Special Exhibitions

For the first exhibition theme (Society), the curatorial team developed the exhibition content in collaboration with the Senckenberg Youth Advisory Board, various national and international NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and other stakeholders. In addition to a fact-check section on coral reefs, there is also a station where visitors can ask questions about the reef ecosystem. These questions are answered by researchers from the scientific project partner, the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), and displayed in the exhibition.

Curated by Lisa Voigt (Senckenberg) and Christina Höfling (Senckenberg)

With contributions from: rrreefs, Reef Check e.V. und KŌRERO O TE `ŌRAU;  Senckenberg Jugendbeirat, Cynthia Julca (about Leibniz Programm Next Generation)  

Transformer Design: Markus Zimmermann
Graphic Design: Studio Kraus Lazos

For the second perspective (art), artists Linda Weiß and Nina M.W. Queissner are creating a spatial installation that combines sculpture and sound. “Looking for Medusa” invites viewers on a journey through time, exploring mythologies of the past, present, and future. It begins with the narrative of the ancient writer Ovid: drawing on his explanation of the origin of corals, the work weaves together connections between various ecosystems and cosmologies—that is, conceptions of how we humans situate ourselves holistically within the world and the cosmos. The installation creates an experimental habitat for speculative coral beings—that is, how corals might live in the future from the artists’ perspective. Viewers are invited to follow the process of artistic and material research and to contribute their own stories and questions.
 
Curated by  Lisa Voigt (Senckenberg) and Ellen Wagner
 
Featuring works by: Nina Queissner and Linda Weiß 

With heartfelt thanks to MeWa Store, Darmstadt

From this perspective as well, the focus was on the threats to and protection of this fragile ecosystem. In collaboration with scientists from the Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT, Bremen), the museum team developed an exhibition concept that showcases various aspects of everyday research work. From the desk to the research aquarium to a dive off the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, experts offer a glimpse into their daily work. What do we know about the state of coral reefs worldwide, and what does this mean for the future of corals?

The exhibition, which ran through July 2024, invited visitors to explore approaches and methods such as modeling, ecological and social science field research, and the use of cutting-edge technologies. In addition to presenting the latest scientific findings, the researchers also shared their personal perspectives on the threats facing the reefs and the importance of protecting them. Following the “Society” and “Art” perspectives, “Research” was the third and final installment in the series.

A publication summarizes the project’s findings—please feel free to contact us if you’d like to receive a free copy or discuss specific aspects with us. We look forward to hearing from you at tempe@senckenberg.de.

Innovative and flexible ways of presenting current topics in a permanent exhibition

As a research museum, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum is constantly developing new exhibition and educational formats to foster dialogue and interaction with visitors. This allows visitors’ interests to be incorporated into the exhibitions through innovative and flexible educational formats.

The approach of “research-based curating” is being explored and further developed here as part of the BMBF research project “Temporary Permanence,” in collaboration with the German Institute for Adult Education – Leibniz Center for Lifelong Learning (DIE) in Bonn and the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen. With this approach, the museum team addresses the curatorial challenges of being able to respond to current issues through short-term adjustments to permanent exhibitions, incorporating society’s perspective, and reflecting on its own working methods. The process of creating an exhibition thus becomes an experiment in itself, operating outside of familiar and discipline-bound working methods and procedures. This gives new impetus to the museum’s self-image as an institution and forms the basis for the central question of what a research museum might look like in the future. Research projects such as this are therefore also an integral part of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum’s renovation process.
 
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and will run until December 2024.
 
The collaborating institutions are the German Institute for Adult Education – Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning (DIE) in Bonn and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen.