Colourful Life – An Expedition in the Hungarian Countryside

There are billions of living, breathing, scurrying creatures on our planet– but what's common in all of them? The answer is connectivity: an invisible link connecting all lifeforms on Earth. We are shaped by the same evolutionary forces, we are built of the same material, we work on the same principles. Natural selection is the root of diversity that shaped humanity and continues to shape us to this present day. Take a stroll under the terrifying jaws of a now extinct shark, be part of a mammoth hunt in the grasslands, rest in the most charming forests of Hungary or get a bird’s-eye view of the most beautiful places and creatures of the country. Learning of nature helps us understand the importance of conserving biodiversity. The Hungarian Natural History Museum, as an institution dedicated to research and conservation of biodiversity, created its new permanent exhibition Colourful LIFE, responding to a long expressed public desire. The exhibition pays due respect to the richness and diversity of life on which human life depends, as well. The manifold landscapes and the species richness of natural habitats are shown with hundreds of original, preserved specimens, several life-sized replicas, and spectacular photos, while a few examples display the genetic variability of different species. On our “expedition” in the Hungarian countryside, we can get to know and understand the geological and evolutionary processes playing a key role in the development of the habitats of today and the plant and animal species living there.