Menschen machen Museum

In the organizer's words:

This time we present our collections - and of course the people who work particularly intensively with them. We find out how new spider species are discovered and described, how sensitive mammal specimens are preserved for decades and how the digital recording of our objects helps to make knowledge accessible and researchable - today and in the future.

From July 14 to November 17, 2025, we will take a look into the treasure troves of the Museum der Natur Hamburg. Our permanent exhibitions only show a small part of the specimens that are safely stored here. In Hamburg alone, there are 14 different collections with different focuses - looked after by curators and technical staff who are constantly expanding them. In Hamburg alone, a total of 10 million objects are managed by our colleagues.

What diverse professions arise from looking after these collections, and what exactly do the researchers do with these specimens? What do the adventurous expeditions look like on which new material is collected? The new part of the exhibition not only provides exclusive insights, but also invites visitors to join in.

Our passion for collecting is contagious - and we want to know what our visitors collect. Everyone can get involved and enrich our post-it wall with ideas and impressions - and if you like, you can even bring your own collection and exhibit it. We also have an exhibition where you can document your own collection. Guided tours through the collections, which are otherwise not open to the public, provide a unique view of our collection treasures and offer space for questions and professional exchange with our experts.