New exhibition galleries for the Long Night of Museums at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin

During the Long Night of Museums on Saturday 29 August, visitors to the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin will, for the first time, be granted access to the new ‘Mammal Skulls’ and ‘Deer and Horned Animals’ galleries, which until now have been reserved exclusively for researchers. The guided tours are a highlight of the evening programme and also mark an important milestone in the museum’s evolution.

The two public collections, which were created using funds from the Future Plan, exemplify the museum’s transformation. Not only do they make unique scientific collections accessible, but they also open up new perspectives on their history and therefore deliberately adopt a multi-perspective approach.

The media displays in both galleries were developed through an international co-curation process involving nine co-curators from Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Togo, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia and Egypt. In collaboration with the museum’s natural science and humanities working groups, scientific findings were brought together with local knowledge systems, cultural experiences and historical perspectives. 

The new galleries thus exemplify how natural history collections can today be made accessible to a broad public through international collaboration, in a dialogue-oriented and responsible manner. 

The museum’s responsibility in dealing with colonial collections is also reflected in the publication ‘Dealing with Colonial Natural History Objects: Recommendations, Research, Reflections’, which appeared this year. Produced as part of a multi-year research project by the museum, it invites international exchange and collaborative learning across scientific disciplines.

„Natural history collections are far more than archives of biological diversity – they are repositories of knowledge about the relationships between humans and nature, and at the same time bear witness to their era. With the opening of the new galleries, we are highlighting where research takes place and inviting visitors to critically examine the history of these objects, which is also part of our own history,“ says Prof. Johannes Vogel, Director General of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.

Research Collection: Deer and Horned Animals

The research collection, comprising around 8,500 sets of antlers and horns, documents the diversity of cervids and other horned animals, whilst also demonstrating how historical collections remain an indispensable foundation for biodiversity research to this day. At the same time, the new gallery highlights the influence that colonial collecting practices and political power structures had on the formation of these collections and invites visitors to critically examine the provenance and history of the objects.

Research Collection: Mammal Skulls

With around 150,000 objects, including 66,500 skulls, the museum’s mammal collection ranks among the most significant in the world. Many specimens originate from the African continent and were brought to Berlin around 1900 via colonial networks. Selected objects have been reinterpreted in collaboration with experts from the countries of origin. Using skulls – including those of elephants, lions, manatees, duikers and jackals – their cultural and spiritual significance is revealed, as are the routes the specimens took to Europe. In this way, colonial interconnections are addressed, as are new decolonial perspectives on natural history collections.

Guided tour dates: New Galleries

The new galleries can only be visited as part of a guided tour. These tours will begin during the Long Night of Museums on 29 August. Visitors can collect tickets for the guided tours free of charge at the information desk in the Dinosaur Hall, whilst stocks last. The number of participants is limited. A valid Long Night ticket is required.

Further guided tour dates, which can be booked via the museum’s website, are:

Wed 2 Sept, 23 Sept, 30 Sept, all at 6.00 pm 

Wed 14 Oct and Thu 29 Oct, 6.00 pm each day 

Wed 11 Nov and 18 Nov, 6.00 pm 

Further programme highlights for the Long Night of Museums

In addition to guided tours of the research collection, visitors can look forward to a varied programme during the Long Night of Museums. Researchers will provide insights into current research projects, guided tours will open up new perspectives, and visitors can get hands-on at interactive stations. Beneath the Giraffatitan skeleton, the museum also invites you to enjoy a summer’s evening with cocktails and conversation.

Tickets for the Long Night of Museums can be purchased via this website.