From Fortress of Knowledge Straight to the Sea – A Quarter-Century of Marine Biology

The Fortress of Knowledge celebrates 25 years of successful marine biology research at Palacký University in Olomouc. Throughout May 2026, the Living Water exhibition showcases treasures from the ocean depths – visitors will see collections of specific animal species that scientists and students of the Faculty of Science at Palacký University study during field work on the Croatian island of Veruda. The exhibition includes the "Underwater Cave" exhibit – a cast of a real underwater cave from the island of Veruda. The exhibition is complemented by photographs of the underwater world of the island of Bali. In collaboration with the Department of Zoology and the Department of Ecology and Environment of the Faculty of Science, a unique accompanying exhibition has been prepared that takes visitors directly beneath the surface. In addition to the exhibition, free popular-science lectures are held in the Lecture Hall at 15:00: May 19 "Seals with Seals" (Mgr. Helena Petrová, Olomouc Zoo) about a rescue station for seals on the Baltic Sea; May 20 "The Underwater World of Bali Island" (doc. RNDr. Milan Veselý, Ph.D., Department of Zoology) about coral reefs in Indonesia; May 21 "About Whales, Dolphins and People" (Mgr. Evžen Tošenovský, Faculty of Science). May weekends at the Fortress are also dedicated to bubbles – laboratory experiments with surface tension, a creative workshop for making bubble solution, and the "burning foam" experiment. The planetarium features a guided programme "Water on Earth and in Space" and the documentary "Phantom of the Universe – The Hunt for Dark Matter".