Just in time for International Museum Day on Sunday, May 17, when admission is free, the Osterburg District Museum has prepared a new special exhibition. It will run until August 16 under the title "Osterburg streets in views - past and present". A colourful supporting program is planned for the opening at 2.30 pm.
"The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the history of Osterburg from 1780 to the present day," says Florian Fischer, looking ahead. The museum director promises historical depictions from various periods complemented by current photographs taken from the same perspective. "We don't just limit ourselves to the past and thus offer exciting 'aha' moments. They make the many changes up to the present day visible," Fischer continues.
In collaboration with local historians Lothar Müller and Jörg Gerber, the team at the district museum has compiled a large number of historical images, documents and artifacts that not only show the past, but also provide factual evidence. In doing so, Fischer and Co. followed the approach of the exhibition "Inns of the Old District of Osterburg" and compiled scientific documentation on the houses and their inhabitants.
Little-known details also come to light: part of today's Naumannstraße was still called "Türkeistraße" in 1780 and today's Blumenstraße once bore the illustrious name "Neue Welt". Hidden behind familiar facades are surprising stories, which the museum is now making accessible to the general public for the first time.
The opening will be accompanied musically by the "Wannabe Teachers", consisting of the Osterburg musicians Peter van Meegen and Tabiha Harzer. With vocals and guitar, the two offer guests well-known and lesser-known songs. The Friends of the District Museum will also be preparing hearty snacks and drinks for all guests.
Background
International Museum Day has been proclaimed annually by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) since 1977 and draws attention worldwide to the importance of museums as places of education, encounter and cultural mediation. The Osterburg District Museum traditionally takes part in this day.