The forest as a diverse habitat is more important than ever. It is important to know and understand them in order to preserve the old UNESCO beech forests. Dr. Stodian, head of the Jasmund National Park department, explains the different layers of the forest on the chalk cliffs on Rügen in Germany's smallest national park.
Because the Stubnitz is a national park, humans are not allowed to intervene. Stodian shows an uprooted giant tree. Behind it, a fox snorts through the grass. Frogs are croaking. Stodian knows exactly how important deadwood is for the forest: fungi decompose it, then moss and grass grow on it, and beetles take up residence. Deadwood also develops because the beech trees sometimes do not find enough support on the drier trees. The good thing about this is that it creates space for new forest communities to develop.
Beeches have been growing on Jasmund for 800 years. Beech forests were once the European primeval forest. But today they are rare. With over 650,000 trees, Jasmund has the largest contiguous beech forest in the entire Baltic Sea region. But the other protected areas in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - the Ivenack oaks, the Dar Forest and the primeval forest on the Peene River - are also magnificent cathedrals of nature.
Welcome to the PAHLHUUS, the visitor centre of the UNESCO biosphere reserve „Schaalsee“. We are happy to inform you about touristic offers and show you the most beautiful places in the biosphere reserve. Extraordinary insights into nature and landscape of the region await you in an interactive exhibition.
In the little village named Serrahn, which is located in the depths of the woods, visitors have the opportunity to have a look at the exhibition “Buchenurwälder der Karpaten und Alte Buchenwälder Deutschlands“ concerning the UNESCO world natural heritage.
Accessible exhibition "The fishermen of Boek
The Natural Heritage Centre Rügen with treetop path and experience exhibition is open 364 days a year so that you can experience and get to know nature all year round.
The hiking base near the port town of Sassnitz on the island of Rügen is dedicated to the UNESCO World Natural Heritage idea. Nature lovers can learn about the phenomenon of ancient beech forests here or simply linger in the greenery, fortify themselves and unwind.
The visitor information centre called “Kratzeburger Flatterhus“ houses an exhibition about the mysterious hunters of the night: the bats.
The NATUREUM as a natural history museum in the National Park of "Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft" is located on the peninsula Darß near Prerow directly at the accessible lighthouse Darßer Ort and is one of several locations of the German Oceanographic Museum. Here, the diversity, dynamics and need for protection of the unique Darß landscape are presented in particular.
Accommodation bureau, event service, sale of touristic relevant articles such as bike and hiking maps, picture postcards, illustrated books, guided city tours (including climbing the tower of the city’s cathedral), awarding touristic fishing licences
The exhibition about the nature park “Mecklenburgische Schweiz und Kummerower See“ in Basedow can be found in the cafe “Alter Schafstall“, on the right side of the guest room. It displays land and people of the region.
With its five exhibitions and 46 aquariums, the OZEANEUM Stralsund invites you on an extraordinary underwater journey beneath the northern seas. Visit Humboldt penguins on the roof terrace, "Niki" the female sand tiger shark in the 2.6-million-litre pool "Open Atlantic" and the giants of the sea - real life replicas of whales.
Since 2004, the former forester’s and guest house of the “Fürsten zu Putbus“ houses a visitor centre about the UNESCO biosphere reserve “Südost-Rügen“.
The visitor centre of the national park is located close to a small timbered church in the building of the former village school and houses a photograph exhibition with the topic ”Vögel und Co. am Zotzensee”.
Since 1997, the Elbe river landscape has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve that stretches across five federal states. The nature there is unique and the river influences the life, the landscape and people along the Elbe. At the visitor cente fortress of Dömitz visitors can get information about the UNESCO biosphere reserve.
The central contact point for nature lovers and guests of the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heath Nature Park is the Karower Meiler Culture and Information Center. In addition to a permanent exhibition on the development of this cultural landscape since the last cold period, five to six special exhibitions by artists and photographers on topics of nature and landscape are shown annually.
A green oasis lies in the centre of Schwerin, which is characterised by a 3 ha large bird meadow as well as semi-natural animal enclosures, which are a second home to the 650 animals from 120 species. Schwerin zoo is one of the most beautiful in Germany.
At Rostock Zoo, the best zoo in Europe, experience 4,200 animals in 430 different species from all over the world in just one day. In the DARWINEUM, you will embark on a spectacular journey through evolution. The heart of the living museum beats in the Tropical Hall - home to the gorillas and orangutans. Open daily from 9 a.m.
The national park and visitor centre “Darßer Arche“ is located in the old school of Wieck, which was supplemented by a generous extension. The guest information and accommodation bureau welcomes you in the foyer and in the hull-looking new building of the “Darßer Arche“ you will experience the national park exhibition “Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft“.
The island of Usedom is one of the areas with the most bird species in Germany. Overall, more than 280 species have been observed, 150 of them also brood here. 11 kinds of raptors regularly brood in the nature park, one of them is the sea-eagle. The visitor centre of the island of Usedom is located next to the information centre of the city of Usedom on the ground floor of the “Klaus-Bahlsen-Haus”. The visitor centre could only be built and furnished with the aid of the great commitment and the generous support of the correspondent foundation.
Visitor centre of the National Park “Vorpommernsche Boddenlandschaft”
Das kleine Gutsdorf Schwarzenhof verfügt über eine Nationalpark-Information mit einer Fotoausstellung.
Right next to the famous Königsstuhl chalk cliffs and the UNESCO World Heritage Old Beech Forests, the KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Center offers a special nature experience for the whole family, whatever the weather. A world full of secrets is waiting to be discovered on 2,000 square meters of exhibition space and 28,000 square meters of outdoor area - multilingual and barrier-free.
"Veränderung" (change) is the title of the exhibition in the visitor information centre of the National Park “Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft” and hardly anything could be more appropriate for the island of Hiddensee, which is constantly growing and changing due to the forces of nature.
The little village Waase, located on the isle of Ummanz, combines the scenic indentation and the island and timbered idyll. The visitor information and a small national park exhibition are combined under the thatched roof of the ”Alte Küsterei”. The colourful diversity of the isle of Ummanz and the national park represent the main focus of the small exhibition that has been renewed in 2018.
Brown bears – all of which came from improperly kept habitats – live in Western Europe’s largest bear sanctuary in the Mecklenburg Lakes. It is open all year round!
The visitor information centre in Warin is the ideal starting point in order to inform oneself about the different destinations and experiences the nature park offers. One can learn something about the landscape’s formation and the way the human’s occupation influenced its development. The unique flora and fauna of the nature park greatly fascinate the visitors. Borrow a backpack at the visitor centre and discover the nature park in your own way.
Life by a river like the Elbe has many advantages that people have used for centuries. At the same time, they had to protect themselves from the dangers of flooding and built dikes and dams. The open-air exhibition “EinFlussReich”, located in the immediate vicinity of the famous Elwkieker observation tower, provides children and adults with information on the subject of flooding in a playful way.
The Müritzeum shows the beauty and special features of the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Müritz National Park in an interactive exhibition. In Germany's largest aquarium landscape for native freshwater fish, you dive under the water surface of the 1000 lakes.
The exhibition “Lebensräume“ displays the history and present of the Ostzingst.
Im südöstlichen Bereich der Mecklenburgischen Seenplatte zwischen den Städten Fürstenberg, Woldegk und Neustrelitz befindet sich der 36.000 Hektar große Naturpark Feldberger Seenlandschaft. Neben zahlreichen Seen und Kesselmooren sind hier mit etwas Glück See- und Fischadler oder Biber zu bewundern.
