Jena, April 04, 2026. Thüringen’s Minister for Education, Science and Culture, Christian Tischner, has paid an official visit to the Deutsches Optisches Museum (DOM) in Jena. The focus was on the tradition-steeped institution, which is currently undergoing a comprehensive transformation into a modern, interactive science center.
- Who: Minister Christian Tischner (Thüringer Ministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur)
- What: Working visit / Inspection
- Location: Deutsches Optisches Museum, Carl-Zeiss-Platz 12, 07743 Jena
- Further info: www.deutsches-optisches-museum.de
Ministerial Visit to the City of Light
The Minister was briefed on-site in detail about the current status of developments at the museum. The institution at Carl-Zeiss-Platz is among the most historically and scientifically significant museums for optics and photonics in Germany. Through direct exchange with the State of Thüringen, the supra-regional and educational policy relevance of the Jena location is further strengthened.
Background: The Deutsches Optisches Museum (DOM)
The museum historically traces back to the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung founded by Ernst Abbe and houses one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of optical instruments – from historical microscopes and telescopes to early eyeglass frames and precision-mechanical camera technology.
Since several years, the DOM has been in a pioneering phase of redesign. With significant financial support from the State of Thüringen, the City of Jena, the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, and the Ernst-Abbe-Stiftung, the building is being renovated from the ground up and its content realigned. The concept aims to present the history of optics not just behind glass, but to make it tangible and interactive.
The museum building at Carl-Zeiss-Platz, in the immediate vicinity of the Volkshaus, is a central anchor point of Jena’s scientific history. In the course of the current construction work, an architectural highlight is also being created that enhances the entire square in terms of urban development. The reopening is eagerly awaited supra-regionally, as the modern house is intended to inspire young people in particular for STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and consolidate Jena’s global reputation as the “Lichtstadt” (City of Light).
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