Let’s Go See Lucy in Prague

What does it feel like to come face to face with one of our oldest ancestors?

Lucy in Prague CTK / Alamy

This autumn, Prague is home to something I never thought I’d see in Europe: Lucy, the 3.2-million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton that has done so much to shape our understanding of human origins.

She’s small, fragile, and arguably the most iconic ancestor we’ve ever unearthed. And she traveled all the way from Ethiopia to be on display. Standing before her feels like a worthy reason for a pilgrimage.

In one week, at the end of September, I’ll be traveling to the lovely Czech capital to see her in person — and I’d love to take you with me. I’m writing an article for Smithsonian Magazine, but here, I’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes reflections and musings. You can expect a short series of posts, including:

• background leading up to the trip

• impressions from the museum

• a reflection on what it means to meet an ancestor, face to face, so far from where she once walked across the African savannah

But first, I want to hear from you. What do you want to know about Lucy? About the exhibition? About what it feels like to stand in front of a three-million-year-old ancestor in a European capital? Reply to this email or drop me a comment, sending me your thoughts and questions — I’d love to carry them with me into the museum.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies…

I hope you’ll join me. And if you’d like to support my reporting on Lucy in Prague, you can buy me a coffee or send a one-time contribution here.

Thanks for coming along for the ride, friends.