The Early Human
Naturalis Biodiversity Center reopened its doors in Leiden. A brand-new family museum with everything about nature.
Commissioned by Naturalis, Hypsos worked on the exhibition “The Early Human”. In this exhibition, visitors are introduced to the history of their species, the human being. To make this complex story attractive and accessible to the target group of Naturalis, an icon has been chosen: Pithecanthropus, Homo erectus, the upright human. The remains of this early human being are top pieces in the development of our thinking about (our) evolution. They were found by the Dutchman Eugène Dubois and are part of the Naturalis collection.
The structure of the presentation follows the motto: Less is more. The room is impressive but simple in its design. Starting with an AV presentation, then a treasure house with the more important fossils and finally a lifelike image of Homo Erectus, based on the fossils, made especially for Naturalis.
Brightening effects
The exhibition was designed by Onne Brouwer from Designwolf. He devised a number of subtle but highly illuminating effects for the exhibition that Hypsos has developed in close collaboration with Onne.
These are a number of subtle effects that give the exhibition a special touch:
- The display case containing bone fragments and the human model. The femur and skull canopy are displayed in a black frame, which makes them seem to hang in the air. A mirror foil on the center wall of the showcase “projects” the image of the model over the bone fragments, which are suddenly visible at the place where they belong. You could speak of an analogous form of Augmented Reality.
- In the last area there is a lifelike primal woman whose bone fragments have been found. This reconstruction was made by the Dutch artists Adrie and Alfons Kennis. From the ground a number of floodlights are aimed at the rear wall, so that the visitors not only see the shadow of the primeval woman, but also their own. Now they are part of the story about human development.
• Design by Onno Brouwer from Designwolf
• Design development by Hypsos
• Construction of the exhibition by Hypsos
• Installation on location by Hypsos
• Lighting design
• Objectmounting by Marianne Inkelaar
• Wax statue by Gebr. Kennis & Kennis
Video by Naturalis Biodiversity Museum
