National Geographic, a leading creator of documentaries, live events, experiences, and travelling exhibitions, is celebrating the success of its exhibition Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr Jane Goodall. The touring exhibition has won Best Wow Moment at the TREX Traveling Exhibition Awards, and also opened at the Natural History Museum of Utah on 7 December, where it is showing until 27 May 2024.
Becoming Jane is an immersive multimedia exhibition which celebrates the legacy of Dr Jane Goodall, DBE whose pioneering work provides an extraordinary insight into chimpanzees. Goodall is an acclaimed ethologist, activist and conservationist, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UNMessenger of Peace.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the National Geographic Society and the Jane Goodall Institute.
Immersive exhibition
The touring exhibition is currently on show at the Natural History Museum of Utah. It explores Goodall’s story from her early ambition to learn about animals in Africa, to her time as a renowned scientist in Gome, Tanzania, to her current role as an activist, mentor, and champion for a better world for all species on Earth.
Goodall is renowned for her innovative approach to studying animal behaviour and travelled to the area now known as the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
The world was fascinated by her research into chimpanzee life in the wild. She learned to understand the animals as unique individuals with personalities and emotions rather than just as subjects. This approach is now regarded as innovative, even though the scientific community previously opposed this idea.
Her tale, which is one of unwavering resolve, curiosity, the quest for knowledge, and an intense love of the natural world, has connected with people of all ages.
The exhibition features:
- A multiscreen experience that introduces visitors to Goodall’s work while also providing unexpected interactions with virtually rendered chimpanzees.
- A recreation of Goodall’s research tent where visitors can imagine themselves as scientists scribbling down notes in their field journal.
- A hologram-like projection of Goodall recalling her thoughts, feelings, experiences, and lessons acquired while living with chimpanzees in Gombe.
- An immersive projection of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.
- Interactive augmented reality (AR) activities, such as the opportunity for visitors to test their ability to match a chimpanzee’s pant-hoot vocalisation.
- Updates on the present situation of Gombe Stream National Park and the African chimpanzee range, as well as the work of the forward-thinking scientists and conservationists who are following in Goodall’s footsteps.
- An appeal from Goodall for visitors to join her, the Jane Goodall Institute, and National Geographic in their endeavour to guarantee a future that is more sustainable for all of us.
- A pledge station where guests can share the steps they want to take to support Goodall in her work.
Anthony Luckett, Vice President of Business Development at the National Geographic, says: “Jane Goodall has been inspiring National Geographic audiences, young and old, for over half a century. This exhibition allows us to experience her amazing life story in a highly personal and powerful way. Through immersive media, authentic scenic and interactives, this exhibition takes visitors into the field and around the world with Jane, walking in her shoes and experiencing her powerful message of hope firsthand.”
Jane Goodall’s first article was published in 1963 and a second article was featured on the December 1965 cover of National Geographic magazine. Learn more about the life and legacy of Jane Goodall at “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” an exhibition organized by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute.
Power of storytelling
The TREX Traveling Exhibition Award Winners were announced at the Traveling Exhibits Forum, which took place during the ASTC 2023 Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina from 7 to 10 October. Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr Jane Goodall was awarded the Best Wow Moment in an exhibition award, in a process which was both nominated and selected by peers.
Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO, National Geographic Society, says: “By visiting Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall, you are opening a window into the story of Jane Goodall throughout her life: moments from her childhood, anecdotes from her mother Vanne, her journey to Gombe to study chimpanzees, and her evolution as a scientist, conservationist, mother, educator, and leading voice in the effort to save species and our planet.
“The powerful storytelling at the heart of the exhibition speaks to a core pillar of the National Geographic Society’s mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. We do that, in part, by supporting extraordinary changemakers like Jane and providing platforms to elevate their work.
“From the beginning of this project, the goal was to enable others to know Jane and how we at National Geographic have known her for so long. The Society first partnered with Jane in the 1960s, funding her early work in Gombe. More than 60 years later, we are immensely proud to consider her one of the most accomplished change-agents in the National Geographic community, not only for her passion, tenacity, and scientific achievements but for the millions—perhaps billions—of people she has touched and inspired along the way.”
Top image kind courtesy of Michael Nichols, National Geographic.
Jane Goodall, 35 years after her original observations, finding great joy in watching the Gombe chimpanzees. Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Learn more about Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking behavioral research at Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall, an exhibition organized by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute.
