Natural History Society Nuremberg

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Norishalle, Nuremberg; Seat of the NHG

The Natural History Society Nuremberg e. V. (NHG) , founded in 1801, is currently one of the largest voluntary scientific associations in Germany with around 1800 members .

General

The aim of the association is the dissemination of scientific, archaeological, prehistoric and ethnological knowledge as well as the promotion of nature conservation and monument preservation in Nuremberg and the region.

To this end, laypeople work together scientifically with experts in eleven departments.

Lectures, seminars, excursions and mushroom advice as well as permanent and special exhibitions are offered in its own museum. Once a year there is an annual report with articles on various specialist topics. Further publications are issued at irregular intervals. The NHG also looks after the open-air aquarium and terrarium in Stein, the Windloch (Großmeinfeld) and Breitensteiner Bäuerin (near Königstein ) caves , the "Külsheimer Gipshügel" nature reserve near Bad Windsheim , the Landersdorf Celtic house and archaeological projects.

The company has been based in the Norishalle, Marientorgraben 8, since 2000, where the museum is also located.

Departments

history

J. Wolf, JK Osterhausen, J. Sturm

In October 1801 the teacher Dr. Johann Wolf, the engraver Jakob Sturm and the doctor Dr. Johann Karl Osterhausen founded the Natural History Society (NHG) to “exchange views on scientific topics”. At the regular meetings, plants, animals and minerals were brought along, identified and incorporated into a joint collection. Between 1836 and 1846 the NHG temporarily ceased its activities, but without officially dissolving.

With the new beginning in 1846, the goal was set "... to promote the study of natural history and to spread the meaning of it in wider circles." In this sense, the first volume of the treatises was published in 1852 . External speakers gave presentations at the internal meetings.

In a revision of the statutes of 1882, the possibility of founding sections (departments) was created. The first was the section for anthropology, ethnology and prehistory in 1882, which was followed a year later by botany. In 1881, it was decided to set up a natural history museum with a library and assembly room. On December 14, 1884, the ceremonial handover of the house "Zur Blume" in Schildgasse and the opening of the first museum with two rooms took place. Excavations in the Nuremberg area, beginning in 1883 with the opening of a burial mound near Altdorf , expanded the collections as well as gifts and purchases.

On March 12, 1911, the company moved to the Luitpoldhaus, which offered more space. In addition to maintaining a museum, the NHG's activities consisted of popular educational work, involvement in nature conservation, research into the local flora, excavations, contributions to the geology of Nuremberg, advice on mushrooms and much more. The outbreak of World War I severely restricted activities, but society and collections survived it largely unscathed. In 1924 the NHG reached a temporary high point with 1528 members. The seizure of power by the National Socialists meant a critical situation for the somewhat liberal NHG; however, activities continued to a limited extent; politically sensitive areas were pushed into the background. At the beginning of the war, parts of the premises were occupied elsewhere, so that the collections had to be closed. The other NHG events continued until 1942.

The Luitpoldhaus was badly damaged by the air raid on January 2, 1945, but the association began again in September 1945. Larger lectures had taken place since 1948, another treatise appeared in 1950 and in November 1954 the Luitpoldhaus was ready for occupancy again. The society's lecture industry continued to flourish. However, the establishment of the museum lasted until 1960, as all work had to be done on a voluntary basis. From 1961 on, the annual report was expanded to include scientific reports on various NHG work.

From 1967 to 1985 Manfred Lindner was chairman of the NHG and founded the department for archeology abroad. From the 1970s he conducted regular surveys and excavation expeditions to the Nabataean city of Petra (Jordan).

In 1983, the long history of the company, in particular through the prehistory department, was recognized by the award of the monument protection medal. In 2000 the move to the Norishalle took place and the exhibition area and the work rooms were enlarged.

Collections

From 1880 onwards, the Natural History Society put on collections that were expanded through donations and purchases financed by donations. Her focus is on the following areas:

  • Foreign archeology (Petra / Jordan)
  • Botany ( herbarium specimens from the Middle Franconia region)
  • geology
  • Karst and speleology (findings from the region)
  • Moss and mushroom herbarium
  • Ethnology (especially the South Seas, Sahara, West Africa, Costa Rica, Siberia)
  • Prehistory (finds from the region)
  • Zoology and entomology

Natural History Museum Nuremberg

Natural History Museum Nuremberg

The Natural History Society Nuremberg has been running a museum, the Natural History Museum Nuremberg, since 1884, in which parts of the collections are exhibited.

The permanent exhibition comprises the following areas:

  • Ethnology
South Pacific: Focus on Papua New Guinea, alongside boat models from Micronesia
Sahara: Arab nomads from southern Morocco and Tuareg of the central Sahara
West Africa: masks, nail figures , manillas
Costa Rica: pre-Columbian archaeological finds from the Felix Wiß collection
Siberia: Depiction of the Niwchen way of life around 1900
  • prehistory
Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages with finds from the region and numerous reconstructions;
Special features and a. the Speikerner rider and the reconstruction of a carriage from the Hallstatt period
  • Archeology of Jordan
Finds from excavations in Petra and the surrounding area, replica of a biclinium
  • Karst and speleology
Representation of the development and importance of karst, cave models, skeleton of an adult and a newborn cave bear
  • geology
Geology of the region, especially the Franconian layer level country,
Fossils from the area; u. a. Plateosaurus
largest preserved iron meteorite in Germany from Untermässing
  • Zoology, entomology and botany are shown to a limited extent in changing showcases or in special exhibitions.

One or more special exhibitions on different topics take place every year.

Outdoor aquarium and terrarium

Outdoor aquarium and terrarium in Stein near Nuremberg

The outdoor aquarium and terrarium is not located at the headquarters in Nuremberg, but in Stein .

The aim of the facility is to bring the visitors closer to the native nature, especially the native reptiles , amphibians and fish . There is a selection of wild plants and medicinal herbs in the ponds and beds .

Originally intended to create feeding ponds for the aquariums in the museum, the system was first opened to the public in 1927. The aquariums and terrariums were moved from Nuremberg to Stein. Since then, the facility has been rebuilt and expanded several times.

The site is open to the public on weekends and public holidays from the beginning of May to the end of September.

literature

  • Horst-Dieter Beyerstedt: Chronicle of the Society and Departments , Abh. 44, Nuremberg 2001, ISSN  0077-6149

Web links

Coordinates: 49 ° 27 ′ 5.5 ″  N , 11 ° 5 ′ 3.8 ″  E