Göttingen Museum of Zoology

The Biodiversity Museum is housed in the Forum Wissen building and focuses on evolution, ecosystems, and human impact on nature. The institution holds more than 100,000 biological specimens from university collections, ranging from small flatworms to whale skeletons and extinct birds.

The museum originated in 1877 as the Natural History Museum of Göttingen University and underwent major renovation from 2017 to 2022. This renewal gave the historic collections a fresh presentation approach suited to modern visitors.

The museum's collections reflect how people interact with and shape the natural world around them. The displays show connections between different living things and spaces, highlighting where humans fit into these relationships.

The museum is expected to reopen in 2025 with new interactive exhibits and multimedia stations after current renovation work. Once open, visitors can explore the galleries and dine in the café located beneath a dramatic whale skeleton.

A complete whale skeleton hangs from the ceiling of the glass atrium, creating an unexpected sight above the café below. This specimen has become an iconic feature that visitors notice immediately upon entering the space.