Exhibition “Stones from Heaven” in the Römerpassage
The unique meteorite exhibition “Stones from the Sky – Extraterrestrial Matter” will be on display at the Römerpassage in Mainz from August 25 to September 6, 2025. Developed by the Laupheim Planetarium, the special exhibition showcases rare treasures from outer space.
The star of the “Stones from the Sky” exhibition is a rock from the moon! It comes from the over 1.4 kg meteorite Dar al Gani 400, the largest lunar meteorite ever found on Earth. The manned Apollo missions of the USA brought a total of 382 kg of lunar rock to Earth. The Soviet Union’s automated Luna probes collected 326 g of lunar rock and brought it to Earth. Around 30 kg of our moon found its way to Earth naturally as meteorites.
A small piece of Mars is also on display in the exhibition! Ten display cases showcase further treasures from the universe. They come from the debris ring orbiting the sun between the planets Mars and Jupiter (asteroid belt).
The cosmos has always fascinated people. Even in ancient times, stones that fell fiery to Earth were reverently worshipped as “messengers of the gods.” The extraordinary exhibition at the PEP Grimma showcases rare and valuable meteorites that captivate visitors with their diversity and exotic appeal.
At 4.5 billion years old, meteorites are the most primordial form of matter directly accessible to humans. The historic stone meteorite that fell from the sky in L’Aigle, Normandy, in 1803 can be admired at the PEP Grimma, as can the famous “Peekskill” meteorite, which struck a parked car in New York in 1992. Another highlight of the exhibition is a lifelike cast model of the “Neuschwanstein” meteorite, which fell near the famous castle in 2002. In addition to iron and stone meteorites, the PEP Grimma also exhibits the rare hybrid form of pallasite. Pallasites are rarer than gold and are known as the “jewels of the gods.”
A 100 cm diameter lunar globe is the eye-catcher of the exhibition. It is designed based on the latest probe images. The large globe shows the landing sites of all previous lunar landings.
A special highlight for young and old is a life-size astronaut figure. In the photo display, visitors of all ages can have their photo taken as a “Mars-o-naut” in front of a Martian landscape.
“We want to particularly appeal to schools with this interesting exhibition, which we are organizing in cooperation with the Laupheim Planetarium,” emphasizes Ms. Yuksel-Pektas from the Römerpassage.