Jena, 06.07.2026 – The Archaeological Museum of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität (FSU) Jena is celebrating its 180th anniversary with an extraordinary special presentation: The exhibition “Lichtwechsel – Antike Reliefs neu sehen” (Change of Light – Seeing Ancient Reliefs Anew) presents historical plaster casts in a completely new way through an innovative lighting concept.
- What: Special exhibition “Lichtwechsel – Antike Reliefs neu sehen”
- When: Monday to Friday, 09:00 AM to 5:00 PM (until July 10, 2026)
- Where: Exhibition rooms of Classical Archaeology, Fürstengraben 25, 07743 Jena
- Admission: Free (all locations are barrier-free)
- Guided Tours: Saturdays at 3:00 PM at rotating locations
Colored light changes the perception of ancient art
The heart of the exhibition is an innovative lighting concept. While museum visitors usually view exhibits in uniform white light, “Lichtwechsel” relies on dynamically changing colors. Through these targeted colored accents, the plasticity, fine contours, and hidden details of the reliefs emerge with surprising clarity. Furthermore, viewers can understand how the visual effect of ancient temple reliefs changed during the natural course of daylight.
180th anniversary of the Archaeological Museum
The plaster casts on display have been acquired since the mid-19th century with the generous support of the citizens of Jena. They represent a broad spectrum of Greek architectural sculpture from three different eras. The originals of the motifs shown come from world-famous ancient buildings in the Aegean region, including the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and buildings on the Athenian Acropolis.
The innovative exhibition and marketing design was conceived by students of classical archaeology as part of a two-week Spring School at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena. Those looking for creative holiday activities in addition to classical art will find further options in the city on the Saale, such as a stop-motion holiday workshop for children.
Guided tours and contact
Regular guided tours take place every Saturday at 3:00 PM. Detailed information and current topics are available online at www.gw.uni-jena.de. Individual group tours can be booked by arrangement via email at antikensammlungen@uni-jena.de or by phone at 03641 9-44800.
🏛️ History & Building: The Archaeological Museum Jena
The Archaeological Museum of the FSU Jena is one of the oldest academic collections of its kind in Germany. Founded in 1846, the collection is largely based on donations and endowments from committed citizens of the city. Historically, the collection of plaster casts of ancient sculptures served primarily for university teaching and research, but today it also forms an important bridge between science and the general public.
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Exhibition: LICHTWECHSEL
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.