Face of the LIB: Dennis Nitz

You have been a museum supervisor at the LIB for ten years. How did you end up here back then?

To be honest: I needed a fresh start. My previous job as a shop detective in Harburg really dragged me down over time. I was often confronted with difficult situations and that affected my mood - so much so that my wife and family noticed. At some point, they gently pointed out to me that I should perhaps look for something that didn't involve so much negativity. When a friend of my mother-in-law told me that there was a vacancy at the museum, I spontaneously applied - even though I had no previous connection to the museum world. Looking back, it was the best decision I could have made. The museum opened up a whole new space for me, both professionally and personally.

What has changed for you since then - both in the museum and in yourself?

An incredible amount. When I started, we had maybe 150 visitors on a whole weekend. That was rather quiet. Today, on bad weather days, we have 1,600 to 1,800 people on a weekend day alone. You can just feel how the museum has gained in importance and visibility over the years. There are more offers, more guided tours, more programmes - and a much broader audience.
And I have changed at the same time. Ten years ago, I didn't care about many things that I take for granted today. Sustainability, conscious use of resources, a different view of animals and natural phenomena - all of this came about through my work here. In the past, I would have removed a wasp nest in the garden without further ado. Today, I'd rather hang up a "diversion sign" for my children and let nature do its thing. The museum has definitely made me a more mindful person.

Are there any natural facts that have particularly impressed or surprised you?

Oh yes, all the time! That's the beauty here: You never stop learning. A favourite moment was when I learned that the reindeer at Christmas markets should actually all be female. Male reindeer shed their antlers in winter - that means all those gorgeous antlers on advertising posters? They're all girls. I felt really misinformed over the years. Then the clouded leopard: when I learnt that it can hunt upside down by hanging itself under branches and pouncing on its prey from below - totally crazy. Facts like that stick with you. They bring the job to life.

How does the working day start - and how does it typically run?

In the morning, we start with a tour: Are all the preparations in the right place? Is anything damaged? Is the signposting correct? Then we look at the day's planning: Which guided tours are coming? Which groups? What needs support? During the day, it's all about service. Guests should feel that they are in good hands - whether they need quick information, guidance, a tip or simply someone to listen to them attentively. There are rarely unpredictable situations, but small "mishaps" are part of it: a child who gets sick, a fall, parents who are barely able to act out of excitement. Then we split up: One calms the child, the others the parents. That's when you realise how important experience and calmness are.

Do you have a favourite exhibit - or one that you get questions about particularly often?

That actually changes, depending on which animal surprised me last.
For a while it was the clouded leopard, then the bearded vulture. At the moment I'm particularly fascinated by its extreme stomach acidity, which decomposes bones in a very short time.

But the bear duo is a perennial favourite: the Kodiak bear and the Grizzly. Many visitors are convinced that we have mixed up the signs because the Kodiak bear is normally bigger. In our case, it's simply that the Grizzly bear was bigger than we could get. And people like to change the signs themselves - sometimes they even come to us proudly to say: "We've corrected that." That's always a good conversation starter.