The permanent exhibition *Masterpieces* at the Zoological Museum Zurich stages a collection of spectacular archaeological finds as artworks of nature. The fossils are presented in display cases as precious as crown jewels. Each fossil is unique and is therefore illuminated individually. The careful choice and coordination of light direction, color temperature, and brightness reveal microscopic structures and shimmering surfaces. The architecture of this treasure chamber leads back in time and inward in space, where hidden objects are allowed to step into the spotlight after millions of years. The indirect ambient lighting, careful not to push itself into the foreground, subtly reveals and sensually conveys the value of the colors and materials used in the interior. The nuances of color and shadow flow harmoniously and condense into an intense spatial experience.
