidl. "This exhibit introduces viewers to the rich
cultural heritage that has flourished in Ethiopia
over the course of the last 3 millennia and to the
vibrant country that Ethiopia is
today."
After its West
Coast premiere in Seattle, Lucy's Legacy: The
Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia will tour museums
throughout the United States.
"What we know
about human evolution comes to us from the African
continent, and in large part, from Ethiopia," said
Dirk Van Tuerenhout, Ph.D, curator of anthropology
at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. "In
addition to its importance to human prehistory, the
recorded history of Ethiopia has many surprising
and fascinating aspects, from its tradition of
beautiful art to its diverse religious community.
Visitors to Lucy's Legacy will have the opportunity
to explore all of the intriguing characteristics
that make this country unique."
As part of the
total experience, Pacific Science Center will
feature the IMAX® film Mystery of the Nile,
hands-on interactive exhibits, cultural and
scientific demonstrations, and in alliance with the
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, a
distinguished lecture series.
Lucy's
Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia is an
international exhibition organized by The Houston
Museum of Natural Science in collaboration with the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian
Exhibition Coordinating Committee. The exhibition's
presentation in Seattle has been made possible in
part by the Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural
Affairs, City of Seattle and King County. The
Seattle Times and Seattle Post Intelligencer are
the official print sponsors of the Seattle
exhibit.
National funding
for Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia
is provided by Ethiopian Airlines and The Smith
Foundation.
For general
information please call 1-877-See-Lucy(733-5829) or
email askaboutLucy@pacsci.org. For more information
about Lucy and this exhibit, check
LucyExhibition.com and
BecomingHuman.org.
IMAX® is a
registered trademark of the IMAX
Corporation
Pacific Science
Center (pacificsciencecenter.org) is an
independent, not-for-profit educational institution
that inspires lifelong interest in science, math
and technology by engaging diverse communities
through interactive and innovative exhibits and
programs in every county of Washington state and
beyond.
Contact: Wendy
Malloy
Pacific Science
Center
Seattle, WA
98109
(206)
443-2879
wendy_malloy@pacsci.org
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My
connections with the City of Seattle go back many
decades. My father was born there, and my mother's
dad grew up in nearby Edmonds, before settling in
Vancouver, Canade, a 3- hour drive. Our Vancouver
warehouse is loaded with issues of Africa Travel
Magazine, featuring many African destinations. We
plan to distribute magazines and conduct
radio-tv
interviews from
the expo's Africa Section, Click here for introduce
our new Best of Africa series of magazines at two
major events in the city. Click
here
for information on Seattle accommodation and
attractions.