Microworlds – Nature Revealed Through the Lens of an Electron Microscope
“`html
Micro Worlds – Nature Revealed Through the Lens of the Electron Microscope
The exhibition reveals the hidden side of the natural world through images obtained
using a scanning electron microscope, opening up a micro-world of minerals, rocks,
plants, animals, and fossils.
Basic Information
Snježana Mikulčić Pavlaković, MSc
Marin Šoufek
Iva Mihoci, PhD
Croatian Natural History Museum
Exhibition annex, level -2
23 Dec 2025 – 23 Apr 2026
City of Zagreb
Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia
Croatian Natural History Museum
About the Exhibition
The exhibition “Micro Worlds – Nature Revealed Through the Lens of the Electron Microscope”
pushes the boundaries of perception and reveals the hidden side of the natural world.
Visitors are introduced to the micro-world of minerals, rocks, plants, animals,
and fossils, seen through the “eyes” of a scanning electron microscope, or SEM.
This exhibition is not only a presentation of exceptional technology, but also a
deeper insight into the structure and architecture of living and non-living matter —
a journey that changes how we see objects we think we already know.
Broader Context
Museum modernization
As part of the project Heritage Guardian as a Catalyst for Development,
Research and Learning, the new Croatian Natural History Museum was fully
renovated, reconstructed, and expanded with a new permanent exhibition and new
museum facilities.
Public research laboratories
A significant part of the funding was invested in equipping laboratories,
purchasing laboratory equipment, and establishing laboratories open to the public.
Investment
The European Regional Development Fund and the City of Zagreb invested €573,000.00
in this activity, of which €360,000.00 was invested in the purchase of the electron microscope.
New units
Two new units were established within the Conservation and Preparation Department:
the Preparation Unit and the Research Laboratories Unit, which includes the DNA
Laboratory, SEM Laboratory, and Natural Science Laboratory.
Interdisciplinary Work
The exhibition is the result of joint and interdisciplinary work by experts from
several museum departments — mineralogy and petrography, paleontology, zoology, and botany.
These experts combined their knowledge to present fascinating details of minerals,
rocks, fossils, animals, and plants in a way not previously seen in museum exhibitions.
Central Part of the Exhibition
Large-format images obtained using a scanning electron microscope
Minerals, rocks, fossils, plants, and animals
Original objects, photographs, models, and holograms
Samples on holders prepared for SEM observation
The central part of the exhibition consists of large-format images obtained using
SEM, whose exceptional resolution reveals astonishing plant microstructures, surface
details of biological organisms, the beauty of mineral symmetry, and fossil traces
of ancient life forms invisible to the naked eye.
The exhibition presents twenty examples of diverse natural history museum material.
Comparing SEM images with original objects allows visitors to connect directly with
the object and realize how much information is actually hidden within it.
Scientific Importance of Microscopy
Microscopy bridges the macro and micro world
- in geology, it reveals mineral and chemical composition, mineral morphology, and rock textures
- in biology, it provides insight into functional morphology, adaptive mechanisms, and biological processes
- in paleontology, it reveals invaluable details about extinct species
An electron microscope enables much higher resolution and magnification than an
optical microscope because it uses a beam of electrons instead of light, revealing
fine details that optical systems cannot resolve.
Contributors and Text Authors
Snježana Mikulčić Pavlaković, MSc; Marin Šoufek; Iva Mihoci, PhD;
Martina Šašić Kljajo, PhD; Irena Grbac, PhD; Marko Lukić, PhD;
Biserka Radanović-Gužvica, MSc; Ivan Razum, PhD; Damir Lacković;
Igor Boršić, PhD; Suzana Buzjak, PhD; Marija Bošnjak, PhD;
Dražen Japundžić; Katarina Krizmanić and Bruno Aljinović.
For Visitors
“Micro Worlds – Nature Revealed Through the Lens of the Electron Microscope”
is a visually striking and educational exhibition that combines science, technology,
and the artistic aesthetics of microscopic imagery.
The exhibition is intended for a broad audience, aiming to present the application
of electron microscopy in natural science research in an accessible way.
“`
Authors
Snježana Mikulčić Pavlaković; Marin Šoufek