Smithsonian attraction set to open this weekend in Rochester

The Smithsonian exhibition "Genome: Unlocking Life's Code" opens this weekend at the Rochester Art Center.

The exhibition, which first debuted at the National Museum of Natural History, uses interactive displays, animations and 3-D models to explore how breakthroughs in genomics are influencing people's daily lives and the impact they are having on science, medicine and nature. 

Dr. Timothy, education program director at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, which is sponsoring the exhibition, said the goal is to offer an engaging, interactive and educational experience that demonstrates the importance of genomics research.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project — considered to be one of the most significant scientific achievements in modern history.

“As the presenting sponsor for this exhibit, we have the opportunity and honor to highlight how what we have learned from genomics research is being used to improve our health and help us understand more about ourselves and the world we live in," said Dr. Curry.

[We spoke at length to Dr. Curry in 2017 for a five-part special report on how individualized medicine is revolutionizing health care.]

To complement the Smithsonian exhibition, the Rochester Art Center is curating a series of locally-produced exhibits that fuse art and science to examine the importance of the genome in contemporary society. Artists participating include Eric Anderson, Shah Noor Shafqa and Zoe Cinel.

An opening reception will be held Friday at 6 p.m. 

Additional programming opportunities, including free family days and weekly Wednesday night talks with scientists and artists, are scheduled throughout the exhibition's two-month stay in Rochester.

You can learn more about the exhibition here.

Cover photo courtesy Science North