On February 12, 1994, on the same day and in the same city as the opening of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, four men broke into the National Gallery and stole its version of The Scream by Edvard Munch, leaving a note reading “Thanks for the poor security”. The presence of international media covering the games made the theft a sensation.

February 12 is also the birthday in 1809 of both Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln.  Darwin Day activities are promoted around the world by the Darwin Day Organization.