The UNSEEN world of soil opens its doors and comes to life

Soil is the foundation of our existence, yet we rarely notice it. The exhibition "Unseen: The World of Soil" at ISRIC’s World Soil Museum changes that.

Presented by the Horizon Europe project CURIOSOIL, and organised by ISRIC, the UNSEEN World of Soil sensory exhibition officially opened with a festive gathering on September 10, 2026. The opening of this innovative and inspiring exhibition coincides with the 60th anniversary of ISRIC and its World Soil Museum.

The opening ceremony was led by the Chair of the ISRIC’s board, Professor Dr. Jakob Wallinga. Mr. Wallinga presented a big screen with sand grains visible under a microscope. As he gently brushed away the sand with a tool, the text “UNSEEN now opened” appeared. This spectacle officially and metaphorically opened the exhibition.

The Director of ISRIC, Rik van den Bosch, and the project leader and co-curator for the exhibition, Stephan Mantel, along with guest curator Ms Cristina Mosconi and the artists, introduced the museum’s work to the public. Education specialist Neelke Jacobs invited visitors to explore the exhibition and use all their senses.

The exhibition features six works by contemporary artists on the theme of soil. One work features a soil-tasting event organised by artist Masharu, with samples of edible earth from around the world. Another impressive display is Marcus Meader’s installation, which shows that the underground is alive and squeaks, grunts, rustles, and clicks, while soil sounds can be heard under different stressed environments, such as drought and pollution. The work of artists Dario Calderone and Maaike van der Linde, invites visitors to lie on a wooden bench in a dark corner and pretend to be a nematode, to feel underground vibrations through bone-conduction technology and experience soil by listening with the body rather than the ears. The work of Ninette Koning provides an immersive experience through a physical encounter with a soil sphere and it responds to gentle touches with subtle variations of light and sound.

Lastly, Poppy Flint’s work invites visitors to put their hands (representing water and air) in the voids of the clods hanging from the ceiling (representing soil pores). Once visitor’s arms are in the voids, the clods start lighting up and glowing along with soil sounds. Visitors can enjoy interacting with Lucia Moreno Spiegelberg’s work, an immersive landscape inspired by the dung beetle that celebrates nutrient cycling and the regenerative processes of soil. In addition to these art-science masterpieces, guests can view soil in minute detail (such as organisms or plastic) at the microscope station.

The opening concluded with a cheerful reception and a lively exchange about the visit to the exhibition.

Designed to captivate all ages, the exhibition also offers dedicated interactive materials for children aged 6 and up and deeper engagement for those 8 to 12 years, making it an inspiring experience for families and school groups alike.

Following its presentation in Wageningen, Unseen: The World of Soil will travel to Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva de Aveiro, Portugal, before becoming available in other venues across Europe.

This project is supported by the EU under the CURIOSOIL project.

Exhibition: Unseen: The World of Soil

Venue: ISRIC World Soil Museum, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Building 101, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands

Dates: 1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027

Opening time: 13:00-17:00 (Monday-Friday), 10:00-16:00 (3, 4 October), 10:00- 13:00 (Saturday 10, 17, 24 October)