NIOZ Open Day Texel - full programme

First floor

1. Photo boat

Step into the shoes of our researchers and crew as they set out on their vessels. Put on some waders, or perhaps your lifejacket and safety helmet, grab your tools, step on board and strap yourself in on our photo boat!

2. Ocean Hall: public lectures and film screenings

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3. Stratification: water layers in the ocean 

There’s no wind underwater, and yet there are currents in the ocean. The temperature of the water and differences in salinity at certain locations play an important role in this. How? We’ll let you discover that for yourself here!

4. Ocean acidification demonstration

The ocean plays a vital role in our climate, as it can absorb and store CO₂ from the atmosphere. But all that CO₂ also makes the ocean more acidic. How exactly does that work? And how do factors such as temperature – for example, due to polar ice – or the depth of the ocean influence this process? We’ll show you with a live demonstration (duration 10–15 mins)

5. Make your own deep-sea creature

The deep sea remains largely unexplored. But contrary to what many people think, it’s teeming with life! And all those animals and plants have adapted to the harsh conditions so deep in the ocean. What sort of creatures do you think live in the deep sea? Make them yourself in our craft corner!

6. Mini-masterclasses on marine microbiology and biogeochemistry

Researchers from the Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry department will take you on a journey into the depths of their research in a mini-masterclass lasting around 20 minutes. Programme t.b.a.

7. Art in a Petri dish

In the laboratory, we often culture bacteria that we’ve collected from the water or the seabed. We do this in a Petri dish. And the patterns in which these bacteria grow are sometimes true works of art! You can try your hand at recreating these works of art here by ‘pouring’ your own culture medium into a dish and then decorating it. The examples are real bacteria, which our researchers will be happy to show you (and sometimes let you smell)!

8. What tiny plants live in the Marsdiep? 

Examine phytoplankton from the Marsdiep under a microscope. Discover the different shapes and sizes of the tiniest single-celled plants that grow in the seas around us. You’ll be amazed by the variety of beautiful shapes that you can’t see with the naked eye, but which we make visible with a microscope.

9. Racing with phytoplankton, in search of food and away from their predators

Phytoplankton cannot move under their own power in the water. So, depending on their weight and the current, the particles sink slowly to the bottom. Away from the sun, which they need to make food, and towards the fish and shellfish that eat them. Being able to float well is therefore important. Can you create a phytoplankton particle that wins the reverse race: whoever reaches the bottom last!

10. Is seawater acidic?

Seawater is salty. But it also has an ‘acidity level’, known as the pH. Organisms in the sea are very sensitive to changes in this acidity level; animals with a shell or calcareous skeleton, for example, cannot survive well in water that is too acidic. Come and test the acidity yourself and compare it with a glass of lemon juice or a cup of milk. And find out what climate change has to do with that acidity.

11. 150 years of NIOZ: photo exhibition

In 2026, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Since 1876, we have been studying the complex and dynamic world of the sea and all the life it contains, from the delta to the deep sea and from the poles to the tropics. Through our research, we are expanding our knowledge of our unique blue planet. Only by understanding the sea can we protect it and keep it healthy – and thereby safeguard our own future. Through a series of striking diptychs, we take you on a brief journey through the history of the NIOZ.

12. Make your own mini-beaker using the pressure tank

The deeper you go underwater, the higher the pressure. You’ve probably noticed this in your ears when swimming underwater. In the deep sea, at depths of up to 4 kilometres, the pressure is therefore enormous! In our workshop, there’s a huge tank where we can create pressure just as high as that found in the deep sea. That pressure compresses everything underwater. We’ll demonstrate this using polystyrene coffee cups. First, you’ll decorate your own coffee cup, then our technicians will place it in the pressure tank. At the end of the day, you’ll collect the result: a tiny, tiny coffee cup!

13. Puzzling over the food web and nutrient cycles 

An alga is eaten by a fish, which is in turn eaten by a bird. That seems like a simple chain of eating and being eaten. But in reality, the food web is much more complex. Can you piece together the puzzle of the food web in the Wadden Sea?

14. Dynamics of the North Sea 

Nutrients and currents have complex dynamics in the North Sea. Through years of research, our researchers have captured these dynamics in all sorts of models. The models provide a unique insight into the physical and chemical changes that take place every day in the North Sea, but which cannot simply be seen with the naked eye. By applying these models, we can track what changes over time. And when you make your own choices, you can see the changes unfold before your very eyes.

15. Mini-masterclasses on coastal systems

Researchers from the Coastal Systems department will take you on a journey into the depths of their research in a mini-masterclass lasting around 15 minutes. Programme t.b.a.

16. Colour the Wadden Sea 

For budding marine researchers and creative minds: a corner full of colouring pages inspired by our research in and around the Wadden Sea.

17. Otoliths: examining the growth rings of fish 

Did you know that fish also have growth rings, just like trees? These rings are found in the fish’s ear bones, known as otoliths. The growth rings not only tell us how old a fish has become, but also provide information about, for example, its diet and habitat. Will you come and count them?

18. Wadden Sea researchers at work

The seabed of the Wadden Sea is teeming with life: worms, shells, shrimp and many more remarkable species that you’ve probably never seen before. We call all these organisms living on the seabed ‘benthos’. In our Benthos Lab, researchers work all year round to catalogue the benthos living in the Wadden Sea. They’d love to show you how they do it, and what they come across!

19. Zooplankton under the microscope

Zooplankton: tiny creatures found everywhere in the sea, but invisible to the naked eye. They become visible under the microscope. This shows just how much biodiversity there is in a single drop of seawater.

Ground floor

20. Isolate, examine and analyse DNA yourself

Isolate DNA from a strawberry using everyday household items (salt, soap, water, alcohol). If you do it right, you’ll be able to see the DNA with your own eyes. Work in a real laboratory and learn how to work hygienically, so that your own DNA doesn’t get mixed up with the strawberry’s! At the NIOZ, we extract DNA from bacteria, plants and animals found in the sea. DNA tells us exactly which species are living there (biodiversity) and how this is changing due to human influence. Through DNA analysis, we can also find out what bacteria, plants and animals do – for example, that they produce the greenhouse gas methane, convert ammonium into CO₂, or can even break down plastic!

21. DNA Grab

Grab a piece of DNA from a large box containing lots of tiny tubes. Everyone can take one tube, which contains a sweet and a snippet of DNA code. By comparing the DNA code with the codes on a poster, you can find out which species of marine animal, alga or bacterium you’ve ‘caught’.

22. Genome Puzzle 

The genome is the complete set of DNA in an organism: essentially its genetic ‘blueprint’. The structure of the DNA determines how the organism looks and functions. Can you crack the DNA codes in this genome puzzle

23. Migratory Bird Expedition

The Wadden Sea is a vital area for migratory birds, serving as a stopover on their journey north or south. They need to find enough food here to build up their strength for the rest of their journey, but they also encounter all sorts of obstacles. How do migratory birds find their food, and can they still manage when being pursued by a bird of prey? Experience it for yourself in this interactive game!

24. Chromatography: separating colours

In our biogeochemical laboratories, we want to identify which molecules are present in ancient marine sediments. These molecules can provide us with information about what happened in the past: for example, what were the temperature and pH levels hundreds of thousands of years ago? The same method can also be used to determine the exact composition of cell membranes. Chromatography is a way of ‘sifting’ specific molecules out of those cells or sediments – come and have a go yourself!

25. Analysing drill cores with the scanner

The seabed consists of many different layers, which have been deposited on the seabed over time. Using drill cores, we take samples deep into the seabed, in which we can see these different layers. In doing so, we are effectively looking back in time, as far as millions of years. By analysing the layers with our self-developed XRF scanner, we learn more about the sea and the climate in the distant past.

26. Sand Memory: Treasure hunting for sediment types

What lies hidden in the seabed? Use a ‘Van Veen grab sampler’ to uncover treasures. Take a seabed sample just as our researchers do, and analyse the different types of sediment under the microscope.

27. Stirring up sediments

Not everything on the seabed is simply ‘sand’. The size of the grains, the type of material – everything can vary. And so it doesn’t all behave in the same way when water flows over it. In this experiment, you can ‘stir up’ different types of sediment and learn why that is important.

28. Discover the Plasmalab 

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29. Mini-masterclasses on the ocean as a system

Researchers from the Ocean Systems department will take you on a journey into the depths of their research in a mini-masterclass lasting around 20 minutes. Programme t.b.a.

30. Equipment for use on and in the sea

‘Measuring’ the ocean – how does one actually do that? You can’t just pop into a shop to buy devices for taking measurements or collecting samples on or under the water. At NIOZ, we have our own workshop with technicians, builders and developers who create equipment specifically for our research. They’ll be delighted to show you what they make and what it’s used for: from the very large to the super-small, and from 3D printers to laser cutters.

31. Virtual Ship Experience

What’s it like to be on board a research vessel during an expedition? Where is the equipment located, what do the laboratories look like, and where do the scientists and crew live? Find out in the Virtual Ship Experience, and chat to our experienced expedition members about life and work on board!

32. Working and studying at NIOZ

NIOZ now employs over 350 people, all of whom work together to make our marine research possible. From technicians to analysts and from programmers to PhD students: come and discover the opportunities we offer for work and placements at NIOZ.

33. Dive into the Deep Sea

Dark, extremely high pressure, cold, and low in nutrients: the deep sea is an incredibly extreme environment. Yet all manner of animals and plants thrive there, having adapted in various ways to these extraordinary conditions. Did you know, for example, that there are coral reefs and sponges in the deep sea? And that manganese nodules contain rare metals – the reason why there is talk of deep-sea mining. Dive into the deep sea with our researchers!

34. The Aquanaut

Fancy a trip to the bottom of the sea? In this interactive experience, you’ll step into a deep-sea submersible and set off on your own voyage of discovery into the deep sea. Along the way, you’ll learn about life in the different zones of the ocean, near the seabed and around real underwater volcanoes!

35. Through the ocean with a glider

A ‘glider’ is a type of underwater aircraft that can move autonomously through the water, collecting all sorts of measurement data as it goes. We’ll show you how such a glider is put together, how it can move through the water on its own, and explain how that measurement data helps us understand how the ocean and the climate are interconnected. And you can also try your hand at moving as smoothly as a glider with our Glider Wiggle Game.

36. Benthos Bingo 

During Benthos Bingo, children dive into the hidden world of the seabed. In a large tank, they search for various seabed creatures hiding beneath the sand. This way, they learn more about the remarkable animals hidden in the North Sea and discover why they are so important for a healthy ocean. Is the bingo card full? Then, of course, a fun reward awaits the young researchers!

37. Discover our technical workshop

‘Measuring’ the ocean – how do you actually do that? You can’t just pop into a shop to buy equipment for taking measurements or collecting samples on or under the water. At NIOZ, we have our own workshop with technicians, builders and developers who make equipment specifically for our research. They’ll be happy to show you what they make and what it’s used for: from very large to super-small, and from 3D printers to laser cutters.

38. Underwater acoustics

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Second floor

39. Ecosystem restoration

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40. A journey of discovery through the NIOZ library

For 150 years, NIOZ scientists have been conducting research into the sea. Naturally, they want to share the knowledge they gather with the world. How do they do that? And how did they do it 150 years ago? Embark on a journey of discovery through our library and our historical collection.

41. Microbial Prophetess

Where art and science converge: artist Carla Alcalà Badias created these extraordinary images in collaboration with marine microbiologist Laura Villanueva. Inspired by the mythical Oracle of Delphi, a prophetess who channelled subterranean forces, the Microbial Prophetess gives voice to the microbes in the seabed sediment.

42. Marine Microbes Circus 

A single drop of water contains more micro-organisms than there are stars in the universe. Place that drop of water under a microscope and you’ll discover all the different kinds of microbes. With legs, tails or hairs, perfectly round or elongated, strange or sometimes creepy: in our microbe circus, they’re all equally cuddly! And in this peaceful space, our tiniest visitors can relax for a while.