Trace the milestones of our species’ fascinating history in African Hall's Human Odyssey—and discover why the 7 billion people on Earth today are far more alike than you might think.

The human species' path hasn't been an easy one; in fact, Homo sapiens nearly went extinct some 70,000 – 90,000 years ago. Learn more about that close call—and the milestones that dot our species’ evolutionary history—while exploring the origins of humankind.

Examine the skull casts of three early hominid species, then watch as their faces appear, thanks to “Pepper’s Ghost” optical illusion technology. Compare the distinctive gaits of a chimpanzee, Australopithecus afarensis, and a modern human. Use touchscreen stations to trace our species’ migration from its African origins, then see how Academy research is helping us better understand our human journey.