DARWIN CELEBRATION ITINERARY

Day 1
Travel to London, England on an overnight intercontinental flight.

Day 2
Late morning arrival in London.

This afternoon, enjoy a panoramic city tour including Darwin historical sites and London tourist sites: The Admiralty Building - where Darwin first met Robert Fitzroy and was offered the position on the H.M.S. Beagle; The Royal Society - oldest society for the sciences that was founded in 1660 and currently awards many medals including the Darwin Medal for work in broad areas of biology; Athenaeum Club - a club that Darwin was a proud member; Leicester Square - where Darwin introduced his zoological specimens from the Beagle Voyage; Geological Society of London - location of Darwin’s academic debut with an impressive paper on Chile.

Check into Ibis Earls Court, located in the city center, for a 3-night stay. Enjoy a welcome reception this evening.

Day 3
Enjoy a morning continental breakfast lecture in the hotel before starting out on a full day Charles Darwin Tour visiting the following venues: Downe House - join a group of Ohio State students and journey to Darwin’s country home, an inspiration for his ideas, located 16 miles from London’s city center.

Enjoy lunch at a local pub before traveling back to London.

This evening enjoy "Movie Night" at the hotel, featuring a Darwin-related film.

Day 4
Enjoy a morning continental breakfast lecture in the hotel.

Start the day out on another Charles Darwin City Tour visiting the following venues: Brown’s hotel - site of elite dining club that consisted of nine key supporters of Darwin’s Origin; The Royal Institution - a scientific charity, founded in 1799. Huxley delivered a lecture in 1858 concluding the anatomical similarities between baboon, gorilla and man; Great Marlborough Street - home of Ras Darwin’s house, where Charles frequently visited; Upper Gower Street - Darwin’s London residence; The Royal College of Surgeons - where Darwin brought his fossil specimens from the Beagle; The Freemason’s Arms - Darwin attended the annual meeting of the Philoperisteron Society for pigeon fancers and later became a member.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Day 5
Enjoy a continental breakfast in the hotel before checking out.

Explore a special Darwin exhibit at the Natural History Museum, where you can discover the man and his revolutionary theories.

Transfer to the Chunnel Station.

Travel through the Chunnel in 2nd Class reserved seating on Eurostar, from London St. Pancras to Paris Nord.

Upon arrival into Paris check into the Meridien Montparnasse, located in the heart of the Left Bank.

Enjoy a free evening in Paris.

Day 6
Continental breakfast this morning before a full-day tour of the following venues: The Natural History Museum - founded in 1793, it is a government institution with missions to develop research, collections, expertise and education in the fields of natural history and human sciences; Jardin Des Plantes (The Garden of the Plants) - the main botanical gardens of France located within the Natural History Museum; Grande Galerie De L’evolution - The Grand Gallery of Evolution was built in 1899 and restored in 1994. The permanent exhibit is concerned with the evolution of Life, the diversity of the living world and the evolution of living organisms in the history of Earth and Man; Musee De L’homme (The Museum of Man) - is one of the world's most important museums devoted to anthropology, ethnology, and prehistory.

Balance of day at leisure.

Day 7
Continental breakfast this morning before a half-day city tour of Paris visiting: Musee Du Quai Branly - museum that features indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas; Museum of Paleontology - the group will have an outside visit of the museum, which features fossils and modern organisms representing prokaryotes to vertebrates collected from all continents.

Afternoon at leisure.

Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 8
After a continental breakfast check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for return flights home. Arrive in the U.S. this evening.