Evaluation of Mural Series on the Evolution of Life

Besides being heavily politicized, evolution presents a challenge to teachers because major components of the topic remain under public debate and scientific discovery. We present the Spiral of Life series, an art and science collaboration designed to visually communicate both basic and cutting-edge concepts surrounding the phylogeny of life, while attracting and engaging a broad audience. Five custom art pieces based on a shared spiral symbol were developed and installed in Pittsburgh museums, each exploring a perspective on phylogeny complementary to the institution’s focus. Begun in Spring 2010, the Spiral is being studied at the host museums and in the classroom to evaluate its teaching effectiveness and the impact of its artistic vision.