Cologne Prepares for New Immigration-Themed Museum Opening in 2029
Cologne, April 10, 2025 – The city of Cologne is gearing up for a highly anticipated new attraction set to open in 2029 – the Museum Selma. The museum will showcase Germany’s rich history as a society shaped by immigration. This unique exhibition, which will feature 150,000 artifacts and testimonies, will be housed in a former industrial hall, providing visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience. The museum is being developed with public funding of 44.26 million euros and is spearheaded by an organization founded by migrants themselves. Leading the project’s architectural and exhibition design is ATELIER BRÜCKNER, with a strong focus on sustainability.
The Museum Selma will highlight the significant impact of migration on Germany since World War II. Located in the heart of Europe, the former industrial hall will be transformed into a modern museum by the Stuttgart-based design firm, ATELIER BRÜCKNER, which has been awarded the general planning contract. The architectural design will preserve the hall’s 100-year-old support structure while incorporating sustainable wooden fittings.
The museum will cover a total area of approximately 10,000 square meters and will be designed to welcome and engage with communities, urban society, and marginalized groups. It will feature exhibition space, multifunctional event areas, a movie theater, digital laboratory, kids’ space, storage rooms, and a library. The exhibition will showcase the largest collection in the country on the history of migration, featuring items such as a refugee’s dress from Togo, an Italian labor migrant’s food scale, and the boxing gloves of an immigrant from Mostar. Most of these objects have been donated by private individuals who share a common belief – “My history is German history.”
According to Dr. Robert Fuchs, director of DOMiD gGmbH, the museum’s non-profit parent organization, “With the Museum Selma, we are filling a gap in the German museum landscape.” He adds, “More than 21 million people in Germany have either immigrated themselves or come from families that did. Unfortunately, their perspectives have often been overlooked. Our museum will provide a space for democratic debate, breaking down prejudices, and promoting societal cohesion.”
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.museum-selma.de/en
Press Contact:
Timo Glatz
DOMiD gGmbH – Documentation Center and Museum of Migration in Germany
Venloer Straße 419, 50825 Köln
Email: presse@domid.org
Phone: +49 22129494484
Press Release Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
