“Microworlds” Exhibition on Display at the Vladimir Nazor Library

“Microworlds” Exhibition on Display at the Vladimir Nazor Library

15 October – 15 November 2026 | Vladimir Nazor Library, 13 Vodovodna Street, Zagreb

The Croatian Natural History Museum presents its exhibition “Microworlds – Nature Revealed through the Lens of an Electron Microscope” at the Children’s and Young Adults’ Department of the Vladimir Nazor Library in Zagreb. The exhibition runs from 15 October to 15 November 2026 as part of Croatian Book Month, a national event dedicated to books and reading.

What do plants, animals, minerals and fossils look like when viewed from a perspective invisible to the naked eye? This exhibition reveals the fascinating shapes, structures and intricate details of the natural world through modern electron microscopy.

Unlike conventional optical microscopes, which use light, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) uses a focused beam of electrons to produce highly magnified, high-resolution images of specimen surfaces. Its characteristic black-and-white images, with remarkable depth of field and an almost three-dimensional appearance, reveal complex natural structures that often resemble landscapes from another world.

The specially adapted exhibition features eight large-format SEM images of specimens from the Museum’s natural history collections. Visitors can explore the extraordinary diversity of microscopic structures found in minerals, fossils, plants and animals, discovering how their study helps scientists understand the composition, origins and functions of natural forms.

A particular highlight is an enlarged model of a springtail, a tiny cave-dwelling animal with a remarkable body structure, offering visitors a rare opportunity to encounter a creature from a world normally hidden from human sight.

Combining science, technology and visual aesthetics, “Microworlds” encourages curiosity and a deeper appreciation of nature. By bringing the exhibition to a public library, the Croatian Natural History Museum continues its mission of making natural history accessible to a wider audience, particularly children and young people.

We invite you to explore “Microworlds” and discover the extraordinary details hidden within the natural world around us.

Exhibition information

• Dates: 15 October – 15 November 2026
• Venue: Vladimir Nazor Library, Children’s and Young Adults’ Department, Vodovodna 13, Zagreb
• Exhibition authors: Snježana Mikulčić Pavlaković, MSc; Marin Šoufek; and Iva Mihoci, PhD
• Scientific collaborators and specimen preparation: Snježana Mikulčić Pavlaković, Marin Šoufek, Marko Lukić, Igor Boršić, Suzana Buzjak, Damir Lacković and Bruno Aljinović