Jena, March 20, 2026. Culture lovers and families in Jena can look forward to an attractive offer: Starting immediately and throughout the entire year 2026, the municipal museums invite visitors to explore their exhibitions free of charge every last Sunday of the month.
- What: Free Museum Sunday
- When: Every last Sunday of the month (Year-round 2026), from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Participating institutions:
New Concept Aims to Strengthen Cultural Participation
With the newly introduced Museum Sunday format, the municipal museums aim to make the diversity of Jena’s exhibition and museum landscape even more accessible to the general public. By removing admission fees, a significant barrier is eliminated, making it easier for larger families or spontaneous guests to rediscover permanent and special exhibitions. All three houses are open regularly from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on these campaign days.
Further Cultural Events over the Weekend
In addition to the museum offerings, the upcoming weekend in Jena features further cultural highlights. Film enthusiasts can look forward to a new “Meli-Filmclub” at the Melanchthonhaus in Hornstraße 4. On Saturday, March 21, spring will be welcomed musically: a “Ukulele Jam Spring Edition” will take place at the Christliches Gymnasium, while at the same time, at 5:00 PM, a chamber concert titled “Wind Quintet meets Piano” will be held in the Aula der Universität. To mark the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, the Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Ensemble Weimar also invites visitors to a festive motet concert at the Friedenskirche.
Background: Jena’s Municipal Museums
The three participating municipal institutions reflect different eras and focal points of Jena’s city history and art:
- The Stadtmuseum (Alte Göhre): Located at the historical market square, the museum documents Jena’s eventful development – from the Battle of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806 to the founding of the university and its rise as an optical and industrial hub through Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe, and Otto Schott.
- The Romantikerhaus: The museum in the former residence of philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte is entirely dedicated to Jena Early Romanticism. Around the year 1800, Jena was the intellectual center of Germany, where poets and thinkers such as Novalis, the Schlegel brothers, as well as Goethe and Schiller, set milestones in literary and intellectual history.
- The Kunstsammlung: The focus here is primarily on Classical Modernism and contemporary art, presented in rotating exhibitions.
The free Museum Sunday model is based on successful concepts in major metropolises such as Berlin or Munich, where similar initiatives have led to significant increases in visitor numbers in recent years.
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Free admission on the last Sunday of the month
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.