Wilderness at the centre – The new exhibition at the National Park Centre in Zernez

The Swiss National Park (SNP) was founded in 1914 with the aims of protecting a piece of Alpine nature from human intervention and documenting its natural development. This extraordinary rewilding experiment required intensive public relations work from the outset, as the term wilderness did not and does not necessarily have positive associations among the local Alpine population. In order to make the ecological significance of wilderness accessible to the general public in an attractive way, in 2019 the SNP decided to create an extensive exhibition on the topic of wilderness at the National Park Centre in Zernez. Five years passed between the initial idea and the final installation of the new permanent exhibition, involving many phases of development and hurdles to overcome. This article documents the approach, planning and implementation of this important project for the SNP, which was officially opened to the public on 3 June 2023.