Fascinating World Beneath Our Feet
- 11 March 2025
Underground World
This underground world is teeming with life, featuring an intricate network of roots, fungi, and other microorganisms, alongside pipes, cables, and pillars that support Amsterdam. Our soil is more important than we realise—it can even reveal how healthy our living environment truly is.
Healthy Soil
To experience underground life firsthand, visitors to the exhibition will literally crawl into the earth, turning the world upside down and making the impact of soil on urban life visible. A healthy soil contributes to biodiversity, climate adaptation, and a thriving environment. Think of worms reducing rainwater puddles or trees standing firmer in healthy ground.
Interactive Exhibition
In addition to this interactive installation and an introductory film, Station Soil hosts daily workshops, encouraging visitors to explore the role of soil through hands-on activities. One such activity is the game Parliament of Underground Affairs, allowing visitors to step into the shoes of different users of the soil and gain new perspectives.
Under the Spell of the Soil
The Groote Museum developed Onderstebodem in collaboration with the Academic Soil Workplace (AWB), a partnership between the Municipality of Amsterdam, Waternet, and Naturalis. Joyce van den Berg, the leader of AWB, explains: "Amsterdam is growing; new buildings are rising, and the city is working on sustainable solutions for energy, mobility, and climate adaptation. Where all these future plans intersect, space is becoming increasingly scarce—not just above ground, but especially below the city. How can we work together to ensure a healthy soil?"
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