Wallace / Lugo 2026
Actividades Wallace
Complete program · Sep 2026 – Jan 2027

Activities and
Didactic Material

A comprehensive scientific outreach program centered on the exhibition, open to the general public and featuring activities specifically designed for educational institutions.

The program of activities complements the main exhibition with guided tours, children's workshops, scientific lectures, cinema, and educational materials developed specifically for Galician educational centers. Participation in the activities will be free, subject to prior registration when so indicated.

6 Types of activities
5 Open lectures
Free Free admission

Guided School Tours

Bring your center
to the exhibition

Guided tour program for Galician schools. The guides—student volunteers from Campus Terra—will receive specialized training provided by the educational department of the National Museum of Natural Sciences (CSIC) and the exhibition curators.

5º e 6º EP 1º a 4º ESO 1º e 2º BAC
Request a guided tour
Visitas guiadas Wallace
MIHL · Lugo
September 17, 2026

Opening Ceremony

MIHL – Museo Interactivo da Historia de Lugo · Caixa Negra Public access from 19.50 h Free entry until full capacity
It is recommended to arrive early.
19.50 h
Public access to the Caixa Negra
Opening of doors for the opening ceremony.
20.00 h
Audiovisual projection
Screening of the audiovisual piece created for the immersive room of "Wallace and the Origin of Species."
20.10 h
Musical interlude
Brief musical approach to the 19th century by the mezzo-soprano Julia Portela Piñón.
20.15 h
Inauguration ceremony
Official opening of the exhibition «Wallace and the Origin of Species».
20.25 h
Opening lecture
«Alfred Russel Wallace and the Origin of Species» · By Borja Milá Valcárcel, curator of the exhibition and researcher of the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC).
21.15 h
approx.
End of the event
The exhibition can be visited at the MIHL from September 18, 2026, to January 31, 2027, during the museum's opening hours. It is recommended to check the MIHL's opening hours in advance.
Oct – Nov 2026

Film Forum Cycle

Casa do Saber · Lugo 19.30 h Free entry until full capacity

How has the theory of evolution influenced science, society, and our understanding of human nature? This series aims to explore some of the major questions surrounding evolution through the medium of film. Four movies from different eras and genres will serve as a starting point for reflecting on human evolution, the conflict between science and religion, the social reception of Darwin’s ideas, and the ethical implications of advances in genetics.

Each session will include the screening of the film and a subsequent colloquium moderated by specialists in genetics and evolution from the University of Santiago de Compostela.

20 Oct 2026 19.30 h
Quest for Fire
1981 · Jean-Jacques Annaud
Moderator: Álvaro Arana Díaz
Postdoctoral researcher funded by the Xunta de Galicia at the USC and a member of the ACUIGEN group. Specialist in molecular genetics, gene editing, and the use of zebrafish as an experimental model.
27 Oct 2026 19.30 h
Inherit the Wind
1960 · Stanley Kramer
Moderator: Laura Sánchez Piñón
Professor of Genetics and Professor Emeritus at the USC. Head of ZebraBioRes (ACUIGEN group), dedicated to the use of zebrafish as a model for biomedical, genetic, and biotechnological research.
10 Nov 2026 19.30 h
Creation
2009 · Jon Amiel
Moderator: Gonzalo Álvarez Jurado
Professor of Genetics ad honorem from the USC. Specialist in evolutionary and population genetics. Author of internationally recognized studies on inbreeding, the Habsburgs, and Charles Darwin's family.
17 Nov 2026 19.30 h
Gattaca
1997 · Andrew Niccol
Moderator: Paulino Martínez Portela
Professor of Genetics at the USC and coordinator of the ACUIGEN group. Lead researcher of the scientific outreach project «Wallace and the origin of species».
Sep 2026 – jan 2027

Cycle of Informative Conferences

MIHL · Salón de actos do Vello Cárcere · IES Lucus Augusti Open to the public · Free entry until full capacity

A series of five educational lectures in which renowned specialists will present diverse perspectives on evolution, natural selection, biodiversity, and the history of evolutionary thought. The audience will have the opportunity to delve into the figure and scientific legacy of Alfred Russel Wallace, his relationship with Charles Darwin, and some of the major themes that have shaped our understanding of evolution.

Admission is free until capacity is reached. It is recommended to check this page before attending, in case there are updates to the dates, times, or venues.
17 Sep 2026 20.30 h MIHL Auditorium
Alfred Russel Wallace and the origin of species
Borja Milá Valcárcel
CSIC Research Scientist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences. PhD from UCLA, specializing in evolutionary biology, phylogeography, and comparative genomics. Exhibition curator «Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913). Biogeography and evolution».
Wallace independently formulated the mechanism of natural selection. His work and Darwin's were presented jointly in 1858 at the Linnean Society of London. In addition to his contributions to the theory of evolution, Wallace is considered one of the founders of modern biogeography.
01 Oct 2026 20.00 h Vello Cárcere Auditorium
Darwin and Wallace: Two Anti-Parallel Lives
Juan Ramón Medina Precioso
PhD in Biology and Professor of Genetics. Former Rector of the University of Seville and the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, and first president of CRUE. Author of a biography of Alfred Russel Wallace and the first biography of Arabella B. Buckley.
The lecture will explore the common ground and profound differences between Darwin and Wallace—two naturalists who independently arrived at the theory of evolution but held very different positions regarding human nature, religion, or spiritualism.
21 Oct 2026 20.00 h Vello Cárcere Auditorium
Darwin's orchids and inbreeding
Gonzalo Álvarez Jurado
Full Professor ad honorem of Genetics at the USC. Specialist in evolutionary and population genetics. His work on inbreeding among the Habsburgs and in Charles Darwin's family represents a contribution of international significance.
After publishing The Origin of Species, Darwin extended his research to the study of orchid fertilization and the effects of self-fertilization and inbreeding—a fundamental precursor to understanding inbreeding depression.
12 Nov 2026 19.00 h IES Lucus Augusti Auditorium
Naturalists, nobles and fossils: the anteroom of natural selection
Marcos Andrés González González
Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the USC. Specialist in entomology and hydrobiology. Researcher in the biodiversity and conservation of caddisflies and other aquatic invertebrates.
Between the Systema Naturae of Linnaeus (1735) and The Origin of Species of Darwin (1859), a profound transformation of biological thought took place. The lecture will cover the contributions of Linnaeus, Buffon, Lamarck, and Cuvier, as well as the scientific context in which Wallace and Darwin formulated the theory of natural selection.
21 Jan 2027 20.00 h Vello Cárcere Auditorium
Sex and evolution
Paulino Martínez Portela
Professor of Genetics at the USC and coordinator of the ACUIGEN group. Lead researcher of the scientific outreach project. «Wallace and the origin of species».
Animals and plants exhibit various sex-determination systems, ranging from genetic mechanisms to systems conditioned by environmental factors. The lecture will address this diversity and its relationship to speciation and sexual selection, a concept developed by Darwin to explain the evolution of traits that increase reproductive success.
24 November 2026

International Symposium on Genomics, Epigenomics and Evolution

Meeting Room · Faculty of Veterinary · Campus Terra · USC 09:00 – 14:00 h Free admission · Limited capacity
English Spanish University and research community

This scientific symposium is aimed primarily at the university and research community — including undergraduate, master's and PhD students, academic staff and researchers — as well as anyone interested in genomics and epigenomics.

The symposium «From Naturalism to Genomes: The Record of Evolution» will bring together six internationally renowned specialists at Campus Terra to explore evolution in the light of the latest advances in genomics and epigenomics, covering topics such as the origin of new species, genomic regulation, adaptation in populations with low genetic diversity, and the potential transmission of epigenetic marks across generations.

09:00 – 09:45 h
Genome Expansions and Evolution
Prof. Dan Macqueen
Personal Chair of Integrative Fish Genomics at the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh. His research investigates fish genomes, evolution, physiology, genetics and pathogens, particularly in salmonids. He leads a large consortium project about the role of genome duplication in evolution across the tree of life.
09:45 – 10:30 h
Diversification and the Origin of Species
Dr. Borja Milá
CSIC research scientist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid. Specializes in evolutionary biology, ornithology, phylogeography, population genetics and comparative genomics. His research investigates how geographic isolation, natural selection and gene flow drive biodiversity and speciation, particularly in birds from islands and tropical regions.
10:30 – 11:15 h
Integrative Genomics of the Siphonophore Physalia utriculus
Dr. Ozren Bogdanovic
Tenured Scientist at CSIC and Principal Investigator at the Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Seville, where he leads the Developmental Epigenomics Laboratory. His work combines developmental biology, genomics and epigenetics using a broad range of vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms to investigate the function and evolution of genome regulation during embryogenesis.
11:15 – 11:45 h · Coffee break
11:45 – 12:30 h
Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance: The State of the Art
Dr. Francesc Piferrer
Senior Researcher and research group leader at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona. His work focuses on fish reproductive biology, sex determination, environmental and developmental epigenetics, and aquaculture. Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona.
12:30 – 13:15 h
Is Epigenomics Plan B for Populations with Low Genetic Diversity?
Dr. Sofia Consuegra
Distinguished Researcher (ATRAE) at the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, and Professor of Evolutionary Ecology at Swansea University. Her research focuses on evolutionary ecology, conservation genetics and genomics, fisheries and aquaculture, and aquatic invasive species.
13:15 – 14:00 h
Why Does Evolution Preserve Some Things and Change Others? From Wallace's Biogeography to the Conservation of Vertebrate Regulatory Landscapes
Dr. Noelia Díaz
Researcher and group leader at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona. Her research combines genomics, epigenetics and developmental biology to investigate how genome regulation shapes development, reproduction, adaptation and evolution, with particular expertise in three-dimensional genome organisation and chromatin structure in fish.
In preparation · Grupo RODA USC

Educational Material

Resources for educational centers

The RODA research group (GI-1667) is an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Santiago de Compostela specializing in education and educational innovation. Its activities focus on the development of scientific, linguistic, mathematical, and social competencies.

As part of this project, he/she collaborates on the design of the exhibition's educational proposals and resources.

Educational levels

Secondary Education
1º a 4º ESO · 12–16 years old
Upper Secondary Education
1º e 2º BAC · 16–18 years old
Children's Workshops
MIHL · 5–9 years old

MIHL · Lugo · 2026

Book your visit or contact us

For school group reservations, information about activities, or requests for educational materials, please contact our team.