Thin ice

Icy winds, freezing cold and months of darkness - the POLARSTERN's expedition to the Arctic was extreme. The research vessel drifted through the Arctic Ocean for over a year from 2019. The team collected information on the changing Arctic climate: a milestone for climate research.

Humanity is treading on very thin ice. Climate change is becoming increasingly noticeable even in our temperate latitudes. And the climate in the Arctic has already changed considerably. This is the result of the "Polarstern" expedition, which started in 2019. The special exhibition "Thin Ice" at the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (German Museum Traffic Center) shows how the researchers travelled, what exactly they did and what challenges they faced.

The "Thin Ice" exhibition in the loading area of the German Museum of Technology takes visitors on a climate expedition. School classes and families experience what it's like to do research in the Arctic. They measure the thickness of the ice, search for microorganisms and find out how long there will still be multi-year ice. It becomes clear: The Arctic is our early warning system. And the warning is clear. There is little time left. We must act now to prevent a climate catastrophe.

Last edited on 13.01.2026