Temporäre Permanenz – Innovative und flexible Vermittlung aktueller gesellschaftlich relevanter Themen in Dauerausstellungen

One of the greatest challenges facing exhibition venues is keeping science-focused permanent exhibitions up to date with the latest research findings or in response to society’s changing needs. Research museums aim to inspire diverse groups within the public to take an interest in science, communicate the latest research findings, and engage with societal debates. The project ‘Temporary Permanence (TemPe): Innovative and Flexible Communication of Current, Socially Relevant Topics in Permanent Exhibitions’ is designed to address the following research question:

How should a versatile exhibition space be designed within a permanent science exhibition so that the latest scientific developments can be flexibly integrated?

The project aims to develop a flexible exhibition prototype (TemPe-Transformer) to present current discourses and research findings effectively and innovatively in permanent exhibitions. It will also test and explore various methods of cultural and knowledge transfer in this context. The focus is on socially relevant topics (e.g. climate change), examined and presented from the perspectives of art and social actors. At a fixed location within the permanent exhibition, these changing perspectives and interpretations are displayed temporarily in succession. This project is being implemented as part of the redesign of the 'Tropical Coral Reef' section of the permanent exhibition at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt.

The TemPe Transformer's development will be underpinned by empirical studies and surveys of the visitor experience. The aim is to generate generalisable scientific findings on the design of flexible permanent exhibitions.