The Rainforest: The opening date has been set!
On November 9, the big day has finally arrived: We're opening our new section, “The Rainforest—the Amazon, the Andes, and the Atacama.”
The opening date for our newest South America expansion has been set! The new section will celebrate its official opening on the morning of November 9. Afterward, you’ll be able to explore this spectacular new world of the exhibition in all its glory.
After four years of intensive construction, a unique large-scale project is nearing completion. Created through close, cross-continental collaboration with our friends, the Martinez model-building family in Buenos Aires, and our team in Hamburg, the new display area spans over 170 square meters and brings together the most extreme landscape contrasts. The journey takes you through the lush, tropical heart of the dense Amazon rainforest, featuring the mystical ruins of El Dorado and Salto Ángel. The journey continues across the rugged Andes, featuring Machu Picchu and the colorful Rainbow Mountain, all the way to the barren Atacama Desert, with the vibrant artists’ town of Valparaíso, glittering salt lakes, and the world-famous Paranal Observatory beneath a dazzling starry sky.
But right up until opening day, we’re in the final sprint and working at full speed. Our model-building and technical team is currently putting everything through its paces: The 250 trains are being thoroughly tested once again, the massive Iguazú Falls—featuring real water—are being fine-tuned, and the push-button controls are receiving their final technical adjustments. At the same time, the model-building workshop is all about meticulous detail work: the final brushstrokes are being applied, and hand-painted figures and animals—from jaguars to tiny river crabs—are being carefully placed in their final positions.
If you'd like to get a behind-the-scenes look at our final preparations before launch, feel free to join us during this crucial phase. As always, we'll keep you up to date with regular updates and exciting behind-the-scenes glimpses on our social media channels and on YouTube!