In its only West Coast appearance, "Einstein, the most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on the life and legacy of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), opens at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on September 14, 2004. Organized by the American Museum of Natural History, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Skirball Cultural Center, this unprecedented exhibition brings together original manuscripts and personal treasures alongside cutting-edge, interactive exhibits that animate Einstein's most revolutionary theories. The exhibition explores Einstein not only as a scientific genius who reconfigured our concepts of space and time, but as a complex individual, actively engaged in the social and political issues of his era. It examines the phenomenon of his fame and his enduring status as a global icon whose likeness has become virtually synonymous with genius.
For the Los Angeles presentation, the Skirball has undertaken a groundbreaking collaboration with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the J. Paul Getty Trust (the Getty) and the University of Southern California (USC) to support and lend broad context to the exhibition, illuminating from multiple perspectives the topic of Einstein as part of the international centennial celebration of Einstein's annus mirabilis--his "miracle year" of 1905--when, among other accomplishments, he formulated the Special Theory of Relativity, including the revolutionary E=mc2.
During the exhibition's nine-month run, the Skirball will present an ambitious mix of related public programs to explore themes of Einstein's life and science through dance, theater, film, lectures, continuing education courses, family activities, special school tours and related exhibitions. In addition, Caltech, on its own campus, will present the Einstein Centennial Lectures by distinguished speakers, including esteemed theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, on the lasting impact of Einstein's scientific theories. The Einstein Papers Project, housed at Caltech, will publish a new volume in its authoritative, ongoing book project "The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein." As part of the Getty Research Institute's 2004-2005 research theme "Duration," the Getty will present at the Skirball a contemporary art exhibition entitled "Time/Space, Gravity, and Light," which will complement the "Einstein" show. USC's Rossier School of Education has worked closely with staff educators at the Skirball to develop and introduce new K-12 science education curriculum materials. Also at USC, at the Annenberg Center for Communication, the award-winning Labyrinth Project has developed on an interactive DVD-ROM for installation in the "Einstein" exhibition, entitled "Three Winters in the Sun: Einstein in California." It probes Einstein's three visits to Pasadena in the early 1930s, during which he was appointed a visiting scientist at Caltech, collaborated with leading scientists of the day and interacted with notable cultural, religious and civic leaders in Southern California. It dramatizes the years 1931-1933 against the backdrop of world events, including the rise of Nazism in Europe. The DVD-ROM will later be packaged for sale with a companion booklet.
Skirball Cultural Center is dedicated to exploring the connections between 4,000 years of Jewish heritage and the vitality of American democratic ideals.