February 2 - May 4, 2008
 

GENOME: The Secret of How Life Works explores the world of the human genome and genetic research.  Genes are the secret codes, or recipes that make us who we are and that influence who we might become.  

Topics in GENOME include: the mysteries of the human gene, why the genome is being mapped, potential benefits of gene research (i.e., preventing and curing diseases, living longer, solving crimes, producing better food and drugs), the 200-year history of this science and the individuals who have shaped it – from Gregor Mendel, the 19th-century monk who discovered the rules of inheritance by cultivating peas in a monastery garden, to Jim Watson and Francis Crick, who in the early 1950s discovered the form and process of genetic replication, the famous DNA double helix.

Exhibit stations include:





Genetic Detective Stories
Find out more about how genetics are used to solve crimes, like DNA testing.

DNA Detective
Try to match the DNA sample taken at a crime scene to suspects in a database to find the guilty person.

Flip the Switch
Each cell in your body has a specific job, so it only needs certain genes "switched" on.  Flip a switch to turn genes on and off and see what a difference protein cues make.




Cookie Factory
How similar is your body to a cookie factory?  You might be surprised when it comes to the production of proteins!  Find out more about how your body keeps you going.

Plug a Protein
Design therapies just like scientists do!  Use a computer to show what a diseased protein looks like and how enzymes interact with it.  Then, design new drugs to block that action.




What is DNA?
Twist a model DNA ladder into a double helix.  See the helix unwind and rewind itself!  Learn more about why the double helix is considered the perfect shape for DNA.


Global View
How does the human genome help pharmaceutical companies develop new treatments for diseases?  Find out more about how genetic research is changing the way these companies develop their products.


Heredity Slots
Pull the handle on the slot machine to see how genes work to determine what you look like.




Zip/Unzip
DNA ladders are an important part of the process that helps your body make new DNA.  The rungs are made of chemicals and the frame is made of sugar and phosphate.  Learn more about the helper proteins that allow DNA strands to replicate.






Special Delivery
Replace a virus' genes with new, healthy genes to deliver the new recipe to the patient's cells.


Proteomics
Learn about the newest frontier of genetic research: proteomics.  Scientists are going beyond the genome to map all of the proteins in our DNA.




Cell Explorer
Slide a video monitor over parts of a cell to find out what the cell parts are named and what they do.


Life's Loopy
Turn a crank to see how proteins help DNA and genes make new copies of themselves.


Cell, Cells and More Cells
Turn discs to see what cells from humans and other organisms look like.




Cells: Parts Make the Whole
Find out more about the relationships of atoms to molecules to organelles to cells to organ to body as you experiment with these "Russian dolls."


Mutations: A Recipe Change by Chance
A mutation is a change that happens during the copying of DNA. It's like changing an ingredient in a recipe. Many mutations have no effect because they occur on the parts of DNA with no genes; some even can be helpful.  Find out more about genetic mutations and what happens when they occur.


Genetic Time Traveling
What percent of DNA do humans share?  Why do we have differences?  Explore the history of the human population through DNA and discover how scientists determine the genetic age of families.




Find a Gene
Find out more about genetic testing and how it's done.  Be a genetic scientist and test for the presence of PKU!


Developing Drugs on the New Frontier
Explore the story of Gleevac, the first example of a drug designed by using a disease's genetic origins, and learn more about the race to develop a drug that blocks HIV's access to cells.


"GENOME" is made possible by Pfizer Inc and was produced by Evergreen Exhibitions in collaboration with the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research. 

http://genome.pfizer.com/


Group Reservations!
Looking to bring a group of 15 or more to The Health Museum?  Book your group tour with us and see GENOME as part of your trip.  Download our registration form and make your reservation today!

Ask a Scientist 
How do you sequence a genome?  What does our genome tell us about who we are?  How can genome sequencing help doctors prevent disease?  You can get your own questions answered by the teams of scientists who are competing for the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics by clicking here and sending it in!