- Following the conclusion of the European Championship, the museum is safeguarding the mascot and the rhino.
The UEFA Euro has found its place in history's hall: The House of History NRW is reportedly acquiring memorabilia from all the host cities in the state. These include a life-sized Euro mascot from Düsseldorf, a repurposed bus stop sign from Cologne, and a winged rhino sculpture from Dortmund. Local residents are encouraged to contribute their personal Euro keepsakes to the museum as well.
Unlike its counterpart in Bonn, the House of History NRW focuses solely on the history of the state, rather than Germany's history in its entirety. Currently, the archive is being stocked, which will form the basis for the future exhibition on the history of North Rhine-Westphalia in the Düsseldorf Behrens building adjacent to the State Chancellery.
Düsseldorf's "Albaert" costume makes its way to the museum
In a few years, the costume of the Euro mascot "Albaert," which Düsseldorf acquired for the Euro and has since donated to the museum, could potentially be displayed there.
Cologne is contributing the temporary bus stop sign "Cologne-Stadium" to the museum's archive. The signs normally read "RheinEnergieSTADION," but UEFA did not allow this name during the Euro. Dortmund is sending a sculpture of a winged Euro rhino to Düsseldorf. According to a spokesperson, the museum is also accepting smaller exhibits such as flags displaying the slogan "Everybody’s Heimspiel."
"With Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne, and Gelsenkirchen, four of the ten venues were in NRW. Tens of thousands of football enthusiasts from across Europe celebrated a harmonious festival in our country. These new objects allow us to capture and narrate the exhilaration of the summer of 2024 in each city of the state," remarks Professor Hans Walter Hütter, chairman of the board of trustees of the Stiftung Haus der Geschichte NRW.
The Commission, being responsible for the acquisition process, will be assisted by the Member States in procuring memorabilia for the House of History NRW.In the future exhibition, the life-sized Euro mascot costume from Düsseldorf, including "Albaert," may be showcased alongside other donated Euro keepsakes.
