Photo: Deutsches Museum | Hubert Czech
Natural Sciences
Atomic Physics – Everything you need to know about the atom
What is radiation? Do atoms really exist? What is quantum physics? Explore the structure, appearance and properties of atoms with the help of numerous experiments and original exhibits.
Welcome to the world of the smallest particles! With quantum mechanics as its theoretical framework, atomic physics has had a decisive influence on the 20th century and it forms the basis of many technical developments that are part of our world today. This exhibition reveals how physicists have come to understand the structure of atoms and the resulting opportunities and risks. Exhibits such as the Geissler tube, the Curie apparatus, the first German cyclotron and a model depicting the Schrödinger’s cat experiment provide answers to questions such as what is radiation? Do atoms really exist? What is the structure of an atom? What is quantum physics? What is nuclear radiation? What is high-energy physics? And what is the structure of the nucleus? A “nuclear body” at the centre of the exhibition serves as an experimental area, with hands-on exhibits that help visitors to find their own answers to elementary questions about atomic, nuclear and particle physics.
Highlights of the new exhibition
Photo: Deutsches Museum | Reinhard Krause
Schrödinger's cat
A thought experiment on the superposition of states and the measurement problem by Erwin Schrödinger from 1935 shows the seemingly absurd understanding of reality in quantum mechanics according to the Copenhagen interpretation: as a result of a quantum process, a cat should exist in a closed box as a superposition of dead and alive - until someone opens the box. The mind game was staged by the workshops of the Deutsches Museum.
Apparat zur Messung der Radioaktivität nach Curie. (Inv.-Nr. 9042) Photo: Deutsches Museum | Christian Illing
Marie and Pierre Curie's apparatus for measuring radioactivity
Marie Curie took part in Becquerel's investigation of uranium radiation. She discovered that two uranium minerals - pitchblende and chalcolite - showed such high activity that their uranium content was not sufficient to explain it. Together with her husband, she used chemical analyses to find the source of this strong radiation: two radioactive elements that were still unknown at the time.
When will this event take place?
Discover which activities are taking place by checking our daily programme, which is published at around 9.20 each day. Our programme changes daily and includes guided tours, demonstrations, science shows and hands-on activities for individual visitors and small groups of up to five people. All programme events are held in German. They begin either directly where the activity is set to take place or at a guided-tour meeting point in the relevant exhibition.
Facts and Figures
- Location: Level 1
- Exhibition space: approx. 270 m2
- Exhibits and models: 67
- Media stations: 9
- Demonstrations: 16
- Dioramas: 3
View Inside the Atomic Physics Exhibition
We concede
The new Atomic Physics exhibition
History, stories and experiments on the smallest particles that surround and permeate everything: Curator Christian Sicka presents the new atomic physics exhibition.
You have specialist questions for our curator?
Scientific team (l.t.r.): Dr. Christian Sicka, Dr. Neslihan Becerici-Schmidt. Photo: Deutsches Museum | 2022 | Sabine Rinberger
Team Atomic Physics
![]()
Dr. Christian Sicka
Curator
![]()
Dr. Neslihan Becerici-Schmidt
Scientific Associate
Do you have organizational questions?
Cornelia Schubert
Assistance to department heads, main department heads and curators
Susanne Schmölz
Assistance to department heads, main department heads and curators
