Rathenow Local History Museum: A new chapter for history and tourism!

Rathenow Local History Museum: A new chapter for history and tourism!

In Rathenow something is happening in the area of ​​culture and homeland awareness. The chairman of the local history museum support association, Peter Dietze, has big plans for the city and is talking about a new local history museum at Schleusenplatz 4, not far from the Electoral Monument. Loud maz-online.de, the conversion and expansion of this attractive location will cost several hundred thousand euros. Even if the city treasury looks empty at the moment, there is hope that funding could flow.

The planned local history museum wants to be much more than just an archive of the optical industry - which is already the subject of the neighboring optical industry museum. Dietze emphasizes that Rathenow's history is colorful and has many facets. The 28 members of the support association, who are on average 60 years old, are already working to keep the city's history alive.

A location with potential

“Schleusenplatz 4 could attract many more visitors as a new location,” says Dietze. So far, the support association has had around 400 visitors every year at Berliner Straße 80, where the exhibition about the Zieten Hussars, the fire department and the demolished officers' casino can be found. The exhibition will be open again from June 20th, although mouth and nose protection is required. Even if guided tours and group events are currently not possible, the new museum should be made more inviting.

The support from the city and cooperation partners such as the Jahn-Gymnasium show that Rathenow is striving for a lively exchange. “We would like to unite the city library, the tourist information and the museum under one roof,” says Dietze, describing his vision.

Outlook on funding opportunities

Federal funding could help the local history museum to preserve and re-present a piece of history. Loud museumsbund.de, there are various programs that aim to support cultural institutions in German cities. One example is the “Day after tomorrow” program, which is scheduled to run from 2024 to 2027 and aims to support up to 50 cultural institutions with 50,000 euros each. Investments in cultural institutions, such as those specifically supported by the federal government, could also be of interest to the local history museum.

The city administration also plans to present a concept for the proposed new location to political committees in September or October. The anticipation of the local museum and what it could mean for the city's culture can already be felt among the people of Rathenow. “We need colleagues who are interested in our project and also know their way around social media,” Dietze calls for support.

The journey into the past and the identity of the city of Rathenow has only just begun and will involve all citizens to some extent. If you would like to find out more about the plans and future exhibitions, you can find out more on the museum's website or contact the support association directly. From the perspective of the initiators, the local history museum chapter is far from over.