Key Points at a Glance
- Alarming Situation: Numerous small museums in Thüringen are struggling with declining visitor numbers and funding gaps.
- Scientific Assistance: A research project at the Universität Jena is investigating the causes and developing strategies.
- Current Conference: Today, Monday, experts and stakeholders are exchanging ideas in Jena.
- Regional Example: The Stadtmuseum in neighboring Kahla also represents the challenges facing the sector.
Jena (16.02.2026) – Thüringen often prides itself on its high density of cultural institutions. However, away from the major landmarks like the Wartburg or the Weimarer Klassik sites, the reality often looks bleak. A research project at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena is now addressing this very issue.
Struggle for Existence in Volunteer Work
The museum landscape in the Freistaat is diverse, but it is precisely the small, often local history houses that are fighting for bare survival. These institutions are frequently run with great passion by volunteers. However, commitment alone is often no longer enough to cover running costs or meet modern exhibition standards.
The main problem is multifaceted: on the one hand, there is a lack of financial resources for renovations or marketing; on the other hand, the public is staying away. Demographic change in rural areas and competition from digital leisure activities are further exacerbating the situation. When visitor numbers drop, so does revenue – a vicious cycle that can hardly be broken without external impulses.
Universität Jena Analyzes Causes and Solutions
This is where the research project at the Universität Jena comes in. Scientists have examined the situation of small museums in the region in detail. It is not just about taking stock of the deficiencies, but primarily about the question: What needs to happen so that these cultural memory stores have a future?
The results will be discussed as part of a conference taking place today at the university. The goal is to provide museum operators with tools to better position themselves. The focus is on issues of professionalization, target group addressing, and new financing models. Here, science leaves the ivory tower and enters directly into practical exchange with local cultural workers.
Networking as a Survival Strategy
A central aspect of the conference is networking. Many small museums fight against the same windmills as lone warriors. Exchanging experiences and forming alliances could open up new paths. An example from the immediate neighborhood is the Stadtmuseum in Kahla. Like many other institutions in the Saale-Holzland-Kreis, it faces the challenge of remaining attractive to visitors with limited resources.
The project at the Uni Jena shows that the problems are being taken seriously. However, it also makes clear that preserving the cultural infrastructure across the region is not a matter of course, but requires active work and new concepts. Whether through the digitalization of collections, experiential educational approaches, or stronger tourism marketing – the paths out of the crisis must be as individual as the museums themselves.
It remains to be hoped that the impulses from Jena will fall on fertile ground in the administrative offices and association boards of the region, so that the history of Thüringen remains alive throughout the area.
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Transparency Note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.