Pooseum Science Museum in Tasmania

A quirky science museum where talking about poo is not taboo

Client: Pooseum – Karin Koch
Category: Museum
Date: August 2018

The Pooseum is a private museum in the town of Richmond, Tasmania. This is a museum where the topic of poo is front and centre! The concept of this quirky science space dedicated to animal droppings was created by Karin Koch. Karin has a background in tourism and event management. The Pooseum educates visitors about animals and their droppings in a fun and interactive way. Currently, it is the only pooseum in the Southern Hemisphere.

Visitors can learn fascinating facts about animals and their excrement. For instance, did you know that koala joeys eat their mother’s droppings? Or that Canadian owls use poo to catch their dinner?

Karin collaborated with various specialists for the content, including a specialist writer, vets, biologists, ecologists and paleo scatologists. Brandi Projects were asked to design and fabricate the exhibit. This included 16 interpretive panels and some 3D anatomy models.

Features at a glance

• “Who is the Poopertrator” Australian animal guessing the poo game
• Poo lockers with hidden poo info
• Showcases for displaying fossilised poo, including dinosaur poo
• Pootrid shop
• Various sculptures on display plinths

Seeing the ‘poo’tential

The Pooseum project shows the many interesting possibilities around quirky topics such as poo. We used graphic design, video and touchscreens in fun ways, which helps make the space exciting and fun for a young audience. In addition, detailed scientific information and interesting facts presented in new ways helps the museum appeal to an older demographic.

The coordination of this project highlights the benefits of engaging an experienced team. This is because the project was able to be entirely coordinated off site.

The Pooseum takes the topic of poo out of being a taboo subject, and turns it into something which can help educate us more about animals and people. The Pooseum also shows the significance of dung for many cultures and situations. For instance, how poo is used in energy production, or is being sold on Amazon to Indian people.