Darwin exhibition at Down House

Down House in Kent was Darwin's home for 40 years. It has been a museum since the 1920s Photograph: Felix Clay

Darwin's study at Down House. Much of the research and writing he did here was to change the course of history Photograph: Felix Clay

It was his observations of birds - notably the differences in finch populations in the Galapagos islands - that gave Darwin the scientific grounds for his theory of evolution Photograph: Felix Clay

Darwin developed an interest in collecting beetles during his days at Cambridge Photograph: Felix Clay

Carefully labelled packets of seeds from his voyages. Darwin carried out numerous experiments on seeds to investigate how they could be dispersed Photograph: Felix Clay

A barnacle preserved in spirit for more than 150 years since the days of Darwin's major research work before he settled down to write On The Origin of Species. Photograph: Felix Clay

From stamps to banknotes, images of Charles Darwin keep the man and his theories very much alive Photograph: Felix Clay

A replica of the Beagle on display at the Down House exhibition. The young naturalist Charles Darwin joined HMS Beagle on its second survey voyage, to South America, from 1831 to 1836. He had set sail originally to see the tropics before taking up a job as a parson. Photograph: Felix Clay

He kept copious notes of his travels, which were published as The Voyage of the Beagle in 1839 Photograph: Felix Clay

Full-sized replica of Darwin's cabin on The Beagle Photograph: Felix Clay

A statue of Darwin Photograph: Felix Clay

A family photo album in the drawing room of Down House Photograph: Felix Clay

When not walking, collecting, researching, theorising and writing, Darwin liked a game of backgammon during the voyage Photograph: Felix Clay

The drawing room at Down House. Photograph: Felix Clay

A first edition of one of his lesser-known works, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals Photograph: Felix Clay

A first edition of On the Origin of the Species, a book that turned conventional thinking and belief upside down and whose content still has repercussions 150 years after it was written Photograph: Felix Clay