Brockenhaus Interactive Experience
at the National Park Visitor Centre

Brockenhaus Interactive Experience

A journey through the magic and diversity of the mountain – Interactive exhibits, multimedia installations, and a walk-through forest bring the Brocken’s unique natural phenomena and the changing landscape to life.

As the highest massif north of the Alps, the Brocken is a unique location for experiencing extreme natural phenomena and the tangible impacts of climate change. At the modern Brocken Information Centre, these processes and human influence on nature are explained in a multimedia, multi-sensory, and highly engaging way for all age groups.

The new permanent exhibition uses interactive, hands-on stations to illustrate the mountain's unique climatic conditions and its fascinating yet highly endangered flora and fauna. A central highlight is a walk-in, life-sized forest installation where the boundaries between reality and the exhibition space blur. Visitors experience the stark contrast between the monotony of commercial forestry and the overwhelming biodiversity of a pristine primeval forest, learning firsthand how a dying commercial forest can be transformed into a resilient forest of the future. Digital binoculars provide insights into the "secret life" of the forest, complemented by a playful auditory animal quiz. Additionally, a large, interactive 3D landscape model takes visitors on a journey through the different climatic phases of evolution, making the historical transformation of the landscape tangibly understood.
The second part of the exhibition, located in the building's dome, is dedicated to the history of the Brocken during the division of Germany. It highlights its strategic importance as a restricted military zone and the paradoxical effects of this isolation on the undisturbed development of nature in this unique area. Interactive stations convey the differing perspectives and actions of East and West.

Designed in accordance with the inclusive "Design for All" principle, the exhibition is fully accessible. A portable media guide flexibly caters to diverse needs—offering audio descriptions for the visually impaired, easy-to-read language for those with cognitive disabilities, and an entertaining discovery level for children and young people. The exhibition also sets standards in ecological sustainability: by utilizing recycled building materials, energy-efficient lighting and media technology, and an exceptionally robust, durable construction for all mechanical components, it meets the highest standards of environmental responsibility.

Client
Harz National Park Administration
Location
Wernigerode, Brocken
Type
Interactive permanent exhibition
Services
Service phases 1–7 in accordance with HOAS. Scenography, exhibition architecture, graphic design, lighting design, wayfinding system design
Team
Julia Scholzen, Dominik Mycielski, Valerie Kemper, Stefan Nowak, Media Planning and Technology: 235 Media
Completion
235 Media Köln, Designbauwerk Köln
Photos
© nowakteufelknyrim