Celebrate Women's History Month with the Museum
CLEVELAND—March 5, 2024—On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, researcher, scholar, and New York Times-bestselling author Dr. Cat Bohannon will take the stage at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Murch Auditorium for a special discussion of her book, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution.
In this presentation, Dr. Bohannon will discuss how modern medicine, neurobiology, evolutionary biology, and feminism are all undermined when research focuses primarily on the male body. She’ll invite attendees to reconsider traditional perspectives on womanhood and embrace a more nuanced understanding of female physiology and evolution. Together, we’ll discover why moving past the framework of the male norm in science, research, and business yields enormous benefits not just for women, but for us all.
Dr. Bohannon’s writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Science, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, Lapham’s Quarterly, The Georgia Review, and on The Story Collider. Her first book, Eve, was published in 2023. Dr. Bohannon completed her Ph.D. in 2022 at Columbia University, where she studied the evolution of narrative and cognition.
“We’re honored to welcome Dr. Bohannon to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, especially as we celebrate Women’s History Month this March,” says Sonia Winner, the Museum’s President & CEO. “By bringing awareness to the importance of equality in science, medicine, and research, this lecture ties directly to the Museum’s mission as we work to foster a healthy future for all.”
On Wednesday, March 20, doors open at 5:30pm and the lecture starts at 6:30pm. Following the lecture, Dr. Bohannon will be available for a book signing beginning at 7:30pm. During this event, drinks will be available at a cash bar, and dinner specials can be purchased in the Museum’s Origins Café. Copies of Eve will be available for purchase in the Museum Store.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Transformation Project
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s $150 million transformation project is an unprecedented reinvention that will align the Museum’s architecture with its mission of instilling a passion for nature and science in all learners. The Transforming the World of Discovery campaign has raised $140 million for this project, which will expand the Museum's building to more than 375,000 square feet and its outdoor visitor areas to more than 2 acres. The transformation project aims to broaden community access and help all stakeholders understand their connection with the natural world and the relevance of science to their daily lives.
The latest milestone in this project was the opening in October 2023 of a welcoming new Visitor Hall, a free community space that showcases eight of the Museum’s most iconic objects and specimens. This dramatic, 14,650-square-foot gallery features ceilings that soar to 21 feet and stunning new exhibits placed along the Douglas McCreery and Dr. Laurie McCreery Timeline of the Earth, which marks key events in the history of the Universe.
Slated for completion in late 2024, the Museum’s transformation encompasses a complete reimagining of the Museum campus and all its exhibits. Pioneering a new model for natural history museums, the redesigned exhibits will highlight the Museum’s world-class assets while reflecting its role as a trusted community resource. The Museum appreciates the generous support from community members, corporations, foundations, and government grants that has helped to make this transformation a reality.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History illuminates the world around us and inspires visitors to engage with the natural forces that shape their lives. Since its founding in 1920, the Museum has pioneered scientific research to advance knowledge across diverse fields of study and used its outstanding collections, which encompass more than 5 million artifacts and specimens, to deepen the public’s understanding of the dynamic connections between humans and nature. Through its Natural Areas Program, the Museum stewards more than 12,000 acres of protected ecosystems across northern Ohio. A community gathering place, educational center, and research institution, the Museum is a vital resource that serves Cleveland and the nation. For more information, visit CMNH.org.
Media Contact
Samantha Guenther
External Communications Manager
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
216.403.4557
sguenther@cmnh.org
