New permanent exhibition: “Earth, folks! – The changing climate”

In visually stunning settings, transporting us from the present to prehistoric worlds, the exhibition “Earth, folks! – The changing climate” reveals a host of unfamiliar correlations. The exhibition highlights the value of fossils such as ammonites, starfish and dinosaur bones as evidence and testimonies of life. Thanks to the research conducted on these finds, we know, for example, that 300 million years ago, swampy forests covered the whole of Europe, providing material for vast coal deposits – the same fossil coal, in fact, whose combustion now releases huge amounts of CO2 and heats up our Earth. Or that 250 million years ago, the Earth’s atmosphere was poisoned by gigantic volcanic eruptions. Research on fossil remains teaches us lessons about current climate change.

The exhibition (scenography: Rappaport Szenographie Architektur GmbH) lets visitors experience the extent to which humanity and our existence are connected with the history of our planet. It stands for hope rather than powerlessness, and for celebrating the flourishing life on planet Earth rather than lamenting its loss. Unlike with the natural disasters that have always plagued our planet, we can act to combat anthropogenic global warming and preserve our habitat. There are numerous measures, innovations and visions with which we can counteract the climate crisis. In the exhibition space, visitors not only encounter flying power plants and plastic-eating beetles, but can also use their own strength to test what is needed to produce alternative energy at the exhibition's energy stations. Speaking of which, in future, around a third of NMBE’s electricity needs will be supplied by a solar installation, which will be erected on the museum roof in the coming weeks.

The exhibition is accompanied by participation projects, one of which follows a dozen people over a period of many years under the title “How does the climate affect me?”. The participants report on how they experience the consequences of global warming in video sequences. How do they feel about it and how have their attitudes, hopes and fears changed over the years? Visitors can listen for themselves on video panels in the center of the exhibition. A new episode will be added each year. Visitors can also vote on which sustainability projects the exhibition should support.

The museum warmly invites the public to a grand opening celebration on Sunday, October 26, 2025. The program includes guided tours, live exhibit preparation, a family trail, a sound walk with drummer Julian Sartorius, a climate slam poetry show, live tattooing and more! The exhibition itself is on view from October 24, 2025.

Media images (Credit NMBE/Nelly Rodriguez):