Molassic Park
The exhibition Molassic Park – an expedition to Bavaria’s great apes, primitive elephants and subtropical forests was developed as a joint project by Museum Mensch und Natur, Biotopia – Naturkundemuseum Bayern, the Bavarian State Collection of Palaeontology and Geology, the Munich-Nymphenburg Botanical Gardens and the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.
The exhibition was inspired by the discovery of bones of the great ape Danuvius guggenmosi, known as “Udo”, who lived 11.6 million years ago and who presumably already walked upright. However, the exhibition went far beyond this, as visitors were given an insight into the development of the landscape, flora and fauna between 17 and 11 million years ago – including the time of the impact of the Ries asteroid 15 million years ago.
Extraordinary fossils from various sites in Bavaria bring the fauna and flora of the freshwater molasse to life in the exhibition and are brought to life in large-scale landscape reconstructions by the well-known Spanish palaeo-artist Mauricio Antón. A special highlight are the sensational finds of the great ape “Udo”, which were discovered a few years ago.
Dr. Madelaine Böhme, Professor of Terrestrial Palaeoclimatology at the University of Tübingen and head of the excavation team that found the fossils of “Udo”, and Caroline Illinger, who played a leading role in the conception of the touring exhibition, spoke at the exhibition opening. Introductory remarks by Museum Director Prof. Stefan Hölzl were followed by words of welcome from Lord Mayor David Wittner, Deputy District Administrator Claudia Marb and Dr. Elisabeth Schepers, Secretary General of the Bavarian State Natural History Collections.