Exposition Sols

An exhibition organised by the Directorate of Scientific Culture - Muséum et Jardin botanique de Bordeaux, in the indoor spaces of the Jardin botanique de la Bastide.

We walk on them every day without paying attention. Unassuming, complex, and alive, soils nevertheless sustain all terrestrial balances. With "Sols", the Bordeaux Botanical Garden dedicates an exhibition to this essential yet still little-known ecosystem, upon which the future of our regions directly depends. Presented from 4 July 2026 to 28 February 2027 in the exhibition spaces of the Jardin botanique de la Bastide as well as outdoors, the exhibition unfolds as a journey of discovery and an invitation to reconsider our relationship with the ground.

The exhibition trail

A sensory immersion

The exhibition begins with an immersion in its subject. Before being explained, the soil is experienced: through its smells, sounds, and appearance. This sensory entrance plunges visitors into a world usually concealed, where life unfolds at various scales, sometimes imperceptible to the naked eye.

Soil as a habitat

Beneath the surface, a multitude of organisms proliferate and interact: roots, fungi, worms, arthropods, bacteria, and microfauna. Thanks to taxidermied specimens, observations through magnifying glasses or microscopes, and explanatory videos, the trail makes this teeming life perceptible as it acts continuously and conditions the proper functioning of the soil.

Soil, a link in terrestrial balance

The second part invites visitors to change scale to discover how soils contribute to the formation of landscapes and major natural balances. Pedogenesis, the links between parent rock, vegetation, and relief, as well as water circulation and the carbon and nitrogen cycles, are addressed in a concrete way. Several soil cores taken along the Dordogne river connect scientific knowledge to the landscapes of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, from upstream reliefs to the Atlantic coast.

The nourishing soil

The final part of the exhibition explores the relationships between agricultural practices, food