AMSTERDAM.- What do we consist of as human beings? What makes us the same, and how are we different? NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam recently opened Humania. This exhibition is about you, about who and what you are. Teenagers are addressed directly with a clear graphic and spatial concept and a personal tone of voice.

You are the subject
In this exhibition, you discover everything about mankind through yourself. The open setup invites you to observe other visitors and as a consequence, you become part of the story yourself. The continuous comparison makes you discover yourself. You can test your eyesight or your reaction speed and discover what your name tells you about you. The outcome is not interpreted; it is neither good nor bad.

Form emphasizes content
You enter the exhibition through a tunnel that resets you after previous impressions. You hear questions that get you thinking about yourself. Coming out on the other end, you are in front of a 8,5-meter-high human in a skeleton costume doing a handstand. You are now in the heart of the exhibition. A collage of portraits hangs like a quilt above the room and shows the diversity of humankind. Some 40 exhibits are placed like a sort of magnetic field around this center, where you are literally the center point.

The scientific made personal
The exhibition addresses all aspects of human life, including themes you might prefer to avoid, like sexuality or death. You are challenged to relate to these things that are an inevitable part of life, without having to push your boundaries. Personal stories guide you through the subjects, such as life-size videos of scientists sharing how they approached their research. Read more.

Antibiotics, hard to resist?
Feeling sniffy? Would you take antibiotics to cure a cold? Past Friday a new exhibit we designed was revealed at Micropia, the microbe museum we designed previously. On this interactive human-size screen you can learn about when and how to use antibiotics and the dangers of bacteria becoming resistant. The exhibit is the result of a collaboration between Micropia and the National Institute for Public Health. Read more about Micropia.

A matter of Life and Death
This summer two exhibitions we designed for Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden were opened. In Life you meet the stunning biodiversity of planet earth as you walk from the depth of the sea up into the sky. In Death you discover multiple sides of nature's most mysterious phenomenon: death. Curious about how it turned out? Have a look here at Life and Death.