Urban nature with all your senses – Environmental experience of a different kind
Come along and use your senses to interrogate how you perceive the nature around you! We have three ‘laboratories’ where you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Play a tabletop game about ice and the changing seasons
- Develop your tastebuds to explore the taste of water in new ways
- Use sight and sound to think differently about the insects around you, and the emotions they inspire.
Join us to reflect together on what these new experiences can teach us about our own relationship with urban nature. The labs are open to all, including children! They are run by the Public Science Lab of the Technical University of Munich, featuring researchers Elis Jones, Desirée Hetzel, Sabina Leonelli, Anna-Maria Walter, and Anwesha Borthakur.
1. Fireflies and Cicadas: Stories of Encounters Between City and Nature
We may not know much about fireflies and cicadas, but we can often recognise them: a mesmerising cloud of light or chorus of chirping noises to be heard throughout the summer. At this station, use sight and sound to engage with these insects and the sensory worlds they create. The Public Science Lab, along with our Italian partner Pianeta Lab, have been asking people to tell stories and draw pictures about their interactions with these insects, as part of a campaign to put human experience at the centre of our understanding of biodiversity. Join us to hear and tell stories about insects, their impact on the environment, and how they’re being affected by human activity. Why are insects important? What do they mean to you? Which insects do you value and recognise, and why?
2. Can You Taste Munich’s Water?
Can you taste where your water comes from? Join us at our interactive water tasting station, where you will engage your senses—taste, smell, and sight—to identify Munich’s tap water among several samples. It is an invitation to explore our relationship with the water that flows through our city and our lives.
We will open up a conversation about what water means to us as Munich residents. What connection do we have to the water we drink every day? When you turn on the tap, what are you accessing—just H₂O, or something more? A shared resource? A link to the Isar, the Mangfall, our groundwater reserves?
This is an experimental space created by the TUM Public Science Lab Water Group (Desirée Hetzel with Felicia Linke) for learning and sharing the local Munich perspective on water. We want to hear what you already know, what you are curious about, and what concerns you.
3. From Snowflakes to Stories
Have you ever tried Bavarian curling? Whether you’re a seasoned player or completely new to the sport, we invite you to join a game of tabletop curling. While it’s a miniature version and sadly, without an icy surface, it offers a playful entry point into a long tradition of winter sports and active engagement with frozen landscapes.
As winters are changing, we’re curious about people’s experiences with snow and ice in Munich. And how do urban residents connect with the disappearing snow landscapes near the city? Join the conversation to share your experiences, reflect on local winter environments and explore the affective dimensions of climate change.
Public Science Lab 