“Elektron”, Emma Cadwallader-Guild Frankfurt, 1895
The Ohio-born sculptress Emma Cadwallader-Guild (1843 – 1911), who had been working in Germany since 1887, was one of the few women who were successful as artists at the end of the 19th century. Her statue of Electron is based on the seated Mercury of Herculaneum, a classical Greek sculpture by Lysippos (340-300 BC). The messenger of the gods, Mercury, who operates a Morse key becomes an allegory of telegraphy as electron.
“The eavesdropper”, unknown artist Beelitz, 1960s
This bronze sculpture stood in the courtyard of the Beelitz radio reception centre, which was closed in 1991. The “overseas reception station” in Beelitz was built in 1928 to receive radio telegrams from the USA, South America and Southeast Asia. Distributed over the several-kilometre site More than 30 large antennas with heights of up to 75 metres Beelitz was therefore considered to be the German “ear to the world” . The sculpture of the eavesdropper adopts the idea of Beelitz as an “ear to the world”. It was created for a new building in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the artist is not documented.
“Hermes”, Willy Meller Cologne, 1929
This figure of the messenger god Hermes stood above the entrance portal of the parcel post office built between 1927 and 1929 in Stolkgasse, a 67-metre-long four-storey building in the centre of Cologne. When the building was demolished in 1984/85 to make way for a new building, the statue was salvaged by Ulrich Kleine-Rüschkamp of Deutsche Post Bauen GmbH, who donated it to the museum in 2021.
Hello! Who is there? Slovenian and German cell phone story(s)
September 17, 2023 until spring 2024
An exhibition on the Book Fair guest country Slovenia. In cooperation with the Slovenian Museum of Post and Telecommunications, we present the development of mobile communications in Germany and Slovenia.
With “Hello! Where are you? [Halo! Kje si?]”, people there called in on their cell phones when cell phones were brand new and they didn’t know where they were being called from. We answer the call in our showroom and ask back, “Hello! Who is this?” Using objects from the collections of both museums and selected histories of use, visitors will learn more about the technical milestones of mobile telephony and the development of Slovenian and German cell phone culture – from the changeable beginnings of mobile telephony in different political systems to the shared present and future of global communication.
Visitors can also join our collective conversation on site with their own cell phone story.
An argument A rapproachment
October 6th, 2023 until August 27th, 2024
“I don’t want to argue.” We have all heard or said this sentence at one time or another. But arguing is part of human communication. We encounter it every day: in the media, in political or social debates, in the family or in relationships. Arguing is important: it gives us the chance to understand each other, to exchange ideas and to get closer.
The exhibition “STREIT. Eine Annäherung“ opens with around 150 “controversial” objects, photographs, media and artistic positions. It shows not only from a historical, communicative and political perspective, but also from a personal one, which challenges arise in the dispute – and which solutions are possible.
Expotizer
Discover the contents of the exhibition on our Expotizer.
The experts on the history, present and future of communication
About us
In the multiple award-winning museum building on Schaumainkai, you will gain a comprehensive insight into the history of communication. Special features include the Art and Communication Department and the lively offerings of the Children’s Workshop.
In the permanent exhibition “Mediengeschichte|n neu erzählt!” you can experience the development of communication on 2,500 square meters. With the help of groundbreaking inventions, curious experiences and unusual fates, we span the arc from the cuneiform tablet to the data glasses.
On the 2nd floor, in addition to the hands-on area of the children’s workshop, there is the Forum – an exhibition space for smaller temporary exhibitions. On the 2nd floor, large temporary exhibitions are presented on an area of 550 square meters. The museum roof houses a radio station that can be visited several times a week.
Your visit
A visit to the museum is again possible without advance notification. Admission to the museum is currently only permitted with negative proof (vaccinated, recovered, tested).
According to the state hygiene concept and with limited numbers of people in the exhibitions, we contribute to a relaxed visit to the museum.
We, and especially the telephone sheep, look forward to seeing you!
Your museum team
Admission fees
Adults from 18 years: € 6- Reduced admission: € 4- Children, teenagers (6 – 17 years): € 1.50 Children under 14 years, only if accompanied by an adult
Our reductions
Reduced admission is available for schoolchildren, students (not students of the University of the 3rd age U3L), persons doing federal voluntary service, unemployed persons, disabled persons, Frankfurt Pass/Culture Pass holders, holders of the Hessian Volunteer Card.
Special offers
Free Admission ICOM members, holders of MuseumsuferCard, MuseumsuferTickets, persons accompanying groups & school classes, students of Frankfurt universities (Goethe University, University of Music and Performing Arts, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences). “Free Fridays!” campaign Free admission on Fridays for school classes & groups of 10 people or more
Opening hours in detail
Tue-Fri 11am – 6pm Sat, Sun + public holidays 11am – 7pm
Holidays
Opening hours during the holidays: 11 am – 7 pm Christmas/New Year: The museum is closed on Dec. 24th, 25th, 31st and on Jan. 1st.
How to reach us
Museum of Communication Frankfurt Schaumainkai 53 (Museum embankment) 60596 Frankfurt on the Main
Transport connections From the city center: Subway lines U 1, U 2, U 3, U 8, stop “Schweizer Platz”.
From the main train station: Subway lines U 4, U 5, stop “Willy-Brandt-Platz” Tramline 16
The museum is largely barrier-free.
Exhibitions
Acceleration, networks, control and participation: We tell media history(s) based on four major phenomena and address different facets of communication in our temporary exhibitions. In this way, we span arcs from the past to the present, from our objects to you as a visitor.
Our interactive educational offers invite you to participate, reflect and network – individually, as a group, in a team – with us and our cooperation partners.
In the multiple award-winning museum building on Schaumainkai, you will gain a comprehensive insight into the history of communication. Special features include the Art and Communication department and the lively offerings of the Children’s Workshop.
In the permanent exhibition “Mediengeschichte|n neu erzählt!” you can experience the development of communication on 2,500 square meters. With the help of groundbreaking inventions, curious experiences and unusual fates, we span the arc from the cuneiform tablet to the data glasses.
On the second floor, in addition to the hands-on area of the children’s workshop, there is the Forum – an exhibition space for smaller temporary exhibitions. On the 2nd floor, large temporary exhibitions are presented on an area of 550 square meters. The museum roof houses a radio station that can be visited several times a week.
Your visit
You can visit the Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt without proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test. The mask requirement does not apply. We would like to contribute to a relaxed visit to the museum and therefore continue to recommend wearing a mask indoors.
We, and especially the telephone sheep, look forward to seeing you!
Your museum team
Admission fees
Adults from 18 years: 8 € Reduced admission: 4 € Children, teenagers (6 – 17 years): 2 € Children under 14 years only if accompanied by an adult
Our reductions
Reduced admission is available for schoolchildren, students (not students of the University of the 3rd age U3L), persons doing federal voluntary service, unemployed persons, severely disabled persons with a reduction in earning capacity of 50 GdB or more, Frankfurt Pass/Culture Pass holders, holders of the Hessian Volunteer Card.
Special offers
Admission free ICOM members, holders of MuseumsuferCard, MuseumsuferTickets, accompanying persons of groups & school classes, students of Frankfurt universities (Goethe University, University of Music and Performing Arts, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences). “Free Fridays!” campaign free admission on Fridays for school classes & groups of 10 or more people
Transport connections From the city center: Subway lines U 1, U 2, U 3, U 8, stop “Schweizer Platz”.
From the main train station: Subway lines U 4, U 5, “Willy-Brandt-Platz” stop Streetcar line 16
The museum is mostly barrier-free.
Exhibitions
Acceleration, networks, control and participation: We tell media history(s) based on four major phenomena and address different facets of communication in our temporary exhibitions. In this way, we span arcs from the past to the present, from our objects to you as a visitor.
Our interactive educational offers invite you to participate, reflect and network – alone, as a group, in a team – with us and our cooperation partners.
The information and networking forum on the digital transformation!
The digital transformation is already rapidly changing our lives. This makes it all the more important to understand and help shape the opportunities and consequences of digitalisation. With Leben & Lernen X.0, the Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt offers a forum for dialogue and the teaching of media skills with a focus on the topics of digital education, the future of democracy and the future of work.
The information and networking forum Leben & Lernen X.0 thinks about the present and future of communication with the museum’s visitors. Does Big Data threaten our privacy? What skills do we need in the age of strategically deployed fake news? Will artificial intelligences soon take over our work? What is digital education?
Diskutieren Sie mit uns den digitalen Wandel!
All Frankfurt residents are invited to discuss the effects of the digital transformation together with experts in workshops, citizens’ forums and with artistic perspectives, and to formulate their questions, demands and expectations. If you are interested in our events, write an email to lebenundlernen@mspt.de or visit our website: www.lebenx0.de
KLIMA_X
October 13, 2022 until August 27, 2023
We all know the burden of good resolutions: We want to eat less sugar, reduce our meat consumption, exercise more, stop smoking or take the bike instead of the car. Often we already know what would be healthy and good for us, but we find it difficult to implement. This is also true with regard to the climate crisis. We have already experienced heavy rain, hot spells and droughts, and climate scientists around the world have presented valid climate data. We know that we need to significantly reduce CO2 emissions to preserve our habitat. We know that we need to change our mobility, nutrition and consumption. We know that the issue affects us all – on a large scale, politics and business, and on a small scale, everyone in their personal lives. But why don’t we do what we know?
The exhibition explores these questions and invites visitors to explore their own type of change. Because everyone deals with change differently and has different perceptions of it. Freely according to the motto: paths are created by walking them.
Our cooperation partners
Exhibition in cooperation with the Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection as well as the LandesEnergieAgentur Hessen (LEA) and the Frankfurt Environmental Office, among others.
Expotizer
The online presence for our new exhibition “KLIMA_X” is part logbook, part manual, and part museum chat. It will continue to grow until the start of the exhibition on October 13, 2022: We will report here on the exhibition project and keep a record for you of the activities we are launching in the run-up.
PotzBlitz! From the Curse of the Pharaoh to Hate Speech
August 11th 2022 to January 29th 2023
We all do it every day, or at least occasionally: swearing and cursing. Curses and expletives have existed in all the world’s languages since the beginning of time. The exhibition “Potz Blitz! From Pharaoh’s Curse to Hate Speech” explores this linguistic phenomenon in an entertaining way. Curator Rolf-Bernhard Essig, who conceived and curated the show, asks about the origins of curses and swearing in magic, history and religion.
The exhibition covers a wide range of topics, from the Bible to letters of abuse to internet trolls and hate speech in the present. A weighty motive for using curses and invective is the desire to break linguistic taboos. The phenomenon of warding off curses, for example by wearing amulets or by legal sanctions such as curse bans, also plays a role. The theme is present in very many areas of everyday human life, including politics, gender relations, driving or the football stadium. Historical objects, media stations and hands-on activities show that swearing and cursing are constant and living elements of all human communication.
Radio for Fans. Hessian Radio Stories
February 17th to September 4th 2022
Die ausgewählten Themenbereiche stehen beispielhaft für die Vielfalt des hr mit seinen sechs Hörfunkprogrammen im Wandel der Zeit: Im Fokus der Schau stehen das Deutsche Jazzfestival, Abendstudio und Funkkolleg und die Popwelle hr3, die 2022 50 Jahre alt wird. Ergänzt werden diese Rückblicke durch die Präsentation neuer, für die primär digitale Nutzung konzipierter Programminhalte wie „Deutschrap Ideal“ oder „Wunderwigwam“, den Wissenspodcast für Kinder, die sich auch im Veranstaltungsprogramm widerspiegeln.
Of Monsters, Mice and Men. Axel Scheffler’s fantastic letter pictures
March 12th to July 24th 2022
When friends of Axel Scheffler receive mail from him, it can be a small, very private work of art.
The exhibition shows a extensive selection of envelopes painted and designed by the draughtsman of the Gruffelo, as well as selected graphic responses. It thus documents a network of artist friendships (with Anke Kuhl, Thomas Müller, Philip Waechter and Julia Donaldson, among others). But above all, it shows the artistic originality of the world-famous illustrator Axel Scheffler and is a declaration of love to the analogue correspondence of the letter.
A joint exhibition of the Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt and the Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum of the German National Library in Leipzig
