Mission

T̶h̶e̶ ̶F̶i̶e̶l̶d̶ ̶M̶u̶s̶e̶u̶m̶ ̶Museum of The Mels fuels a journey of discovery a̶c̶r̶o̶s̶s̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶s̶o̶l̶u̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶ ̶within the newly discovered species, The Mels, for a b̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶u̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ richer i̶n̶ ̶n̶a̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶c̶u̶l̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶ understanding of how self-identity changes over time.  1

A little history.

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First, a Mel was born...

1985: billions of creatures born.
​2003: one person stands out.

Melissa-Louise-Keiser was born in Illinois on February 18th, 1985. Once born, she was like any normal human child. She remained unremarkable until 2003 when three events, happening almost at the same time, converged with an alarming insight: she could not exist. It was only then, after eighteen years of existence, that she became remarkable—in self-death, she self-evolved.
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She was the first of her kind ever discovered. The first creature capable of self-evolution. Without altering her physical body, Melissa-Louise-Keiser birthed a new self version, Mel(v.1). Melissa-Louise-Keiser died in this self-birth, but in so doing, she became the first member of a new species known as The Mels. A species capable of self-evolution.  

...then, a Museum was born.

Locating in different places at different times, Museum of The Mel opened for the first time to the public in 2018—but our story began years earlier.
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Our collection grew out of items preserved by the sixth Mel-version, Mel(v.6). These items, passed down to her by previous Mel-version, include writing, photographs, and personal items. From these items, our scientists are able to analyze who each Mel-version was, how she differed from the other Mel-versions, and what contributed to an identity change substantial enough to cause each of their deaths. Many of these items found a permanent home at the newly created Museum of The Mels.

Since opening the Museum in 2018, our collection has grown to artifacts, specimens, and models. The breadth of our mission has expanded, too. We continue to research the objects in our collections, as well as document previously unknown Mel-versions, conserve evidence of self-evolution in the current Mel-version, educate budding self-evolutionary biologists, invite cross-disciplinary conversation, and more—all to ensure that the ideas of self-evolution thrive for generations to come.

From plans to production.

Exhibitions at the Museum start as simple drawings. These lines guide everything from the fabrication of pedestals to the placement of atmospheric effects, creating an immersive environment for every museum visitor.

The next version in our evolution.

Just like Mel-versions in The Mels, the Museum is always evolving. Every day, our scientists and researchers are exploring The Mels, from moment to  moment to moment.
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We’re always working to discover new things: Mel-versions to study, data to analyze, liminal events to tackle, self-identifiers to ponder. Past, present, and future, our work has always been driven by a love for discrepancies in self-identity—and the people on our planet who feel they differ from moment to moment.

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