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Quantum Universe
Cluster of ExcellenceQuantum Universe

The beginning of everything. Galaxies, quarks and collisions

Interactive Exhibition

Spiralnebel mit Schriftzug des Ausstellungstitels

Photo: UHH/NASA/ESO

“The beginning of everything” invites visitors to take a journey back in time to the origin of the universe 13.8 billion years ago – the Big Bang. It addresses questions which have puzzled humans for centuries and challenge our power of imagination. Starting from Earth and traveling through our solar system, the journey takes us through far-away galaxies to the edge of our visible universe.

Digital Exhibition Guide

Content

Exhibition Opening

Außenplakat der Ausstellung Wie alles begann am Museum der Arbeit

Photo: UHH/QU/Guggenberger

A Success Story

“The beginning of everything. About galaxies, quarks and collisions” was on show at Hamburg's Museum of Work from 26 October 2022 to 10 April 2023. Due to its great success, the interactive exhibition was extended until 7 May 2023. It attracted over 26,000 visitors of all ages with an interest in science.

Guest at the Hamburg Museum of Work

Grand opening of the exhibition on 25 October 2022 at the Hamburg Museum of Work with guests from the University of Hamburg, the DESY research centre, the funding bodies and the general public interested in science.

Themes of the Exhibition

The exhibition illustrated the current state of research in particle physics, astroparticle physics and cosmology and presented the scientific findings in an easily accessible, comprehensible and, above all, interactive way.

Foto mit Bannern der AusstellungsthemenFoto mit Bannern der Ausstellungsthemen

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

Interviews with Scientists

Everyday life as a scientist

At Hamburg's universities and research institutes, several hundred students and scientists are searching for the great secrets every day. Groundbreaking discoveries or revolutionary flashes of inspiration don't happen every day, of course. Nonetheless, there is more than enough for everyone to do.

My Path to Physics

Born to be a physicist? Interest, curiosity, inspiring experiences, direct career paths and detours: here, researchers from Hamburg's physics department report on everything they encountered on their way to becoming a physicist.

Science and Society

Fundamental research requires specialised high technology that cannot be bought anywhere. It is developed at universities and in laboratories, and the developers often discover ways in which these technologies can be used in everyday life. The World Wide Web is a well-known development that has greatly changed everyday life.

Future Research

Research on our world and the fundamental building blocks that make it up uses particle collisions at the very highest energies. Scientific progress is directly linked to the development of new types of particle accelerators, which are constantly opening up new energy scales.

For Children

What is the Big Bang? Have space and time always existed? What are the building blocks of the universe? And does our universe have an end? Five animated films for children explore these questions and explain where the science happens that investigates all these questions.

Art and Science

Marcel Große: Beschleuniger^3

Scientific processes form the basis of Marcel Große's artistic experiments. His installation “Beschleuniger^3” (Accelerator^3, 2022) is inspired by particle physics equipment for simulating the cosmic Big Bang and detecting Dark Matter.

Frau betrachtet Tanja Hehmanns Werk Beendigungsanfänge

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

Tanja Hehmann: Beendigungsanfänge

In her installation, “Beendigungsanfänge” (Endingsbeginnings, 2022), Tanja Hehmann addresses the question of the end of the universe posed at the conclusion of the exhibition with a multi-perspective approach to the eternal cycles that unfold between becoming and passing, birth and death.

Kunstinstallation Frassek von Jan Köchermann

Photo: Helge Mundt

Jan Köchermann: Frassek

In the 1960s, the forgotten particle physicist Hubertus M. Frassek invented an automobile with a funnel-shaped collector as a measuring device to prove the existence of tiny black holes. Jan Köchermann let his reconstruction of Frassek's Space Collector first search for minute black holes on the DESY premises in Hamburg in 2017.

Austellungsbesucher fotografieren Julia Münstermanns Werk Entropy

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

Julia Münstermann: Entropy

In her series Entropy (2020–22), Julia Münstermann utilises the contradictory principles of order and disorder, structure and chaos. Reminiscent of black and white images from space telescopes, the group of ink works resemble views of interstellar nebulae, black holes, star clusters and other cosmic phenomena.

Ausstellungsbesucher puzzeln an der Installation von Jana Schumacher

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

Jana Schumacher: Puzzle

The spatial ensemble “Puzzle” (Jigsaw, 2022) symbolizes the quest of science, which also applies to art and humanity in general, to solve the great riddles of the universe: mysteries that particle physics is seeking to unravel through the exploration of dark matter.

Midissage: Close Encounters

Dark energy, elementary particles, entropy and the end of the beginning – what drives artists to embark on a journey through space and time back to the Big Bang and how does this affect artistic work? An exchange with Marcel Große, Tanja Hehmann, Jan Köchermann, Julia Münstermann and Jana Schumacher.

Framework Programme

In addition to guided tours with young scientists, the exhibition offered a varied accompanying programme that was attended by over 1,100 people of all ages: Lectures, discussion panels, music nights, art happenings, film screenings and a science slam were popular events for engaging in dialogue with researchers and artists.

Public Guided Tours

“Particle physics for everyone” and “On dark matter and supersymmetry”: researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe guided visitors of all ages through the exhibition topics.

Wissenschaftlerin spricht vor Publikum

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

Special Guided Tours

“Meet the artist” & “Meet the scientist”: Special guided tours of the exhibition with artist Julia Münstermann and particle physicist Prof. Dr. Gudrid Moortgat-Pick.

Tuschezeichnungen

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

Pioneers of Art

Two classes from partner schools of the Museum of Work engaged in an artistic exploration of the Big Bang in the exhibition. The results were exciting artistic installations and two vernissages in the exhibition.

Besucher:innen im Ausstellungsraum

Photo: UHH/QU/Guggenberger

Close Encounters

Art meets science midissage with discussion, performance and live music: encounters with the artists Marcel Große, Tanja Hehmann, Jan Köchermann, Julia Münstermann and Jana Schumacher and their works.

PErformance mit Frauen in weißen Gewändern im Ausstellungsraum

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

Talks

Accompanying the exhibition, experienced researchers from particle physics, astrophysics, cosmology and mathematics gave insights into their main research areas relating to the Big Bang and the development of the universe in a varied programme of talks.

Wissenschaftler zeigt Experiment vor Publikum

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

“The beginning of everything” in Numbers

Ausstellungsbesucher an einem Videoterminal

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

• 26.500 Visitors

• 99 Public guided tours

• 65 Family tours

• 34 Guided tours for school classes

• 41 Guided tours in self-organized groups

• 20 Museum talks and special guided tours

• 23 Events in the framework programme accompanying the exhibition

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