Charles Dodgson, (a.k.a. Lewis Carroll) is said to have frequently visited the Oxford museum of natural science; the exhibit containing the remains of the now extinct Dodo bird (the most in tact remains known to exist today) could very well have provided inspiration for the character of the Dodo in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Does this explain why there is an Alice exhibit in the museum? How does the fantastical tale connect with science and learning?

The book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is full of strange, magical events which would make one think that the book and alice have no connection with science and a natural history museum. Her shrinking and growing has nothing to do with science as we know it. "It was much pleasanter at home," thought poor Alice, "when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits." (25) So why is Alice in this museum?

The answer is simple: Alice and the strange and wonderful world she explored are the seed the imagination of countless readers all over the globe, inspiring many to dream the impossible. The exhibit uses the inspirational nature of Alice and the tale to connect the audience back to the more realistic—yet far more fascinating—world of natural science. The exhibit links the impossible world with the real world by taking aspects and characters of the book and giving information on the real world creatures upon which they were based.

When looking at the novel from a real world perspective, the meaning of the book comes alive. We can connect wonderland with this world, and in doing so, both come alive in our minds. So the fantastic happenings in the book do have a place in a museum. “‘By-the-bye, what became of the baby?’ said the Cat. ‘I’d nearly forgotten to ask.’

‘It turned into a pig,’ Alice answered very quietly, just as if the Cat had come back in a natural way. ‘I thought it would,’ said the Cat, and vanished again.” (67)