From one crisis to the next: after a successful 18-month run, the special exhibition “Insect Decline – It’s Going to be All Right” closed its doors in May. Just six months later, the new permanent exhibition “Earth, folks! – The changing climate” opened in October 2025. This visually powerful exhibition not only invites visitors on a journey through geological eras, showcasing fossils from the museum’s own collection: above all, it also highlights how man-made climate change differs from past climatic disasters, where it started and what steps can be taken to counter it.
The museum took one such step itself, just in time for the opening: a solar power plant was installed on its roof, which will cover around a third of the museum’s electricity requirements in the future. The assembly work was also used as an opportunity to give the aging museum mascot a fresh coat of paint. Caruso, the golden elephant on the museum’s roof, has been replaced by a new model: the glittering gold figure now once again shines over the rooftops of Bern’s Kirchenfeldquartier district.
The exhibitions and varied program of events attracted 134,873 visitors last year (previous year: 141,420) – a good average for the museum. From December 26 to 30, 4,262 of them alone visited the Bar of Dead Animals, which traditionally marks the end of the year at the NMBE. In terms of research, too, there was plenty to report: international research teams used the museum’s renowned dog collection to advance their studies on the domestication of the wolf. Research groups – supported by the NMBE – described eight new species of Borneo guardian frogs and showed how the wheatear’s coloration gives it an evolutionary advantage. In addition, the NMBE’s World Spider Catalog celebrated its 25th birthday in 2025. This online catalog lists every known spider species in the world – around 53,500 of them, at present.
The museum as a place of learning for schools
The new annual program – like the new Caruso – is shining brightly, this time under the motto “All that glitters really is gold here”. Over the coming months, established formats will be taking place – and more besides. As part of the “Earth, folks!” exhibition, the climate café run by Psychologists for Future (Psy4F) will be making a guest appearance at the museum.
The museum’s offerings for schools are taking center stage this year: the extensive teaching materials have been entirely revised and refreshed. The NMBE has established itself as a place of extracurricular learning over the years and is keen to meet the increasing demand. Around 1,100 school classes visit the museum each year, whether on their own or for exhibition workshops. Teachers also receive ongoing training and guidance on how to use the teaching materials. All school offerings can be accessed online.
There are also big plans afoot for the Museumsquartier neighborhood, which includes the NMBE along with eleven other institutions. An urban planning study was launched in December and, over the coming months, will shed light on how the district can be developed further. The aim is to create a long-term vision for the Museumsquartier neighborhood as a cohesive cultural and urban space between the various museums.
