Here we go again. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the California Science Center, an organization affiliated with the Smithsonian, is facing a lawsuit from a group called the American Freedom Alliance. The group planned to rent the Center's IMAX theater in order to show a movie called "Darwin's Dilemma," which attacks the theory of evolution and promotes intelligent design. When the anti-evolution, pro-ID Discovery Institute stepped in, the Center used a clause in the contract to cancel the showing, attracting suits from both groups.

The AFA's vision statement says that it "aims to build a national alliance of people of faith," and the group apparently decided to use the public controversy over evolution as a way to do that. The film it chose features several Discovery Institute fellows, and was produced by a company that lists the DI as a "research link," along with an organization, the Access Research Network, that has Discovery fellows on its board.

Discovery has a bit of a history of conflict with science museums. In the past, it's rented space for one of its films at the Smithsonian itself, presumably in order to lend itself a veneer of scientific reputability. The Smithsonian, for its part, was widely criticized for its decision to play host to a group that promotes anti-science agitation. History seemed to be repeating itself, as the DI issued a press release in which it proudly announced that an "intelligent design documentary" would be premiered at "the Smithsonian Institution's west coast affiliate," and that the event would feature one of its fellows.

Unfortunately, the contract to show the film was contingent on the California Science Center approving all promotional materials. It hadn't seen the press release in advance, so it cancelled the show. The AFA is now seeking punitive damages and compensation for lost revenues, while the DI is trying to get all the documents involved with the decision to cancel.