The world famous environmental conservation organization WWF is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

WWF first commenced its global activities fifty years ago when it was set up as a foundation under Swiss law in 1961. What began as a donor organization has since become one of the largest environmental conservation agencies in the world. The founders of WWF were all British and united by their interest in birds and concern for the future of Africa’s national parks. WWF is currently supported by five million individuals and is engaged in projects in over 100 countries.

This exhibition relates the many twists and turns in the astonishing history of this nongovernmental organization. “WWF. A Biography” presents a wide variety of exhibits and reconstructed theme rooms, such as the one in which the founder members first assembled. There are sections devoted to the 1965 opening of the Coto Doñana National Park in Spain, for instance, and efforts to protect the flamingos on Lake Nakuru in Kenya. The universally known WWF panda logo is also accorded a prominent role in the exhibition.

For the first time ever in the museum’s history the inner courtyard is to be an integral part of the exhibition. The hands-on Footprint Garden is designed to engage all the senses and encourages visitors to examine their own footprint with respect to water, soil, raw materials and energy. While interactively exploring assorted everyday scenes in nine different zones, visitors can find out what resources they consume at home and on the move. This is made possible by the “footprint calculator” at the centre of the garden, which visitors can use to work out their own individual ecological footprint. The garden promises to be particularly exciting for children who love to explore and discover.