Mistakes Make Magic biodiversity photovoice exhibition

In March 2026, the Icelandic Museum of Natural History, the Icelandic Seal Center, and Húnaklúbburinn conducted a CAP-SHARE workshop with Finnish and Icelandic youth during the “Mistakes make magic” Erasmus+ youth exchange project. The workshop used a photovoice approach to ask young people about their thoughts on biodiversity and how it makes them feel. For one week, 22 youths were gathered in Iceland, and photovoice activities took place almost every day to explore the meaning of biodiversity. Photovoice is a process where we use photographs to capture ideas and concepts, then we get together and discuss the photos as a group. The photos were gathered by splitting the youths into four groups, and each group had a camera.  

The groups kept the same cameras for the week and were able to take pictures outside of regular activities. First, the groups took pictures in the countryside, illustrating what biodiversity means to them. Then, NMSI gave an open-air lecture about biodiversity with examples from Icelandic nature, such as birds and Arctic foxes in wetlands and heaths, to illustrate diversity between species, within species, and between ecosystems. The youth then took a hike in the mountains, taking pictures as they went on the same theme as before. During reflection, the groups chose together what photos best represented their view of biodiversity before and after the lecture. We explored together what we learned, what we thought and felt about biodiversity, why the youth chose their pictures, and how the photos represent biodiversity to us. 

The opening of the Mistakes Make Magic Photovoice exhibition is on 30th of May 2026 at the Icelandic Seal Center in Húnaþing vestra, Iceland. The exhibition will be open until the end of September and will display the beautiful photographs and thoughts the youth would like to share. The Icelandic Seal Center would like to welcome visitors to come and learn about youth views on biodiversity.