Australian Museum's 1959 Evolutionary Displays: Invertebrate and Vertebrate Trees

The Australian Museum launched two significant educational displays in 1959: the Invertebrate Tree and Vertebrate Tree exhibits. These installations commemorated the centenary of Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' publication. The Invertebrate Tree, unveiled on July 31, 1959 by Board of Trustees President Wallace Wurth, featured 215 specimens including 55 paintings by illustrator Eileen Mayo and 43 models, displayed in plastic sheet boxes with 800 light globes. Measuring 32 feet long, it became popular for educational use. The complementary Vertebrate Tree, measuring 12 by 10 feet, utilized a steel frame with fibreglass and 60 fluorescent tubes, constructed by artist John Beeman and David Rae who trained in welding. These exhibits represented a shift toward modernized, design-focused museum displays.