(Above) Five Learned Societies and several local schools have contributed to the exhibition at Westminster Abbey. Photo courtesy of the Linnean Society
Exhibition: Charles Darwin - A Genius in the Heart of London, Westminster Abbey, until November 27 then at Westminster Archives from November 30 until January 8 2010.
The birth of Charles Darwin, whose theories rocked Christianity to its foundations, is being celebrated with an exhibition in the nation's most famous church.
Westminster Abbey may seem an unlikely venue for an event marking the bicentenary of the naturalist, yet Darwin was buried there and lived nearby between 1837-1842.
These five years are explored in Charles Darwin: A Genius in the Heart of London, in which time he was clearly very busy in the city developing his theories.
"Darwin was a member of many Learned Societies in Westminster," said Exhibition Organiser Camilla Bergman.
"The Geological Society of London, the Linnean Society of London, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) [the Institute of British Geographers], the Royal Society and the Zoological Society of London have all contributed to this display which features many different aspects of Darwin's work."
Local school kids have also got involved with the exhibition, having created textiles and artwork inspired by the scientist’s life famous voyage upon the Beagle.
Whatever his findings, Westminster Abbey Canon Jane Hedges is delighted with the show: "We think the exhibition . . . is excellent and lots of people are looking at it," he said.
"In terms of the discoveries he made, I think that the majority of Christian people would take those on board to think about their own understanding of evolution."
The exhibition runs at the Abbey until Friday when it transfers to the Westminster Archives from November 30.
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