De Rêves et de Plancton, plongée dans l'invisible

Carola Hein, Professor of the History of Architecture and Urban Planning at Delft University of Technology and 2026-2027 Fellow at the Paris IAS (City of Paris Chair), will present her work at the event "Of Dreams and Plankton: A Dive into the Invisible’, organised by the National Museum of Natural History on 1 October.

Presentation

The National Museum of Natural History is organising an afternoon dedicated to plankton, an essential component of aquatic life, water quality and climate regulation. The programme includes illustrated talks, microscope observations and discussions with scientists.

This event will also mark the launch of the comic book [title] by Dorothée Adam and Pierre-Yves Cezard, which focuses on past and present polar exploration missions. A book-signing session is planned for the occasion.

Programme

2.00 pm – 3.00 pm: Plankton sampling
Sampling in the ponds of the Jardin des Plantes’ School of Botany, modelled on the workshops and ‘Planctothons’ organised by the MNHN with schoolchildren, organisations and the general public.

3.00 pm – 5.00 pm: Microscopic observation
Observation of samples on the first floor of the MNHN’s Orangery, Buffon campus, led by Sahima Hamlaoui and pupils from the Wanda Nature club in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt.

5.00 pm – 7.30 pm: Institutional programme
Speeches in the presence of general and specialist media, [including a talk by Carola Hein, to be confirmed]. Exhibition for the general public on plankton, the collections and over 120 years of the MNHN’s research into aquatic environments, from freshwater to Antarctic habitats. Launch of the comic book *De rêves et de plancton* by Dorothée Adam and Pierre-Yves Cezard (published by Delcourt), followed by a cocktail reception.

This event will be attended by Catherine Chabaud, Minister for the Sea and Fisheries, and Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Region, as well as numerous representatives from the scientific community, citizen science initiatives and local authorities.

How to take part

In-person event at the Natural History Museum in Paris.

Open to the public upon registration for the afternoon and evening sessions as detailed below and in the attachments:

- Registration for the afternoon

- Registration for the evening