The Institute believes that if we can better understand the nature of human diversity, it will become far easier for us to embrace what we all share in common and work together to promote a better future. Consequently the Institute is partnering with a number of projects that explore human migration and cultural developments that capture the story of our collective experience on earth — from the peopling of new lands to forming the foundations of social complexity.

The Genographic Project
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is involved in an ambitious global project whose goals are twofold: to capture a snapshot of human history locked within our DNA before it disappears forever, and to highlight the untold stories and uncertain future of indigenous peoples worldwide.

Egypt Research
AERA’s mission is to explore the origins of civilization in the archaeological record with an eye to understanding the cultural evolution of the human race. The Waitt Family Foundation and the Waitt Institute for Discovery are supporting the efforts of AERA’s cofounder, Mark Lehner, to uncover a city where the pyramid builders were thought to have lived. The site is yielding interesting answers to the question: who built the pyramids?

Gospel of Judas
National Geographic and noted scholars worked diligently to save the ancient manuscript before it turned to dust and was lost forever. For the first time in nearly 20 centuries, the text is finally revealed.

Dead Sea Scrolls
This exhibition featured a robust educational program including 22 lectures by world-class scholars and archaeologists, films, classes, and audio tours.

Journey to the Copper Age
The exhibition tells the story of the profound changes metallurgy brought to human society: the birth of Mediterranean farming, the creation of the first temples and cemeteries, and the emergence of complex societies.