Exhibition opening: On the trail of the other Humboldt
7 May 2019
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
The exhibition organizers (from left): Matthias Glaubrecht, Humboldt expert, Lioba Thaut, Deputy Head of the Exhibition and Exhibition Management Department, and Humboldt expert and author Peter Korneffel.
When Humboldt embarked on his most important expedition to South America 220 years ago, he had no idea that he would be climbing snow-covered volcanoes of over 5,000 meters in plain street clothes. How this came about and what he discovered is on display in the exhibition "Humboldt Lives!" until September 29, 2019.
The exhibition traces Humboldt's great expedition, his plans, his measuring instruments, his observations. In view of Humboldt's graphic work and historical objects, we immerse ourselves in the animal and plant world of the tropics. We see the giant Andean condor, llamas in front of snow-capped volcanoes, electric eels and monkeys that Humboldt dealt with.
"Humboldt laid the foundation for our current understanding of the environment".
At the Museum of Nature Hamburg - Zoology, we follow the eminent naturalist to Hamburg, where he studied - and was mistakenly declared dead in the Stock Exchange on June 12, 1804. Yet he lives on today as a thought leader in ecology. Co-curator Prof. Dr. Matthias Glaubrecht: "By conceiving of nature as a cosmos in which everything from the tiniest to the largest is interconnected, Alexander von Humboldt laid the foundation for our current understanding of an interconnected environment."
More information on the exhibition and the accompanying program:
https://www.cenak.uni-hamburg.de/ausstellungen/museum-zoologie/humboldt-lebt.html
Bildergalerie
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
"My real, some purpose is to investigate the weaving together and interweaving of all natural forces, the influence of dead nature on animate animal and plant creation," Alexander von Humboldt declared in 1799.
Photo: UHH/CeNak, Gerisch
Gathered in front of the Andes installation, which was expanded to include the Alps in the exhibition: Literature professor Oliver Lubrich, author Peter Korneffel, Petra Schwarz, the director of the Loki Schmidt House, the head curator of the Herbarium Hamburgense Matthias Schultz, the scientific director of the Botanical Garden Carsten Schirarend and Matthias Glaubrecht (from left).
Photo: UHH/CeNak, Gerisch
Under the motto "Botany in Motion," Humboldt's view of lush and form-rich vegetation of South America will be on display at the Botanic Garden and Loki Schmidt Haus with the support of the Herbarium Hamburgense.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
An extreme mountaineer of the early 19th century: among other things, Humboldt's expedition equipment can be seen, which was meager compared to today's standards.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) originates from the South American Andes and was often encountered by Humboldt during his travels.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
"Grayish-green and immobile," is how Humboldt described South American caimans and alligators. In the first part of his expedition through present-day Venezuela and Cuba, crocodiles were among Humboldt's most threatening encounters.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
Humboldt travels, experiments, collects and measures. On his trip to America, he also encountered jaguars, but also studied small animals and insects.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
Humboldt is a talented and excellent draftsman: his sketch of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) is one of the most famous drawings.
Photo: UHH, RRZ/MCC, Mentz
Humboldt was a kind of polymath, concerned not only with flora and fauna, but also with art and culture - and with the people he met on his travels.
Photo: UHH/CeNak, Gerisch
Dragon tree, Andes and Alps or the measurement of the world: In the Botanical Garden there is a Humboldt Trail to accompany the special exhibition.