Monkeys – A Primate Story

SPECIAL EXHIBITION
17 MAY 2023 – 25 FEBRUARY 2024

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF DENMARK
Øster Voldgade 5–7, Copenhagen

A primate storyThe jungle arrives at the Natural History Museum of Denmark as primates swing from the branches, hang by their tails and screech from the canopy. From huge gorillas to tiny mouse lemurs – step into the wondrous world of primates and meet your relatives in the biggest exhibition ever about apes and monkeys.

More than 60 spectacular taxidermy specimens of monkeys, apes, lemurs, lorises and bush-babies are revealed in the moste extensive exhibition on primates ever. This family friendly exhibition is the first to show primates behaving as if they were in the wild. Dynamic poses capture the wide variety of behaviours of some of the world’s most endangered primates.

Interactives throughout the exhibition bring the displays to life for children and adults alike, allowing them to discover more about our closest cousins.

Displays explore communication, social groups and behaviours. Here, you can learn more about the visual signals, language and scent-marking used by primates.

Audience in the exhibition Monkeys. Photographer: Frederik Wolff.

Challenge each other in a quiz, examine skulls and bones and learn more about all kinds of apes and monkeys in the Monkey Workshop. You can hear the sounds of the monkeys, imitate their facial expressions and make your very own monkey mask to bring home.

In the exhibition, you will meet the museum hosts, who will show you exciting objects and tell you stories from the world of monkeys.

Young people studying monkey portraits in the exhibition

The award-winning wildlife photographer and zoologist Mogens Trolle has traveled the world to capture primates at eye level with his camera. As part of the exhibition, you can experience ten of his most expressive monkey portraits, which give us a unique insight into the primates' emotional life and use of facial expressions.

Take a peek and get the stories behind some of the amazing portraits.

Dreng med gorilla i udstillingen Aber. Fotograf Frederik Wolff

Billeder af konservator i udstillingen Aber

Bedsteforældre og dreng i udstillingen Aber. Fotograf Frederik Wolff

Udstoppet abe i udstillingen Aber. Fotograf Frederik Wolff

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the exhibition in the video above, or click for more photos.

We offer a comprehensive program of activities for both young and old when the exhibition Monkeys opens at the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Extend the experience with a guided tour, an event, science talks or activities for school classes.

Address

Natural History Museum of Denmark
Øster Voldgade 5-7
1350 Copenhagen K
Tlf: 22 82 76 79

2 out of 3 species are endangered

Today, there are more than 500 living species of primates, and 2 out of 3 are endangered.

The exhibition explore the human impact and our responsibility to stop e.g. the destruction of habitats. Also, get an insight into, how we can save species from extinction, and advice on what you can do yourself.