EXHIBITION DEPARTMENT
In the beginning of the period reported here, funds were also limited. In the beginning of 1995, the Faculty of Science gave the museum permission to charge an entrance fee of 20 DKr for adults and 10 DKr for children. This income has greatly improved the ability to undertake the tasks that are deemed necessary.
The numbers of visitors to the exhibitions were:
1993: 148,492
1994: 132,244
1995: 129,077
1996: 131,315
1997: 102,225
The drop in number of visitors between 1993 and 1994 was caused by a change in policy on the part of the School Service, placing restrictions on the number of classes admitted daily. The large drop in numbers between 1996 and 1997 mirrors a general tendency in Danish museums, probably due to the opening of a number of new attractive institutions (visitors' centres, museums) which all compete for the same public.
The permanent exhibitions
During 1993 and 1994 the staff concentrated on redesigning the section on tropical grasslands. The efforts resulted in a large, new diorama on the African savanna, a smaller diorama focusing on nocturnal animals of the savanna and a diorama on South American tropical grasslands, supplemented with exhibits and texts aimed at explaining a number of features of these ecosystems. As an experiment, the trees and termite hills were built as if going through the glass panes and onto the public area, creating an effect of being in the landscape rather that looking at it through a window.
Simultaneously with the rebuilding of the tropical section, a diorama in the Arctic section was rebuilt to show three adult walruses from Thule in Northern Greenland, resting on an ice floe.
On the completion of these sections, work was started on a new South American rain forest diorama. The section of the Danish fauna exhibition on animals in the cities was closed for renovation and temporarily replaced by a smaller exhibit built into the wall closing off the construction area.
In addition to these tasks, smaller renovations of background paintings and replacements of bleached or otherwise damaged specimens have been undertaken in nearly all sections.
During the winter of 1997, a total renovation of the museum restaurant was carried out, resulting in a new, well-equipped kitchen, greatly improved surroundings for the guests and better lunchroom facilities for visiting school classes. Both in terms of the physical environment and the quality of the menues, the restaurant has achieved a very high standard.
Temporary exhibitions
As the area designed for temporary exhibitions constitutes the connection between the entrance to the exhibitions and the museum restaurant, this area cannot be closed to the public. For the same reason it cannot be left empty for any length of time, so in spite of the decision to concentrate the efforts on the permanent collection, it has been necessary to show a number of temporary exhibitions.
During 1993–94 the taxidermists and the design shop were dedicated to work on the savanna and walrus dioramas. Therefore, two exhibitions were brought in from other institutions: Medicine from the Animal World created by the Naturhistorisk Museum in Århus, Denmark, and an exhibition on gene technology created by the Swedish Riksutställninger. In addition, two exhibitions were produced inhouse: Danish Butterflies and Birds Change Feathers. During 1995, a larger exhibition, Animals and Skeletons, was produced; it was subsequently lent to the natural history museum in Århus and later to Midtsønderjyllands Museum in Gram, Jutland. During 1996 another large exhibition, Fabulous Monsters, was produced as the museum's contribution to the "Cultural City 96" events in Copenhagen.
In the entrance hall on the ground floor 14 small exhibitions have been shown. These focus on current events such as whale stranding or the results of research carried out at the museum. In an area outside the schools´ lunchroom a number of photo or painting exhibitions lent to us by various organizations have been shown.
Other activities
In 1993, the Zoological Museum contributed significantly with specimens and knowledge to an exhibition, Museum Europa, at the National Museum in Copenhagen. The theme was the development of the European museums from the renaissance to the present. The exhibition was subsequently shown in Bonn, Germany.
In 1994-1997 the Museum took part in a large-scale arrangement, "Kulturnatten" (Night of Culture), together with other museums and cultural institutions in Copenhagen. Beginning with the winter 1997 the Museum joined other museums in a series of arrangements groups under the name "Friday Noght" where each museum in turn is open on Friday night and offers a temporary exhibition, a lecture and a concert. Our themes for these evenings were bird migration, birg song and the details from the exhibition "Fabulous Monsters". Among the artists performing were internationally acclaimed names like Michala Petri on recorder and the opera singer Elisabeth Meyer-Topsøe, but the repertoire has also included a New Orleans jazz band.
Each year, the scientific departments in the museum arrange one or two Open Museum Days where the public is invited to guided visits to the scientific collections. Another permanent event is a field day in the lake/swamp area Utterslev Mose in Copenhagen where scientists and technical staff demonstrate aspects of the fieldwork carried out on waterfowl, freshwater fishes, and invertebrates. These arrangements have been very successful and well attended.
The School Service
In cooperation with the school authorities of the city and county administrations on Zealand and the surrounding islands the museum operates a school service used by ca. 35,000 children per year. A biologist funded by the school system and 16 graduate students in biology funded by the museum are responsible for the instruction of the visiting classes. The school service has cooperated with the forest districts around Copenhagen and with farmers in North Zealand with the purpose of offering instruction which combines fieldwork with visits to the museum. Also, it has taken part in a number of campaigns aimed at a responsible attitude to the use of natural resources.
The material used in teaching has been updated continuously and two of the three classrooms have been redecorated.
Late in 1997 the agreement with the school authorities was re-negociated and expanded to include school services at the three university museums, bringing the Geological Muyseum and the Botanical Museum and Garden into the cooperation.
Publicatons by staff and associates, 1993-1997
Fieldwork, study tours, conferences etc., 1993-1997