Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian

Replica of "Neanderthal and Child," part of the traveling show.

WYCKOFF The Wyckoff Public Library has been selected to host a special month-long exhibit and lecture series on human evolution organized by the Smithsonian and American Library Association.

The traveling exhibit, "Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?," begins a two-year tour this month to 19 libraries nationwide and is scheduled to stop Oct. 16 to Nov. 12, 2016, in the township.

"We are the only library in New Jersey and in the New York metropolitan area to host this engaging exhibit," said Mary Witherell, library director. "The next closest location is Norwich, Conn., 143 miles from Wyckoff."

"Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?" will highlight key milestones in the journey of human evolution and explain how humans developed over time, from walking upright and the earliest known technologies to, brain enlargement, symbolic language development, the origin of agriculture and the creation of complex societies.

The exhibition will feature replicas and images of specimens from the "David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins" that opened in 2010 at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

In November, Witherell applied to host the1,200-square-foot exhibition, which that includes more than 40 educational panels, interactive kiosks, hands-on displays, videos, 3-D skull casts and presentations on groundbreaking research in the scientific study of human origins.

Applications were reviewed by peer public librarians and representatives from the National Museum of Natural History and ALAs Public Programs Office.

"I believe the strength of our application was based on our past performance of hosting the 2012 Big Read (Edgar Allan Poe) which included 53 specific programs," said Witherell.

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Wyckoff library is 'Human Origins' whistlestop