In collaboration with the fine artist Markus Zimmermann, the curatorial team has developed a flexible exhibition module. Exhibition view.
Exhibition Expansion
Meet the Reef!
A new exhibition module in the Coral Reef
The rich species diversity and fascination of a tropical coral reef is on display in the permanent exhibition “Coral Reef” at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt. Here, visitors can “immerse” themselves in the reef habitat and experience this ecosystem in various ways in the exhibition space. Newly added is the temporary exhibition expansion “Meet the Reef!”: different perspectives from society, art, and science explore the value of coral reefs, their protection, and the threats they face.
Discover different perspectives through co-curation
Working together with the Senckenberg Youth Council, artists, and scientists, “Meet the Reef!” develops richly faceted, new, and unknown perspectives on the ecosystem of the coral reef. Pivotal to this approach of co-creation is the “Transformer”, a display module by the artist Markus Zimmermann that enables the museum team to respond quickly and creatively to questions concerning reefs. In the coming months visitors will be able to explore for themselves what this transformable module looks like, how it changes and evolves; the exhibition project runs until July 2024 and is part of the “Temporary Permanence” research project run by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
In collaboration with the fine artist Markus Zimmermann, the curatorial team is developing a flexible exhibition module. Installation in the coral reef room.
Intern Cynthia Julca from the Leibniz Next Generation program prepares markers for the HandsOn-HandsOff reef in the Coral Reef.
Perspective Society (December 2, 2022 to May 21, 2023)
For the first exhibition perspective (society), the curator team has worked with the Senckenberg Youth Council, various national and international NGOs (non-government organizations), and other relevant actors on different specific issues. Besides the fact check about coral reefs, there is also a station where questions on the reef ecosystem can be asked. The questions are answered by researchers at the scientific project partner, the Leibniz Center for Marine Tropical Research (ZMT) and shown in the exhibition.
Young people from Rarotonga, one of the Cook Islands, talk about their connection to the ocean. They are involved in the “Kōrero O Te `Ōrau” initiative and highlight how we in Frankfurt can support locals in protecting the reef.
In this video, scientists from the Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) answer questions about reefs posed by visitors to the exhibition. (Status 2023)
Exhibition view on the Media Station (in the back) and “Transformer” in the Coral Reef, with contributions from the Senckenberg Youth Council and Cynthia Julca et al.
Artist Markus Zimmermann demonstrates the functions of the exhibition architecture of the “Transformer” using the original model.
Perspective Fine Arts (June 2, 2023 to January 15, 2024)
For the second perspective in “Meet the Reef!” the artists Linda Weiß and Nina M.W. Queissner have been invited to develop an artistic installation combining sound and sculpture.
Their installation “Looking for Medusa” takes the visitors on a journey across past, present, and future mythologies. Its starting point is in antiquity: Based on Ovid’s narrative about the origin of coral, the installation explores possible relations between different ecosystems and mythologies, or understandings of how we humans locate ourselves holistically in the world and the cosmos. By imagining an experimental habitat for speculative coral creatures the artists are asking how corals might be able to exist in future times. The visitors are invited to explore the working process of artistic research and are encouraged to engage with their own stories and questions.
Curated by Lisa Voigt (Senckenberg) and Ellen Wagner
Perspective Research (February 2, 2024 to July 11, 2024)
This perspective also focused on the threat to and protection of the fragile ecosystem. Together with scientists from the Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT, Bremen), the museum team developed an exhibition concept that shows different areas of everyday research work. From the desk to the research aquarium to a dive to the reefs of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, experts provide an insight into their day-to-day work. What do we know about the state of coral reefs worldwide and what does this mean for the future of corals?
Until July 2024, the exhibition invited visitors to discover approaches and methods such as modeling, ecological and social science field research and the use of the latest technologies. In addition to the latest scientific findings, the researchers also shared what is important to them personally regarding the threat situation and the protection of the reefs. After the perspectives “Society” and “Art”, “Research” was the third and final format in the series.
Curated by Lisa Voigt (Senckenberg), Christina Höfling (Senckenberg), Dr. Sebastian Ferse (ZMT), Annette Breckwoldt (ZMT)
This temporary video station shows experimental research on corals in seawater aquariums.
At the mobile information station, curator Christina Höfling informs visitors about the threat to corals caused by the high water temperatures in the South Pacific.
Models and wet specimens of sea cucumbers are displayed in the light box. Sea cucumbers are important for a healthy reef because they filter the sandy bottom.
In this video, scientists from the University of Giessen give an insight into their research: they simulate the impact of rising temperatures and microplastics on corals in the Ocean2100 aquarium. Production: Holger Priedemuth, Speaker: Prof. Dr. Maren Ziegler, María Antonieta López, Year: 2023
Project Publication
A publication summarizes the results of the project – please contact us if you would like to receive a free copy or would like to discuss the topics of the project with us. We look forward to hearing from you at tempe@senckenberg.de.
Temporary Permanence: an exhibition project from 3 perspectives
Background
Innovative and flexible presentation of current topics in a permanent exhibition
As a research museum, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum is continuously working on new exhibition and presentation formats in order to strengthen the dialogue and exchange with its visitors. This makes it possible to incorporate the visitors’ interests into the exhibitions through innovative and flexible presentation formats. The approach of “research-based curation” is being studied and further developed here as part of the BMBF research project “Temporary Permanence” together with the German Institute for Adult Education – Leibniz Center for Lifelong Learning (DIE) in Bonn and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen. With this approach, the museum team takes on the curatorial challenges of responding to current issues by making short-term adjustments to permanent exhibitions, incorporating the perspective of society, and reflecting on their own working methods. The making of an exhibition thus becomes an experiment in itself, outside of familiar and discipline-defined working methods and processes. The museum’s self-image as an institution receives new impulses and forms the basis for the central question – what a research museum could look like in the future. Research projects such as this one therefore also constitute an integral part of the remodeling process of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum.
The project “Temporary Permanence” is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and runs until December 2024.
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 are cooperating institutions.
Please also note the temporary closures in the museum when planning your visit.
Admission fees
Regular Tickets
Adults (from 18 years)
12,00 €
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Children and teenagers (aged 6 - 17), conscripts, civilian servants, school aged and students with student ID
6,00 €
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8,00 €
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6,00 €
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3,00 €
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1,00 €
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0,50 €
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Groups numbering 20 or more (price per person) from 18 years
10,00 €
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One chaperon free per booked tour
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3,00 €
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5,00 €
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5,00 €
Children, school aged, teenagers from 6 years
4,50 €
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3,00 €
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Family: 2 Adults and up to 3 children between 6 and 17 years
30,00 €
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18,00 €
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2 adults and all children under the age of 18
27,00 €
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On Wednesdays effective from 5pm, visitors from 18 years
6,00 €
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Annual Season Ticket 6 - 14 years old and disabled from 50 GdB
50,00 €
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110,00 €
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Chaperons of disabled (from 50% on), in case support is essential for the visit of the museum
Children under the age of 6
Disabled children from 50%
ICOM members
One accompanying person per guided tour (only kindergarten, school classes and associations)
Press members with press card
Members of the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research on show of their membership card
Trainees of Frankfurt City Council with confirmation
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