In Chapter 3, "Taxonomic Intoxication, Part I: Visualizing the Invisible," Asma departs a bit from his description of preparation techniques, and instead discusses the history of scientific naming and classification of living things. He continues this discussion in Chapter 4, "Taxonomic Intoxication, Part II: In Search of the Engine Room." Asma introduces the reader to some of the prominent naturalists who contributed to the study of taxonomy and their hypotheses.
In Chapter 5, "Exhibiting Evolution: Diversity, Order, and the Construction of Nature," Asma discusses some of the difficulties in providing information about the workings of the concept evolution in a manner which is simultaneously understandable to museum visitors and entertaining enough to keep visitors interested. In Chapter 6, "Evolution and the Roulette Wheel: A Chance Cosmos Rattles Some Bones," Asma discusses how the portrayal of evolution and natural selection in different American museums can sometimes ruffle the feathers of visitors who do not believe in evolution. Asma notes that this difficulty does not seem to be a problem in European museums, where visitors seem to be more willing to separate their religious views and their belief in evolution.
In the final chapter, "Drama in the Diorama: The Confederation of Art and Science," Asma continues with a theme he has followed throughout the book: the role of "edutainment" in a modern natural history museum. Early scientists and museum curators felt that museums should be dry, serious places where there was little to distract the visitor from the serious importance of learning. Today, museums of all sorts must compete for funding and use the promise of entertainment, as well as education to lure in visitors. The cost of keeping large museums open causes museums to operate almost like theme parks or shopping malls in order to encourage patrons to part with their cash. (In Chapter 1, Asma even mentions the use of the "nag factor" by toy manufacturers and museums alike as a way to use small, nagging children to drag their parents or grandparents to museums, shopping malls, or fast food restaurants, where they can spend their money.) Asma discusses how the purchase of the skeleton of Sue the T. rex necessitated the teaming of the Chicago Field Museum with Walt Disney and McDonald's in order to pay the $8 million price tag.
