Mayborn Opens "One Health: Galápagos" Exhibit

One Health: Galápagos Opens at the Mayborn Museum

The Mayborn Museum is proud to announce the opening of One Health: Galápagos, a new exhibition that explores one of the most extraordinary environments on Earth and the complex relationships that shape its future. Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are known worldwide for their volcanic landscapes, iconic wildlife, and their role in inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Today, they remain a living laboratory where scientists study how people, animals, and ecosystems affect one another.

One Health: Galápagos introduces visitors to the islands’ unique biodiversity and the modern challenges facing the region. The exhibit explores how invasive species, pollution, water scarcity, and food security impact both wildlife and the 30,000 residents who call the islands home. Visitors will also learn how local communities, conservationists, and scientists are implementing innovative solutions to protect the islands for generations to come.

Baylor University’s One Health Study Abroad Program

A major feature of the exhibition highlights Baylor University’s One Health Study Abroad Program, a long-standing research partnership with Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Since 2019, Baylor students have traveled to the Galápagos to study public health, conservation, and ecotourism. Their work—encompassing nearly 4,000 in-country surveys and more than 11,000 surveys collected globally—reveals how residents and tourists perceive environmental risks, interact with wildlife, and experience challenges related to healthcare, food, and water access.

Student reflections woven throughout the exhibit offer personal insight into how this research shapes their understanding of global health and environmental stewardship. Their voices bring the One Health concept to life, emphasizing that the well-being of people, animals, and ecosystems is deeply interconnected.

One Health: Galápagos invites visitors to explore these connections and reflect on how individual choices can contribute to a healthier planet.

As part of the Mayborn Museum’s mission, the exhibition reflects the museum’s commitment to sharing Baylor University’s research with the Central Texas community. By connecting global scientific inquiry to local audiences, the Mayborn provides visitors with meaningful access to the discoveries happening on Baylor’s campus—expanding their understanding of the world while inspiring curiosity, stewardship, and lifelong learning.