- Revised strategies for the Mainz State Museum encompassing the Steinhalle area.
Plans are in place to safeguard the Mainz State Museum's future. These include hosting more special exhibits, promoting the museum more within the city, and making it more welcoming to schools and kindergartens, as revealed by Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) and Museum Director Birgit Heide.
The Steinhalle, a former baroque riding hall, will significantly contribute to this transformation. Previously utilized as the plenary hall for the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament during renovations from 2016 to early 2021, and later by the Mainz city council, the hall's seating capacity has been expanded. Soon, the hall will be completely dedicated to the museum once again.
In the long term, a room divider in the Steinhalle is set to disappear, allowing the hall to be appreciated in its full size and serve as a grand stage for exhibits from Roman times. The iconic 2000-year-old Mainz Jupiter column, the oldest of its kind north of the Alps, will take center stage.
The Steinhalle is scheduled to host a new exhibition titled "Jewish Heritage and Life in Rhineland-Palatinate" next year. From 2026, a new exhibition area called "Mainz Compact" is planned in the adjacent Marstall, which, as per Museum Director Heide, will showcase selected highlights of the museum collection in a succinct manner, even for visitors with limited time.
Additionally, the permanent exhibition is slated to undergo revisions, integrating more digital formats and a heavier reliance on artificial intelligence, VR glasses, or augmented reality to enhance the museum-going experience. For instance, a "virtual enhancement" of the Jupiter column is planned in collaboration with the University of Mainz.
The museum courtyard is set for upgrades, such as removing a heavy-duty shelf filled with ancient relics, and the museum's exterior facade is set to draw more attention, possibly through the use of large banners. A light installation resembling an advent calendar is planned for later this year.
As the state museums in Trier and Koblenz evolve, the aim in Mainz is to make the local state museum a hub for art and cultural history in Rhineland-Palatinate, said Ebling. This goal will be achieved without closing the museum. The state is currently planning to allocate around 1.5 million euros towards this initiative over the next two years.
The SPD, represented by Interior Minister Michael Ebling, is involved in the plans for the Mainz State Museum. With the SPD's support, the Steinhalle, previously used by the Mainz city council, will be returned to the museum and transformed into a grand stage for exhibits.
