Birds of Passage

“An exploration of avian migration — one of nature's most spectacular phenomena. This exhibition traces the invisible aerial highways that connect the Arctic to the tropics, examining migration not only as biology but as poetry.”

Every autumn, an invisible river flows across the sky. Billions of birds undertake journeys measured in thousands of kilometers, navigating by stars, magnetic fields, and memory. This exhibition is an attempt to make that invisible visible.

Through high-resolution photography, acoustic installations, and interactive maps, "Birds of Passage" invites visitors into the sensory world of migration. What does it feel like to navigate by Earth's magnetic field? How do birds find their way across featureless ocean? What are the ecological consequences when migratory pathways are disrupted?

The exhibition features seven species that undertake exceptional migrations: the Arctic tern, which completes a round-trip of over 70,000 kilometers between its Arctic breeding grounds and Antarctic wintering areas; the bar-tailed godwit, which completes the longest non-stop flight of any bird; and the amur falcon, which crosses the Indian Ocean in a single flight from China to east Africa.

A central installation presents real-time satellite tracking data from tagged migrants, showing their actual positions on a darkened global map. The birds move, sleep, and rest as visitors watch — a reminder that migration is not an event but a continuous, ongoing process happening at every moment.