Imagine a world of biodiversity unfolds right before your eyes. That is the Senckenberg Naturmuseum. Founded in 1821 this museum is Germany’s second-largest natural history museum. Almost 517000 people visit it each year. The Senckenberg’s slogan is “world of biodiversity”.
Let’s step inside.
The Senckenberg Museum exhibits a stunning array of reconstructed dinosaurs. As of 2019 there are 18. The main attraction is an 18-meter Diplodocus skeleton. It was donated by the American Museum of Natural History in 1907. The skeleton contains bones from three different sauropod genera. These are Diplodocus Apatosaurus and Barosaurus.
Another key holding is a fossilized Psittacosaurus. Clear bristles surround its tail. Visible fossilized stomach contents can be seen. Researchers described its cloaca in detail. They found similarities with the body outlet of birds. In 2022 a belly button was found in a dinosaur fossil for the first time.
Do not miss the Edmontosaurus annectens mummy. It came from Lance Formation Wyoming. Two Triceratops skulls are here as well. The museum bought these specimens from fossil collector Charles Hazelius Sternberg and his sons. A cast of a complete Triceratops the museum’s mascot is on display.
The Senckenberg Museum also features casts of Tyrannosaurus rex. Also Diplodocus longus Iguanodon Parasaurolophus and Oviraptor. Further casts include Archaeopteryx Brachiosaurus and Stegosaurus.
Moving on you will discover the bird collection. A living reconstruction of the extinct dodo is shown. The museum owns a large bird collection. It contains 90000 bird skins 5050 egg sets 17000 skeletons and 3375 spirit specimens. This represents 75% of known bird species.
Another popular exhibit is the Anaconda. A new reptile exhibit addresses biodiversity and nature conservation.
The Senckenberg Museum houses originals from the nearby Messel pit. This is Germany’s first UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. You’ll find a predecessor to the modern horse. It lived about 50 million years ago. It stood less than 60 cm tall. In 2015 researchers found a foal fetus inside a primeval horse mare. Primates crocodiles bats snakes and turtles were also found at Messel pit.
Display collections feature stuffed animals. One can see one of twenty existing quagga examples. This animal has been extinct since 1883.
Unique in Europe is a cast of Lucy. Lucy is an almost complete skeleton. She was an upright hominid Australopithecus afarensis. The exhibition includes reconstructions of human ancestor heads.
The Senckenberg Museum building itself is neo-baroque. It was erected between 1904 and 1907 by Ludwig Neher. It sits outside Frankfurt’s center near Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. The exhibition area covers 6000 square meters.
Before you leave take a moment to appreciate the Senckenberg Museum. It is more than just a collection of fossils and specimens. It is a journey through time. It is a celebration of life’s incredible diversity. It is a place where the past informs our future.