“Evolution at Revolution” is a series of scientific discussions scheduled for Oct. 7, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9 at Revolution Brewing, 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave. The events feature drinks, food and scientific lectures on a variety of topics.

The event was conceived last spring when Revolution Brewing was approached by Kasey Mennie, adult learning experiences coordinator at the Field Museum, according to Stephanie Aksland, party captain at Revolution Brewing. 

“Her idea was to host a casual event where people can come together and participate [with] scientists discussing different aspects of evolution,” Aksland said.

Emily Graslie, chief curiosity correspondent at the Field Museum, hosts Evolution at Revolution, along with a bi-monthly educational video series, “The Brain Scoop.” Both strive to expand the public’s awareness of the Field Museum’s research activities, she said.

“The venue is large enough to host a sizeable group of people, but it’s not so large that participants can’t interact directly with the scientists and ask questions afterward,” Graslie said.

Graslie said she enjoyed Revolution Brewery’s upstairs space because it is large and open, with a second bar and technology for projections and presentations.

“When I was graduating college, I had this dreaded realization I was never going to learn again,” Graslie said. “I was never going to be in an environment as academically or culturally rich again, but I didn’t want to stop learning about the world we live in.”

In addition to Graslie hosting the event, Peter Makovicky, associate curator at the Field Museum, will be presenting a lecture Oct. 7 on prehistoric fossils found in the Antarctic region.

“It falls under the broad umbrella of what we call ‘adult education.’ We’re trying to get the message across to a different audience,” Makovicky said. “It’s about educating people about what we do at the museum, and it allows [us] to reach a different demographic than we usually do. Hopefully, we convince a few new people the museum is an interesting place to visit.”

But the Field Museum is not the sole beneficiary of the event, Aksland said.

“It’s mutually beneficial,” Aksland said. “We’re hoping to bring a new audience to experience our food and our beer, but at the same time, we’re hoping some of our regular customers end up at the Field Museum.”

The event has proven tremendously popular, especially at its first event of the fall season, Sept. 9, which nearly sold out, according to Aksland. Speaking about the strong draw of the event, Graslie said “You can’t go wrong with beer, food and good conversation.”

Makovicky echoed similar sentiments. “We try to make it fun because, obviously, people came out for beer and food. We try to make it interactive. There’s time for questions and answers, and we have specimens to display,” he said.

“Evolution at Revolution” occurs at Revolution Brewery, 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave., 6:30–8:30 p.m., Oct. 7, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. Visit www.fieldmuseum.org or www.revbrew.com for more information.