What is fear about? Why is it important and why does the Zoological Museum Zurich feature an exhibition about this basic emotion? ZNZ News interviews Isabel Klusman of Life Science Zurich, responsible in Zurich for the exhibition “Don’t panic! Fear from head to toe”.
ZNZ News: Why an exhibition about fear?
Dr. Isabel Klusman: Panic or fear is a basic emotion with a negative touch. Yet, it is crucial for survival. Sometimes the emotion gets out of control: 14 % of the human population suffers from fear or panic disorders. As we start to better understand the mechanisms underlying fear, better therapies will be available to treat these disorders. All these aspects are covered in the exhibition organized together with the University of Geneva. The topic brings up a lot of emotions and results in lively discussions with visitors to the exhibition.
Who should visit?
The exhibition consists of two parts. The first part consists of interactive stations that involve all senses and aims at recognition of situations in which fear exists, in order to better understand the emotion. This part is very suited for families with children and school classes. The second part is more directed at adults. It shows what happens with people suffering from anxiety or panic disorders or social phobia. The objective is to create awareness of these disorders and help understanding them. Effective treatments exist for these disorders and are discussed at the exhibition.
Which activities have been planned during the exhibition?
We offer special guided tours both for families and for adults. These guided tours are led by PhD students of the ZNZ. We also organize special events and lectures where we show different aspects of the topic, e.g. fear in fairy tales. For the full program please visit our website.
”Don’t panic! Fear from head to toe“
26.8.2014 – 14.12.2014; Tuesday – Friday: 9-17 h; Saturday and Sunday: 10-17 h
Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Str. 4, Zurich
The exhibition is in German, English and French.
Free Entrance
Picture © Oliver Zimmermann