Special exhibition

Rock Fossils on Tour

The Museums Rocks!

9. April until 30. October 2022


From 9 April until 30 October  2022, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum presents the exhibition “Rock Fossils on Tour”

Fossils may be ancient, but they are neither dusty nor boring – they rock! Paleontologists do not just study fossilized creatures; some of them are also big fans of rock music. To honor their idols, fossil researchers sometimes name scientific discoveries after bands or musicians. Scientifically and didactically exciting, the exhibition “Rock Fossils” presents realistic models of fossils named after the “Who’s Who” of the music world: Sid Vicious, “Lemmy” Kilmister, Mick Jagger, King Diamond, Cannibal Corpse, and many others. The often bizarre exhibits range from finely crafted lifelike models to an oversized two-meter fossil couch made of leather. At listening stations, visitors can tune in to the sound of the rock stars. “Rock Fossils on Tour” offers a journey through evolution accompanied by the hard riffs of rock music. Let‘s rock!

Learn more

The Rock Fossils Team: 10 Tons, Rune Fjord Studio, Jesper Milán, Geomuseum Faxe, Mats E. Eriksson, and Achim Reisdorf. We thank the Natural History Museum in Berne, the Fossil Museum in Dotternhausen, and the National Museum for Natural History in Luxembourg for their contributions.

Two exhibits

©
10 Tons
The fossil annelid Kingnites diamondi was first described on the basis of fossilized jaw fragments; it was named in honor of the Danish musician King Diamond.
©
10 Tons
Kalloprion kilmisteri, a fossil annelid, was named after the British musician Lemmy Kilmister.

The Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Senckenberg Nature Society), a member institution of the Leibniz Association, has studied the “Earth System” on a global scale for over 200 years – in the past, in the present, and with predictions for the future. We conduct integrative “geobiodiversity research” with the goal of understanding nature with its infinite diversity, so we can preserve it for future generations and use it in a sustainable fashion. In addition, Senckenberg presents its research results in a variety of ways, first and foremost in its three natural history museums in Frankfurt, Görlitz, and Dresden. The Senckenberg natural history museums are places of learning and wonder and serve as open platforms for a democratic dialog – inclusive, participative, and international.