Secret Service: Women in Natural Sciences

2026-09-25 – 2027-10-31

Senckenberg highlights

2026-11-08 @ 11:00

From fascinating marine habitats to biodiversity at high altitudes, from a glimpse into the past to exciting questions about the future: Our “Highlights” tour offers many interesting, entertaining, and perhaps even surprising stories and background information on selected exhibits such as the T. rex, fin whale, anaconda, and others. Please note: Accessibility cannot be guaranteed everywhere.

The Sapiens Clan—What Has Happened So Far

2026-11-11 @ 18:00

with Daniela Szymanski Paleoanthropology is a fascinating field, and new research findings about our ancestors are constantly emerging. In a brief tour through the “family album” of humankind at the museum, we’ll explore some of these research findings. We’d also like to use this as a thematic introduction to the Koenigswald Lecture taking place that same evening. This lecture is held annually in honor of Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald (*Nov. 13, 1902 – ꝉJuly 10, 1982), the founder…

Exploring the Contexts of Homo floresiensis and Modern Humans at Liang Bua, Flores, Indonesia

2026-11-11 @ 19:30

Liang Bua, the site where Homo floresiensis was discovered, is a limestone cave on the Indonesian island of Flores. Its history spans from about 190,000 years ago to the present day and provides a long-term overview of the activities of early humans and their environment. New analyses of the site suggest that Homo floresiensis existed until about 50,000 years ago. Dr. Thomas Sutikna is co-director of the excavations in Flores, and in his lecture he will provide insights into…

Secret Service: Stories from the Archives

2026-11-11 @ 19:30

Traces of women can be found throughout the archives of the Senckenberg Society for Natural History: in photographs, field notes, letters, and working documents. And yet their names are often missing from the official histories of science. This lecture takes you on a journey behind the scenes of natural history research. You’ll meet women who preserved collections, facilitated research, and developed their own scientific areas of focus—even when their work was barely visible…

Forum "Researching together"

2026-11-13 @ 14:00

Always keeping an eye on nature - helping to research, observe, measure, sort and map everything from the very small to the very large - in one of the many Citizen Science projects or as a volunteer. Would you like to join us? Counting jaguars, deciphering tiny signs in old German script, maintaining and digitizing collection items - there is a lot to do in science, and we can't do everything on our own. That's why we are once again inviting you to the Senckenberg Forum on Friday, November 13...

Our Senses on a Journey of Discovery—The World Inside Our Heads

2026-11-14 @ 14:00

with Dr. Anya Dietrich, Cooperative Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt (CoBIC), MEG Lab Why can our senses deceive us? How does the image of the world form in our minds? And do we all experience the same reality? Together with Dr. Anya Dietrich, we’ll embark on a journey of discovery through the fascinating world of our brain. Through exciting experiments and astonishing optical illusions, you’ll discover how our brain uses colors, sounds, and touch to create our picture of the world…

"Pirates of the Deep Sea - What does the treasure hunt at the bottom of the sea cost us?"

2026-11-14 @ 15:00

Treasure hunters dive to the bottom of the sea to find unknown sunken treasures. What sounds like a story may soon become reality. Deep-sea mining, i.e. the extraction of manganese, cobalt or copper from the seabed, is highly topical and controversial in view of the growing demand for raw materials. The consequences are difficult to assess and could be irreversible for the marine environment. On November 14, 2026, we will look at deep-sea mining and its opportunities and risks. As an introduction, our...

Hands-on station: Thinking outside the box - What impact does our diet have on the environment?

2026-11-15 @ 14:00

We're taking part in the hands-on lab at community space 2:og dondorf! Hands-on station Thinking outside the box: What impact does our diet have on the environment? From cultivation to transportation to the plate: what we eat has an impact worldwide - on soils, biodiversity, the climate and much more. Today we are discovering these connections in a playful way and collecting ideas on how food can become more sustainable. Our stand provides an insight into the Synthesis & Solutions Lab "Beyond the...

But the room just filled up with mosquitoes – on the 10th anniversary of Leonard Cohen's death

2026-11-18 @ 18:00

with Dr. Sebastian Lotzkat Leonard Norman Cohen was born in Montreal in 1934; he began writing poetry in 1956 and started setting his works to music in 1967. He immediately formed a dark, often downright Kafkaesque counterpoint to the life-affirming attitude of the hippies. Although his mostly somber poetry often seems to draw inspiration from urban life, his eloquent imagery repeatedly draws on a wide variety of motifs from nature. Today we pay tribute to the grand master, who on the 7th…

Rhein-Main Documentary Nights: Plastic Fantastic

2026-11-19 @ 18:00

There are 500 times more plastic particles in the oceans than stars in our galaxy. Plastic is in the rivers and seas, in our air, in the soil and even in our own bodies. What solutions to the plastic crisis does the plastics industry have and how seriously are they pursuing them? Are there real alternatives? And could we do without plastic altogether?

Adventure Museum: Algae - the superheroes from the water

2026-11-21 @ 10:00

When you think of algae, do you just picture slimy, brown strands that are annoying when you’re swimming in the ocean? Well, think again: Algae are true superheroes! Today we’ll find out why they’re so important for animals and people. Algae are food sources, help protect the climate, and create habitats. You’ll learn how that works today. Participation without a parent

Expedition Museum: Algae alarm - What algae can do

2026-11-21 @ 12:00

Slimy, slippery, smelly—algae often have a bad reputation. But did you know that algae play an important role in nature? Not only do they serve as food and habitat for numerous living creatures, but algae are also important for climate protection. On our expedition into the underwater world, you’ll learn more about these diverse organisms. Participation without a parent

How We Perceive the World—People, Animals, and Their Very Own Realities

2026-11-25 @ 18:00

with Dr. Anya Dietrich from the Cooperative Brain Imaging Center (CoBIC) in Frankfurt. Bees can see ultraviolet light, and some fish can sense electric fields. Every animal species experiences its environment in its own unique way, just as we humans do—our brains construct the image of our reality from a multitude of sensory impressions. Together with Dr. Anya Dietrich, we’ll dive into the world of animal perception and explore the possibilities that evolution has created for it. We’ll take a look at the…

Women. Research. Senckenberg: Women scientists introduce themselves and their research.

2026-11-25 @ 19:30

Traces of women can be found throughout the archives of the Senckenberg Society for Natural History: in photographs, field notes, letters, and working documents. And yet their names are often missing from the official histories of science. This lecture takes you on a journey behind the scenes of natural history research. You’ll meet women who preserved collections, facilitated research, and developed their own scientific areas of focus—even when their work was barely visible…

Museum Chatter – Senckenberg in the Hessian Dialect

2026-12-02 @ 18:00

with Dr. Bernd Herkner We’re celebrating 80 years of Hesse! With the adoption of the Constitution of the State of Hesse on December 1, 1946, the “State of Greater Hesse”—which had been formed earlier—gave rise to the present-day federal state of Hesse. To mark this anniversary, Dr. Bernd Herkner—former director of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt and a “native Hessian”—will lead today’s tour in his native language. Beginning with a digression on Goethe and the Hessian dialect, he will expertly explain objects related to Frankfurt during a guided tour…

Special Exhibition "Secret Service: Women in Natural History"

2026-12-02 @ 19:00

Women have shaped the natural sciences in many ways—yet their contributions have often been overlooked, marginalized, or attributed to male colleagues. This special exhibition showcases eleven women who worked at the Senckenberg Society or are connected to it in other ways. On this guided tour, we’ll get to know some of the women featured in the exhibition—including Maria Sibylla Merian, Tilly Edinger, Louise von Bose, Aenny Fahr, and Johanna Rebecca…

209th SGN General Meeting

2026-12-03 @ 18:00

We look forward to seeing you again at the 209th General Meeting of the Senckenberg Society for Natural History! All Senckenberg members are cordially invited. In addition to the formal agenda with reports and votes, an interesting topic awaits you: “On the Path to the Future—The New Senckenberg Natural History Museum.” Please note that only members may attend the event. Each member must register separately; registration for each meeting…

Adventure Museum: Dinosaurs you can touch!

2026-12-05 @ 10:00

The museum is getting new dinosaurs! Specifically, small, hands-on dinosaur models. They’re meant to help everyone understand what dinosaurs might have looked like when they were still alive—not just as fossilized bones. But that’s not so easy! How do you picture dinosaurs? Today, we’ll explore the dinosaur skeletons together and build our own models. Participation without a parent is allowed

You're using an older version of DeepL. To continue using the app, please update to the latest version. Sie verwenden eine ältere Version von DeepL. Bitte aktualisieren Sie die App, um sie weiterhin nutzen zu können. Вы используете старую версию DeepL. Чтобы продолжить работу с приложением, обновите его до последней версии. Vous utilisez une ancienne version de DeepL. Veuillez mettre à jour l'application pour continuer à l'utiliser. 您正在使用旧版本的 DeepL。 如需继续使用该应用程序，请更新至最新版本。 DeepLの古いバージョンをご利用中です。 引き続きご利用いただくには、アプリを最新版へアップデートしてください。 Estás usando una versión antigua de DeepL. Para seguir usando la aplicación, actualízala a la versión más reciente. Ти використовуєш стару версію DeepL. Щоб продовжити користуватися програмою, онови її до останньої версії. Stai utilizzando una versione precedente di DeepL. Per continuare a utilizzare l'app, aggiornala all'ultima versione. DeepL'in eski bir sürümünü kullanıyorsun. Uygulamayı kullanmaya devam etmek için en son sürüme güncelle. Korzystasz ze starszej wersji DeepL. Jeżeli chcesz kontynuować korzystanie z aplikacji, zaktualizuj ją do najnowszej wersji. Está a utilizar uma versão mais antiga do DeepL. Para continuar a utilizar a aplicação, atualize-a para a versão mais recente. U gebruikt een oudere versie van DeepL. Om de app te blijven gebruiken, moet u updaten naar de nieuwste versie. Anda menggunakan DeepL versi lama. Untuk terus menggunakan aplikasi ini, harap perbarui ke versi terbaru. Používáte starší verzi DeepL. Pokud chcete aplikaci dále používat, aktualizujte ji na nejnovější verzi.

2026-12-05 @ 10:00

You're using an older version of DeepL. To continue using the app, please update to the latest version. Sie verwenden eine ältere Version von DeepL. Bitte aktualisieren Sie die App, um sie weiterhin nutzen zu können. Вы используете старую версию DeepL. Чтобы продолжить работу с приложением, обновите его до последней версии. Vous utilisez une ancienne version de DeepL. Veuillez mettre à jour l'application pour continuer à l'utiliser. 您正在使用旧版本的 DeepL。 如需继续使用该应用程序，请更新至最新版本。 DeepLの古いバージョンをご利用中です。 引き続きご利用いただくには、アプリを最新版へアップデートしてください。 Estás usando una versión antigua de DeepL. Para seguir usando la aplicación, actualízala a la versión más reciente. Ти використовуєш стару версію DeepL. Щоб продовжити користуватися програмою, онови її до останньої версії. Stai utilizzando una versione precedente di DeepL. Per continuare a utilizzare l'app, aggiornala all'ultima versione. DeepL'in eski bir sürümünü kullanıyorsun. Uygulamayı kullanmaya devam etmek için en son sürüme güncelle. Korzystasz ze starszej wersji DeepL. Jeżeli chcesz kontynuować korzystanie z aplikacji, zaktualizuj ją do najnowszej wersji. Está a utilizar uma versão mais antiga do DeepL. Para continuar a utilizar a aplicação, atualize-a para a versão mais recente. U gebruikt een oudere versie van DeepL. Om de app te blijven gebruiken, moet u updaten naar de nieuwste versie. Anda menggunakan DeepL versi lama. Untuk terus menggunakan aplikasi ini, harap perbarui ke versi terbaru. Používáte starší verzi DeepL. Pokud chcete aplikaci dále používat, aktualizujte ji na nejnovější verzi.

Expedition Museum: Dinosaurs with skin and feathers?

2026-12-05 @ 12:00

How do you picture the dinosaurs from the museum? What color were they? Were they fat or thin? Did they have feathers or scales? Reconstructing a dinosaur isn't easy. The skeletons tell us some things, but we have to figure out a lot of other details on our own, and some aspects are left to our imagination. Today, we’ll work together to build dinosaur models. Participation without a parent is allowed.