With its exhibition series ‘The Museum Makers’ the Museum of Nature Hamburg is opening up new spaces for encounters, exchange and a glimpse behind the scenes of a research museum. The focus is on the people who work here – and the processes that make research, collection, taxidermy, exhibitions and educational programmes possible in the first place.

The series brings to light what usually remains hidden: How is research carried out at the museum? Why are centuries-old collections indispensable for addressing contemporary issues? How are specimens prepared, exhibitions created and event formats developed? And how does a museum continue to evolve, one that not only preserves nature but also seeks to foster social dialogue?

Through a series of changing exhibition sections, ‘The Museum Makers’ presents the museum’s various areas of work. Researchers offer insights into their topics and methods, collections can be experienced as living repositories of knowledge, and specimen preparation is revealed as a fusion of craftsmanship, science and design. Historical objects, current research and modern educational formats illustrate how our view of nature and science has changed over time.

‘The Museum Makers’ views the museum as an open space for work and dialogue. The exhibition series will continue to evolve over several years, culminating in an exploration of the future of a new natural history museum – shaped by the people who create it and the questions that drive them.