I've seen studies that show visitors find vertical time lines confusing.
Since this time line describes the evolution of horses, I would strongly recommend starting with the past and moving toward the present. Otherwise, you will show animals *losing* their adaptations and becoming *less* horse-like -- which is not only confusing, but opposite the way evolution works.
As for left vs. right, I agree with earlier postings: our culture has a very strong left-to-right bias, and we shouldn't work against our visitors' expectations. I would add the caveat: this applies if the time line is something the visitors can take in all at once. If it is on a single graphic panel, or if it stretches across a single case no more than 6 to 8 feet wide, then visitors will see the entire case or the entire panel as a "unit," and read the unit from left-to-right, regardless of how they approach it. However, if (as in the earlier seasonal example) the panel is longer than 8 to 10 feet, if it's too big for them to take in all at once but it's something they have to walk by and view in stages, then I would suggest arranging it in the direction of traffic.
If you have illustrations of the various species (and you really should -- a time line with nothing but Latin names isn't going to be very interesting), be sure the animals are facing toward the present, regardless of which direction that happens to be. Figures in profile move the eye in the direction they are facing, and, as noted, evolution only makes sense if you go from past to present.
-- Eugene Dillenburg
Exhibit Developer
Science Museum of Minnesota
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