February 12 marks the 200th birthday of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin and scientists and organizations all over the world prepare special celebrations for the event. 2009 also marks 150 years since the release of his well-known On the Origins of Species, published in 1859.

The Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven, Conn., announced its Endless Forms exhibit, which will be opened between  Feb. 12 and May 3 and will explore the impact of Darwin’s work on visual arts.

The Renzo Piano-designed California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco will begin on Feb. 12 a series of lectures and events, planned over a period of several weeks, as the science museum is looking to properly celebrate the anniversary.

Harvard’s Museum of Natural History, in Cambridge, Mass., will be hosting lectures and family-friendly events between Feb. 12 and March 5. The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia has scheduled Surviving: The Body of Evidence (through May 3, 2009), which is a new exhibit discussing the impact of evolution on our lives.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation said that "We want to celebrate the human achievement of Darwin, who is one of the giants in human history, solving the riddle of `Where do we come from?"' as quoted by the DailyNews. She also added: "People talk about, `Praise the Lord,' but we think we should praise human achievement and who greater than Charles Darwin." The foundation prepared for the event by setting up billboards and bus signs.

There will be many such events and people intersted in learning more should check out the schedules of their local museums for additional details on the upcoming programs.