A new interactive station can now be experienced on deck 50 in the NHM Vienna. In the experimental room, visitors of all ages can playfully explore the connections between research and current issues in society and gain insights into the world of science – now for the first time on the topic of coral reefs.
Coral reefs are the largest structures on earth created by living things and are also known as the “rainforests of the sea” due to their great biodiversity. Reefs are complex ecosystems that provide habitat for countless creatures. At the same time, they are of great importance as a “nursery” for many fish species, and they remove a lot of carbon dioxide from the sea. “Coral reefs are at great risk worldwide due to warming oceans,” it shows Dr. Pedro Frade, curator of the Evertebrata Varia collection at the NHM Vienna, is concerned. “According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, coral reefs will decline by 70 to 90% with a 1.5°C increase in temperature compared to pre-industrial levels. This development has far-reaching consequences not only for animals, but also for people.”
From now on, visitors can expect an impressive 3D coral reef on deck 50, which has been newly adapted using the in-house preparation. In the Open Lab you can take on the role of a scientist, experiment on ocean acidification or look at the teeth in the jaws of a sea urchin.
The newly developed format invites you to discover the fascinating world of coral reefs and their threats in a playful way. In REEF RESCUE, players take on the role of divers and try to identify various threats to coral reefs and learn about countermeasures. They talk to reef inhabitants, follow up on leads and collect information. However, they have to hurry because the air supply in the diving tanks is limited and time is also running out for the reefs themselves!
REEF RESCUE can be played immediately on deck 50 using a QR code. It is particularly suitable for school classes with students aged 12 and over or for large groups of 7 or more people. All the materials you need, such as playing cards and game instructions, are on deck 50. If you want to access it outside of a visit to NHM Vienna, you must download the print files before the game starts and prepare them as described. The website also provides more in-depth information, such as threats to coral reefs and possible countermeasures.
“The project ‘REEF RESCUE – Save the coral reef’ combines scientific findings with playful formats”explains Mag. Ines Méhu-Blantar, from the Department of Science Communication at the NHM Vienna. Angelina Ivkić, MSc, marine biologist and paleontologist at the University of Vienna, under whose leadership the project was developed, explains further: “The aim is to illustrate the key threats to coral reefs and to show possible courses of action in an understandable way. A core part of the project is the new participatory station on deck 50 in the Natural History Museum Vienna, which is now available to visitors.”
REEF RESCUE is a joint project of the University of Vienna, the Kinderbüro Universität Wien GmbH, the OeAD, the NHM Vienna, the Haus des Meeres Vienna, the illustrator & designer Maria Kondratieva – yay.mk with the support of Kaeya Scholz, the game developer Ronald Hild and the Video producers Martin Haslacher from ROCKETHAZE productions eU Martin Zuschin (University of Vienna) and Andreas Kroh (NHM Vienna) led carried out the basic project on coral reefs in the Red Sea and were responsible for the scientific background in REEF RESCUE. The basic scientific project and the science communication project were funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF): Grant DOIs 10.55776/P31592 and 10.55776/WKP222.
Project participants at NHM Vienna:
Andreas Kroh, Anita Eschner, Pedro Frade, Agnes Mair, Melanie Pilat, Robert Illek and team, Julia Landsiedl, Rosi Hochreiter, Isabella Fürst, Severin Bachmayer, Christoph Goldmann, Brigitta Schmid, Walter Hamp, Ines Méhu-Blantar.
Accompanying events to “REEF RESCUE – Save the coral reef!”
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m
Meet a scientist – Angelina Ivkić
Angelina Ivkić, MSc, paleontologist and marine biologist at the University of Vienna, gives personal insights into her research on living and fossil coral reefs. She explains how fossil data helps to better protect today’s reefs and reports on her motivation and her path into science. She also presents the game “REEF RESCUE” and shows how innovative approaches can contribute to the transfer of knowledge.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Vienna, she completed her master’s degree in marine sciences in Australia and the Netherlands. In her doctoral thesis she is researching fossil and modern coral reefs in the Red Sea and leads the science communication project “REEF RESCUE – Save the coral reef!”.
https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/veranstaltungskalender/rettet_das_korallenriff_
Saturday, February 1st, 2025, 11:45 a.m. – 3:30 p.m
Deck 50 Open Lab
In the white laboratory on deck 50, visitors have the opportunity to discover the various aspects of the “REEF RESCUE” project in an interactive way. Scientific topics can be explored in a very practical way at several stations: for example, by looking at the tiny teeth in the jaws of a sea urchin, separating microplastics from normal sand or sorting sunscreens according to their compatibility with corals. At another station, visitors can even carry out an experiment themselves to clearly illustrate ocean acidification.
In the creative area of the deck, visitors can finally get creative themselves: a colorful coral reef is created from pale corals, which symbolizes the revival of these threatened habitats.
https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/veranstaltungskalender/korallenriffe_in_gefahr__3
Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 to Saturday, February 9th, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m
ViennaXtra holiday game: underwater forests
The “Underwater Forests” holiday game takes children aged 6 to 12 through fascinating sea landscapes such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests. It combines stops in the museum with exciting hands-on activities that illustrate the importance of marine ecosystems. Young participants can not only gain new impressions, but also design their own marine life and learn in a playful way how important it is to protect these habitats.
https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/veranstaltungskalender/ferienspiel_unterwasserwaelder_1
Pressematerial:
https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/www.nhm-wien.ac.at/presse/pressemitteilungen_2025/korallenriff
Inquiry note:
Mag. Irina Kubadinow, Head of Press Department, Press Spokesperson
Tel.: + 43 (1) 521 77 – 410 | irina.kubadinow@nhm-wien.at
Mag. Daniela Emminger-Stebegg, Pressereferentin
Tel.: + 43 (1) 521 77 – 680 | daniela.emminger@nhm-wien.at
Core. Nikolett Kertész-Schenk, Bakk. BA MAS, Presseabteilung
Tel.: + 43 (1) 521 77 – 626 | nikolett.kertesz@nhm-wien.at
Natural History Museum Vienna
Burgring 7
1010 Wien