LONDON — While in Switzerland in mid-October, I saw a lengthy television report about a new exhibition, “Wirklich?!” (“Really?!”), at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. Unfortunately, my planned itinerary meant that visiting was impossible, and I would not usually write about something I have not experienced.
However, this initiative seemed so important that I made an exception and contacted the Swiss colleagues at SRG SSR immediately — many thanks to them for providing the information on which this article is based.
SRG-SSR is a broadcasting organization that works across radio, television and online, so this is not an exhibition solely about radio. Still, the issues raised cover all media and have an impact on the long-term well-being of all our societies.
It was clear from the television report that anyone expecting a traditional museum filled with artifacts and glass displays would be surprised by “Wirklich?!” The exhibition invites visitors into the heart of a working newsroom, transforming them from passive observers into critical participants and showing what it means to think like a journalist in an age of misinformation and media saturation. Visitors step into a modern news environment and test their ability to evaluate claims, challenge assumptions and experience how digital “filter bubbles” shape what they believe.
The focus is on cultivating a mindset defined by curiosity and critical thinking. The premise is that “journalistic thinking” should not be limited to professionals; rather, it is a vital skill for everyone navigating today’s information landscape.
The premise is that ‘journalistic thinking’ should not be limited to professionals; rather, it is a vital skill for everyone navigating today’s information landscape.
Merging insight with practice
The idea for “Wirklich?!” grew out of an unease shared by both organizers — the Swiss state broadcaster SRG-SSR and the Museum of Transport — about how young people interact with information. Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research has shown that the Swiss — particularly the young — rank surprisingly low in their ability to assess misinformation. This prompted the SRG-SSR and the transport museum to act together to strengthen media literacy by creating displays that merge journalistic insight with innovative museum practice. The result is a space designed not merely to inform but to provoke reflection and dialogue.
While the exhibition is primarily aimed at children and teenagers, it has proven equally compelling for older visitors, who find their own media habits called into question.
The concept has a positive side effect: When children begin explaining to parents and grandparents what they learned about fake news or source verification, they spark discussions that extend well beyond the exhibition hall.
Stories without slogans
In creating the displays, the project team deliberately avoids specific news stories, personalities or political events. Instead, the focus rests on universally applicable principles — how stories are shaped, how interpretation varies and how context can alter meaning.
One exhibit invites visitors to put on tinted glasses to alter their field of vision, a lesson in perspective and bias. Another display gamifies the identification of misinformation, prompting users to debate and justify their choices in real time. Whether viewed through the lens of TikTok clips or long-form documentaries, the central lesson remains: Facts and opinions must be questioned.
Rather than advocating viewpoints, the exhibition teaches visitors how to evaluate them. It underscores that robust journalism — verifying facts and providing multiple perspectives — underpins democratic life itself.
All photos: Verkehrshaus, Lucerne
The challenge is to make a serious topic appealing to younger audiences by turning the learning process itself into a form of play. Visitors investigate, decide and occasionally make mistakes.
Behind the scenes, formats are tested, refined and reworked based on audience reactions, ensuring an experience that is as entertaining as it is enlightening. The teamwork between the broadcaster and the museum is crucial. The broadcaster contributes its journalistic experience, while the museum brings expertise in interactive pedagogy and exhibition design.
Beyond the museum walls
The “Wirklich?!” exhibition is part of a broader initiative to strengthen media literacy in Switzerland. With over a million annual visitors and 50,000 children attending via school parties, the Transport Museum provides a powerful platform. However, Swiss public radio also works with other organizations. One notable program is “myidea,” developed in partnership with the Swiss Conference of Vocational School Directors.
It brings critical thinking and news awareness directly into classrooms, reaching more than 6,000 students last year. Meanwhile, the platform UseTheNews.ch, launched in late 2023, coordinates efforts nationwide, offering resources for teachers and journalists alike. Its tools include lesson plans, workshops, a self-assessment test called newstest.ch, and even a traveling SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) “experience train” that engages around 500 students each week with interactive modules on fake news.
These interlinked projects demonstrate that media literacy in Switzerland is an ongoing educational task, with journalists and public institutions working together for the common good.
From newsroom to classroom
Ultimately, the “Wirklich?!” exhibition models a future in which citizens are active participants in truth-seeking rather than passive recipients of information. By stepping into the hands-on newsroom, visitors of all ages discover that journalism is not just what happens in newsrooms, but a way of engaging with the world: questioning, investigating and making sense of complexity.
In the coming years, with an oversupply of information, the skill of thinking like a journalist may be vital to our long-term well-being. Hopefully, this exhibition can be an inspiration to others. The Swiss are to be congratulated on putting this together.
The author was head of Radio at the EBU until 2020, and before that, managing editor of one of the BBC’s national stations. He currently advises media organizations.
This story originally appeared in the November/December edition of RedTech Magazine.
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