People have always ben curious. From pondering why people breathe to contemplating the stars in the sky, from the minuscule to the vast. This curiosity changes the world we live in. Through the ages, countless men and women have dedicated their lives to the quest to unravel the mysteries of life - and in this pursuit, they have created the possibility of saving lives, improving the quality of life, encouraging social development and developing our understanding of the world and the universe around us.
The focus of the exhibition is: What is it that compels a researcher? Why would one use one’s life finding out how cells function and understanding a particular animal’s heart function? An exhibition where science and passion are in the spotlight.
The heart of the exhibition is the Nobel Prize winner Jens Chr. Skou’s office. It is, as far as we know, the only complete Nobel Prize winner’s office exhibited anywhere in the world. Together with five other researchers’ workplaces and their stories, Jens Chr. Skou’s office comprises the basis of the exhibition.
Here you can see the film about Jens Chr. Skou and his office, which has been produced to mark the 90th anniversary of Aarhus University.
The exhibition has five themes: ‘Curiosity’, ‘Experimentation’, ‘Competition and Cooperation’, ‘Recognition’ and ‘Why do research?’.
The exhibition invites the guests to experiment and to try out various things. One can experience ‘The Heart Aquarium’ with hearts of various sizes and listen to the assorted mammals’ resting pulse rate, for example, one can compare the pulse rate of a mouse and a pilot whale. One can build molecules out of the same building blocks that researchers use.
The exhibition also invites the guests to look at recognition - not just academically but also in daily life.
On the opening day of the exhibition, the ‘Skou Building’ will be inaugurated, a new medicinal laboratory, costing 800 million kroner, located a stone’s throw away from the Steno Museum
The exhibition is supported by the Lundbeck Foundation and the Povl Assens Fund.