ADVERTISING
25 original artifacts from the solar system on permanent display for the first time
Darmstadt, December 18, 2025. The Hessian State Museum in Darmstadt has expanded its permanent exhibition on Earth and life history and is now presenting 25 genuine meteorites . On display are iron meteorites, stony-iron meteorites, and stony meteorites – thus representing all three main groups of meteorites. The exhibits originate from inner planets, the Moon, the asteroid belt, and even the outer solar system.
Ambassadors from space
Meteorites are fragments of rock or metal from space that do not completely burn up upon entering Earth's atmosphere and reach the Earth's surface. They are considered "messengers from space" because they provide valuable information about the formation of the solar system. Many contain matter that has remained virtually unchanged for billions of years.
Historical collection with a long tradition
The first meteorite – then known as an aerolith or air stone – entered the princely collection over 200 years ago and was presumably used for research purposes. Following the opening of the State Museum, a large iron meteorite was added in 1909 as a donation from the Merck company, and it remains one of the collection's key objects to this day.
A look at the Moon, Mars and modern space travel
The new presentation offers the public a fascinating glimpse into previously rarely seen parts of the meteorite collection. Original specimens from the Moon, Mars, the asteroid belt, and the outer reaches of the solar system illustrate the cosmic processes that also played a role in the formation of Earth. The exhibition is complemented by an interactive station that visualizes current space missions and shows the current locations of humanity's space probes.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PM/HLMD)
Featured image: HLMD/Ebert
