Tompkins County Public Library has announced plans for the opening weekend of "Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human," a traveling exhibit of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the American Library Association.

After-hours exhibit access and a first-look at "On Being Human," a complimentary, multi-media exhibit, will be available during Downtown Ithaca's Gallery Night, December 2 from 5 to 8 p.m..

"On Being Human" is curated by Terry Plater and features features the work of ten local artists: Plater, Ben Altman, William Benson, Jane Dennis, Gurdon Brewster, Mauro Marinelli, Lin Price, Sheryl Sinkow, Werner Sun and Robyn Wishna, who were asked to share, through their art, their personal views on what it means to be human.

Opening weekend continues December 3 with an 11 a.m. family-friendly presentation by Jennifer Muller, associate professor in Ithaca College's Department of Anthropology. Muller's talk will explore how evolution can explain human shapes, sizes and colors.

At 2 p.m., paleo artist John Gurche, artist-in-residence at the Museum of the Earth will share his work and discuss his process from concept to completion.

On Sunday, December 4, families will work with graphic designer and arts educator Wendy Kenigsberg to create cave paintings for display in the Youth Services Department's Thaler/Howell Programming Room. Families with young children are invited to a contribute to the "cave" at 1:30 p.m.. Older children and young adults will add to the paintings beginning at 3 p.m..

The final program of the weekend takes place December 4 at 2 p.m. when Ross Brann, Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow at Cornell University presents, "Embracing Science as a Sacred Obligation: What We Can Learn From Averroes and Maimonides, Two 12th Century Religious Intellectuals."

"Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?" is designed to provide--through community conversations and science programs—insight into scientific discoveries concerning human evolution and how these findings relate to and support personal and societal perspectives about who we are as a species.

Nearly 30 programs for families and adults, concluding with the Paleontological Research Institution's annual Darwin Days celebration, are planned through February 2017.

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