Germany: Hands-On Photography – New Strategic Focus For Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar

The Ernst Leitz Museum in the German city of Wetzlar (Hesse), which has made a name for itself over the past two years as a museum for high-quality photographic art (photography and photographic technology), is changing strategy. In order to encourage visitors more to participate and try out, a revised museum concept aims at providing guests with even deeper insights into the Leica brand and the company’s history in the future, as well as enabling them to experience the various aspects of photography. The Berlin-based consulting and creative office studio klv, which specializes in the design of interactive exhibitions, science centers, brand worlds and visitor centers, was commissioned to carry out the concept development and implementation.

Currently, both floors of the museum are closed for renovation works. The approx. 1,000-square-meter exhibition area on the upper floor is being completely modernized based on the new museum concept with four interactive experience areas. In future, the entrance area will focus on the theme of “Seeing and Perceiving” and explain optical phenomena in this context. A second area will be dedicated to “Technology and History” and will deal with the rich company history of Leica. In another exhibition hall, visitors will be able to interactively discover the basic rules of photography via touchscreen. A fourth room will be reserved for changing special exhibitions on a variety of topics from the world of Leica. The rooms on the first floor of the museum will continue to serve as exhibition space for outstanding photo series by international artists – starting on April 20, the photo exhibition “The Eyes of Humanity” by US photographer Steve McCurry will be presented there. The reopening of the Ernst Leitz Museum is scheduled for September of this year. (eap)