This exhibition, a highlight of the Museum, presents one of the most important finds the Alps have yielded in the last 300 years: almost two tonnes of spectacularly beautiful quartz crystal, which are on display in the "treasure chamber".

On September 21st 2005 the crystal hunters Franz von Arx and Paul von Känel opened up a cavity in the rock of their exploratory mine on the Planggenstock peak in the canton of Uri. There, glinting in the light of their torches, were almost fifty large, unusually clear and perfectly formed quartz crystals and crystal clusters.  These are now on display in the Museum's "treasure chamber". Specialised lighting makes the minerals, which are as clear as glass, seem to glow from within. The jewel in the exhibition's crown, a beautifully composed crystal cluster weighing 300 kg, turns slowly about its own axis so it can be admired from all sides. The short film which is shown in the cinema area documents the astounding work of the two crystal hunters.

Barry, the most famous rescue dog in the world, died in 1814 yet remains a legend to this day. This exhibition explores the heroic deeds of the St. Bernard from the Great St. Bernard Pass. The question is – which stories are true and which myths?

Barry was born in 1800, the year that Thomas Jefferson became the third president of the United States and Schiller's Mary Stuart was performed for the first time. Barry lived as a rescue dog at the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass, which is situated almost 2500 metres above sea level. The hospice has been run since the 11th century by Augustinian canons. Crossing the pass used to be dangerous at any time of year, and the canons and their servants would rescue people who had got lost or become trapped in snow. As time went by, the canons began to take dogs with them when they went out looking for travellers. As a result of this collaboration between man and beast, over 2000 people were saved from death over the course of 200 years. Barry is said to have helped in the rescue of 40 people, and was legendary even during his lifetime.

The canons' rescue dogs were not like modern avalanche dogs. Their main role was to find the way back to the hospice in heavy blizzards. Barry was almost certainly an extraordinary dog, or he wouldn't have been famous even before his death. However, many of the legends which surround Barry are not based in fact.

Simple aquatic organisms became fish, left the water as amphibians and then morphed into reptiles. This exhibition tells the fascinating story of evolution.

The objects, displays and simple texts which make up this exhibition provide an excellent introduction to vertebrate evolution. Visitors are taken step by step through the multi-million-year process leading from our earliest jawless ancestor to the modern human.

Do you know where a horse's hands are, or why an elephant walks on tiptoe? There's more meat on the bone than you might expect in this contemporary revival of an almost 150 year-old collection of skeletons.

The 328 animal skeletons in this time-honoured collection (the largest of its kind in Switzerland) were once kept at the Institute of Anatomy at Bern University, where they served exclusively scientific purposes. Now on permanent loan to the Natural History Museum, the skeletons (plus 518 loose bones) have had new life breathed into them. The exhibition celebrates in equal measure the aesthetic aspect of science and the delicious appeal of the macabre. It's a showy affair with a carnivalesque touch whose main attractions are the 23 metre-long skeleton of a fin whale, the carousel of carcasses and the skeleton of an African bull elephant shot by big game hunter Bernard von Wattenwyl.

The dioramas of the Natural History Museum Bern, including the «Animals of Africa», are the historical centerpieces of the museum. They have inspired generations of visitors. When they were created in the 1930s, they were considered state-of-the-art in the art of zoological dissection and exhibition. But what they depict is not reality: dioramas are always interpretations and productions of their time.

The collection of large African animals is an integral part of the Museum's history. The building in Bernastrasse that houses the Museum today was built by the Burgher Community of Bern especially to display the over one hundred animals which big game hunter Bernard von Wattenwyl had shot in the course of two hunting safaris to East Africa in 1923-24. The collection is also closely tied up with the gripping story of Vivienne von Wattenwyl, who was just twenty-four when her father (having already bagged eighteen lions) was fatally injured by the nineteenth. The young woman continued with the safari regardless, even going on to claim a male white rhino as a trophy of her own. Vivienne wrote about her experiences in two books which were received enthusiastically by readers including Ernest Hemingway. Her story also forms the basis of the historical novel «Die Tochter des Jägers» (The Hunter's Daughter) by Swiss author Lukas Hartmann.

When they were created in the 1930s, dioramas were considered state-of-the-art in the art of zoological taxidermy and exhibition, but the form of presentation has become outdated. Today we know more than ever that dioramas are not precise representations of reality, but also interpretations and stagings of their creators. And often the composition was quite pragmatically dependent on the availability of objects and on the space available. Sometimes they show groups of animals that do not occur side by side in nature.

The exhibition not only wants to convey that the nature pictures were often more idyllic than reality even at the time of their creation. The historical context is also reappraised. For example, a large part of the "Animals of Africa" originates from the British-occupied areas of East Africa Kenya/Uganda. Vivienne von Wattenwyl and her father Bernard sometimes profited from colonial structures, i.e. from the exploitation of the knowledge and labor of the local population. To this day, hunting for animal trophies has a tradition on the African continent. It is controversially discussed: There are countless conflicts of interest and the line between protecting and benefiting nature is narrow.

In addition to a detailed entrance area with digital photo albums, visitors will find additional information at each diorama. The labels not only provide classic information such as the name or endangerment status of an animal, but also additional aspects that are worth knowing, such as the loss of species and the destruction of habitats. 

Rocks are an inexhaustible archive that contains a wealth of information about the Earth's structure and the history of life. The exhibition presents a cross-section of the Museum's geological treasures.

Daily life brings us into constant contact with natural crystals without us even realising. Cars, computers, buildings and bridges are all made out of minerals. The 2,300 minerals and rocks on display here are both fascinating and beautiful, with topaz, apatite, calcite and the likes creating a true feast for the eyes. The Natural History Museum also specializes in extraterrestrials - or at least extraterrestrial rock in the form of meteorites. Members of the Earth Sciences team played a leading role in the discovery of the Twannberg meteorite field, the only known strewn field in Switzerland.

What's that rustling in the attic? What's that scurrying through the undergrowth? Familiar though Switzerland's fauna may be, many species are elusive and not often seen. The "Animals of Switzerland" exhibition has protected heritage status and provides visitors and locals alike with a glimpse of the diversity on our doorstep.

The Natural History Museum's "Animals of Switzerland" exhibit opened at the start of the Second World War. Many of its first visitors were members of the armed forces, for the intention behind the 164 dioramas was to show the soldiers what an incredible wealth of natural treasures they were defending on Switzerland's borders. The time-honoured display of 610 native animal specimens continues to be a central pillar of the museum even now. Not only is it of great historic value, it also serves as an important record of the biodiversity of the day. Some of the species on show are now extinct, and others did die out in Switzerland but have now returned, such as the lynx. The craftsmanship and high aesthetic quality of the historic dioramas are as impressive today as they were almost eighty years ago. Typical Alpine species such as the rock ptarmigan and mountain hare are shown in both their summer and winter plumage or pelage. The exhibition features over 145 bird species alone, from the house sparrow to the much rarer little owl.

Beetles, insects, butterflies and moths, slugs, snails and molluscs are the stars of an exhibition which combines large-screen projections, short films and over 1,000 objects to provide fascinating insights into the colourful world of invertebrates.

Believing ourselves to be the crowning glory of creation, we humans often forget that Earth is the planet of the insects. Approximately three-quarters of all known animal species are insects, and life is unimaginable without them. What would happen if they were all suddenly to die out? Scientists agree that it wouldn't be long until humans followed suit. Not only do insects help plants to reproduce, they also play a crucial role in keeping our planet tidy. If they stopped going about their invisible activities, huge piles of dung and rotting carcasses would accumulate in no time.

The exhibition explores the complex relationship between invertebrates and humans, delving into the distant past to show fossilized specimens from ages long gone, but also shedding light on extant species which have remained almost unchanged for millions of years.

Pica’s Nest – this forest experience is an innovative museum concept for the whole family. It’s perfect for discovering, playing and relaxing. Children can learn all about the forest habitat in a playful and relaxed way.

At the heart of Pica’s Nest is a huge beech tree, with around 60 woodland animals hiding in its roots, trunk and leafy canopy. Some of the taxidermised animals are hidden in the tree, while others sit prominently on the branches. On the walls, you can spot loveable creatures created by the renowned children’s book illustrator Kathrin Schärer.

Pica’s Nest is an innovative new museum concept. It is a children’s exhibition tailored to the needs of our small visitors. However, it’s also a retreat for families, where accompanying adults can play with the children or enjoy a moment of peace and quiet. It’s named after Pica, the cheeky magpie who is the mascot for the Natural History Museum’s family programme. Here, you can do whatever makes you happy: children can enjoy unstructured play with their parents, other children or on their own; touch objects; give free rein to their urge to move around; and perhaps make a bit more noise than usual – all in a way in which everyone feels safe and comfortable.

An exhibition without any exhibition text

The Pica’s Nest concept is designed so that children are not overwhelmed with information; the exhibition does not aim to be educationally intense. Instead, children gather knowledge in a fun way: as they play, they discover more about the biodiversity of the forest. Children decide for themselves which animals they want to know more about. The objects have no labels – Pica’s Nest does not feature any exhibition texts. For those whose curiosity is piqued, however, there is a book filled with short, entertaining texts about all the animal species – children can read it themselves or have it read aloud to them. Thanks to the fun short texts, they’ll learn that the brimstone butterfly can freeze itself in winter or that the male robin knows up to 275 song melodies.

This forest experience was designed by the Natural History Museum’s education and design team in collaboration with the Swiss branch of the German company Kukuk, which builds unique play and activity spaces throughout Europe; Kukuk is also behind the popular playground in the Elfenau Park in Bern, among others.

A tree somes to the museum

The beech tree, which once towered at 35 metres, comes from eastern Switzerland. It had to be felled for safety reasons. Transporting and drying the tree proved to be a major challenge for the creators of Pica’s Nest. Due to its immense size and weight, the tree had to be sawn into several pieces, though these still boast impressive dimensions – for example, the root is more than two metres tall.

Polar bears, musk oxen and seals bask against a backdrop of changing light as day turns into ice-blue polar night - all within a matter of minutes.

This part of the exhibition provides a glimpse into the life of the animals of the Northern Hemisphere. Alongside the typical inhabitants of the North Pole it features the three largest bear species in the world (polar, grizzly and Kodiak), plus an equally awe-inspiring display of walruses, seals and musk oxen. The bird diorama presents some of Norway's most skilful aerial and aquatic acrobats. While the animal specimens are a time-honoured part of the Museum's collection, the light show which takes the visitor through a whole day in the icy North is a more recent attraction.

Scientific collections store millions of animals and plants. These valuable archives of nature document biodiversity - the variety of life - and enable basic research into the evolution, distribution and diversity of living organisms. Further work on deepening our knowledge of biodiversity is also invaluable for our society: for example, active substances and materials from nature that are still undiscovered today could be groundbreaking for future developments in medicine or agriculture.

But the irreplaceable diversity of life, which is essential for human survival, is endangered, and its exploration is more urgent today than ever: of the estimated 10 million species, only about 2.1 million species have been documented, and countless disappear forever every day, along with their habitats such as rainforests or wild river landscapes.

With this exhibition, the museum opens part of its scientific collections to the public. A walk through the "Wunderkammer" provides insight into current collection activities, modern research methods and irreplaceable historical collections - an extraordinary tour of one of the most pressing problems of the present day.