From 24 March 2025, the photo exhibition “Fascination of Science” by renowned German photographer Herlinde Koelbl will be displayed at UNU in partnership with the German Centre for Research and Innovation Tokyo (DWIH Tokyo). The exhibition will be open on weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00 on the second floor of the UNU Headquarters building in Tokyo.
Evolution does not happen on a grand scale. It starts with the small things — the personal things, human curiosity, an idea, a first step — from which the progress grows into a whole new world.
The exhibition features portraits of 20 Nobel Prize laureates and famous scientists from Japan and abroad. For the portraits, Herlinde Koelbl asked each laureate to write the essence of their research on their hand — bringing the fascinating world of science literally within reach!
The 20 scientists in the portraits include Nobel laureates Shinya Yamanaka, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Carolyn Bertozzi, as well as luminaries from a variety of scientific fields ranging from astronomy and biochemistry to quantum physics and stem cell research.
The exhibition began in Germany in 2020 and has since travelled around the world. In Japan, the series has been exhibited in Kyoto, Okinawa and Tokyo.
The exhibition includes information in Japanese and English.
Venue
The exhibition is located on the second floor of the United Nations University Headquarters building in Tokyo. Admission is free and open to all. Pre-registration is not required.
Opening hours
Weekdays 10:00-17:00
The exhibition is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and UNU holidays (31 March, 5–6 May, 6 June). The exhibition may be fully or partially inaccessible on the following days* due to events being held in adjacent spaces: 24 March, 27 March, 31 March, 1 April
*Dates are subject to change. Please check this webpage for the latest information.
UNU@50
As a part of the UNU 50th anniversary celebration, UNU is bringing the past, present and future of UNU closer to local communities. The photo exhibition “Fascination of Science” highlights outstanding scientific achievements while fostering engagement with the curiosity that drives innovation. To learn more, visit: https://unu.edu/unuat50
About the photographer
Herlinde Koelbl is one of the most famous German photographic artists. Her work has been presented in numerous exhibitions. She has received many awards, including the Dr. Erich Salomon Award and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. More than a dozen photo books bear witness to Herlinde Koelbl’s great work, including “Angela Merkel: Portraits 1991–2021”, “Fascination of Science”, “The German Living Room”, “Strong Women” and “Jewish Portraits”. Her biggest project to date is the long-term study “Spuren der Macht” (Traces of Power), in which she photographed and interviewed personalities from politics and economics from 1991 until 1998.
