University Museum Groningen

Your brain may well be the most personal part of your body: it defines who you are, what you think and feel, how you move, and what motivates you. This exhibition is all about the marvel of the human brain. Through four key brain functions—willing, perceiving, thinking, and doing—you’ll explore how your brain works. Curious about how your brain functions, what researchers are uncovering, and how to keep your brain healthy for the future? Take a journey through your mind!

Did you know we live alongside around 39 trillion microorganisms? These bacteria, yeasts, and fungi — known as our microbiome — weigh up to 1.5 kilos and help keep us healthy. The connection between our gut and brain is becoming increasingly clear. Leonie Bais, who has a has a doctorate in cognitive neuropsychiatry and is now working on fermentation and plant-based nutrition, will install a pop-up FoodLab in which she focusses on the different sides of fermentation and how this can play a role in the future of food.

In the exhibition Brainstorm, you’ll learn all about how your brain works — for example, how the chemical dopamine functions. It gives you that familiar “BINGO!” feeling. So what could be more fitting than a themed brain bingo meets quiz night? During a nostalgic round of bingo, you'll gradually discover more about how your brain really works. So don’t forget to bring it along — your brain, that is!

Come dance in the silent disco on our cozy courtyard! Tune in to brainwaves, catchy hits, or go for more retro vibes. Meanwhile, enjoy a tasty snack!

Archaeobotanists search for and examine ancient plant remains—such as seeds, fruits, pollen, and wood—found during archaeological excavations. In doing so, they uncover how people lived in the past, which plants they used, and how those plants spread. In the exhibition Planting the Past: Archaeobotany in Groningen, you'll step into the world of archaeobotanical research in Groningen: go behind the scenes of the laboratory and explore the extensive collection of remarkable seeds and plant remains under study.

Native insects and plants are not doing well. Nature needs a helping hand, so, come and make your own native flower seed bomb with soil, clay and flower seeds! You can take it with you to throw in the garden, along a water's edge or in a pot on the balcony. In collaboration with the Green Office and the Archaeobotany research group of the University of Groningen.

Imagine if nature were made of sound — what would it sound like? Step into the world of native plants and insects with a tablet and headphones in this Augmented Reality installation by artist Chantalla Pleiter. Bring plants to life and explore their unique sounds and stories. Move through them and compose your own piece of natural music. Biodiversity in AR is an artistic-scientific project that uses interactive technology to introduce you to our endangered native plants. Often forgotten, they are vital to insects and ecosystems. It’s time to rediscover, value, and protect them.

How did orangutans from Borneo end up on a dissection table in the Netherlands? What happened to the elephants studied by scientists? How did they gain access to human remains from the Netherlands and its colonies? And what impact did their work have on the development of racial science? The University Museum Groningen presents Entangled Stories: Science and Colonialism in the Collection of Petrus Camper, an exhibition exploring the colonial history of the university’s collection and inviting visitors to take a fresh look at the history of science and to reflect on the future of academic heritage.