Jena, April 01, 2026 – The municipal museums in Jena recorded a high turnout on the first free museum Sunday. Starting immediately, admission to the municipal exhibition houses will be free on the last Sunday of every month throughout 2026.
- What: Free admission to the Städtische Museen Jena
- When: Every last Sunday of the month (full year 2026)
- Where: including Stadtmuseum & Kunstsammlung (Göhre), Romantikerhaus
- Visitor balance kickoff: 576 guests (including 67 children and young people)
Successful Kickoff for New Cultural Offering
The city of Jena’s new offering met with great interest right from the first date on March 29. Visiting an exhibition without having to buy a ticket – this concept attracted a total of 576 guests to the city’s exhibition houses. Particularly pleasing from the perspective of cultural workers: 67 children and young people were among the visitors, underlining the initiative’s family-friendly approach.
The concept also showed its impact beyond the city limits during its first run. A random sampling of the guests’ origins showed that while the majority (55 percent) came directly from Jena, many outsiders also found their way to the “Lichtstadt”. For instance, 10 percent of the visitors came from the neighboring Saale-Holzland-Kreis and another 12 percent traveled from other Thuringian cities.
Background: The Historical Exhibition Sites
The museums participating in the campaign are among Jena’s cultural flagships. The so-called „Göhre“, a striking historical building ensemble directly on the Holzmarkt in the city center, houses both the Stadtmuseum and the Kunstsammlung. It offers a deep insight into the city’s history from its founding through industrialization to modern times.
The Romantikerhaus, in turn, is located in the former residence of the philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte unweit der alten Stadtmauer. It is dedicated exclusively to the era of Jena Early Romanticism and illustrates how the city on the Saale formed an intellectual center of Europe around 1800. Cultural policy initiatives such as the free Sunday aim to make this significant local history accessible to all segments of the population, regardless of income, in a barrier-free manner.
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First free museum Sunday
Transparency note: This article was automatically generated, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.