2016 - News - Detail Page - Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz

The number of visits varied depending on the federal state and the type of museum. The most frequently cited reasons for the increase in the number of visits were large special exhibitions and the expansion of public relations work and museum education. In 2017, documenta 14 and Skulptur Projekte Münster generated particular interest in contemporary art. The opening of the privately donated Museum Barberini in Potsdam also attracted a great deal of attention throughout the year. This generally led to a good result for art museums (+13.1%). The anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 also had a major impact on the number of visitors to museums, but it was also clear that not all exhibitions on this topic were as successful as desired; however, the museums on the historically important stations of the Reformation and the places where Martin Luther lived benefited from the anniversary. In Saxony-Anhalt alone, the number of museum visitors rose by over 11% compared to the previous year.

More than every second German museum that took part in the survey showed at least one special exhibition in 2017. 2,872 museums reported that they showed a total of 8,765 special exhibitions in 2017, an average of three exhibitions per museum.

However, museums also keep an eye on their permanent exhibitions. The survey showed that since 2012, over 40% of German museums have redesigned their permanent exhibition or individual areas of it or are planning to do so.

Prof. Dr Eckart Köhne, President of the German Museums Association, states: "Building up and professionalising educational work, offering special exhibitions and renewing permanent exhibitions is worthwhile. A direct, positive impact on visitor numbers is noticeable. However, despite the pleasing increase for 2017, we must not forget that for many people in Germany, a visit to a museum is not part of their everyday life or leisure time. The further development of visitor research is an important key for museums to open up and enable access to broader sections of society. The German Museums Association is working on this."

Results of the survey on the status of education and outreach work at German museums in 2017

For 2017, the Institute for Museum Research once again requested information on the education and outreach programmes offered by museums to visitors (museum education programmes were last surveyed in 2007).

A significant increase in the professionalism of education and outreach work

1,437 employees out of over 20,000 people involved in education and outreach work were employed full-time and exclusively. In the comparative year 2007, 991 full-time employees were reported. Full-time staff for education and outreach work were mainly found in the historical-archaeological institutions (38.2%), in the art museums (33.8%) and in the natural history museums (30.5%).

A greater differentiation of the public in the design of the programme

The main target group for museum education programmes in 2017 was once again schools, i.e. schoolchildren in class groups. Around 70% of museums offer special programmes for this target group. There were hardly any changes compared to 2007, but there was significant growth in the area of education for individual visits.

More new media used in education and outreach work

The most important and most frequently mentioned media in the area of education and outreach work in 2017 were once again display boards and (object) texts (74% of all participating museums). However, far more museums than in 2007 used media-supported media for outreach, e.g. computer-based media, films, audio guides (2017: 19%; 2007: 8%) or multimedia guides. In contrast, the range of print media used for teaching is tending to decline, e.g. guide leaflets.

Less frontal teaching, but more participation and communication with the audience

The most frequently cited format in the area of education and outreach work in 2017 was again the guided tour. However, more museums than in 2007 stated in 2017 that they offered courses, organised children's birthday parties or holiday programmes. The number of museums that offered highly individualised educational formats and relied on personal interaction doubled between 2007 and 2017. New formats that were asked about were participative programmes and the involvement of the public in concepts. More than one in ten museums also offers participatory programmes.

Prof Dr Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, commented on this on behalf of the museums of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation: "It is pleasing that the number of museum visitors has increased again. This shows that our collections remain attractive. Nevertheless, we know what needs to be done to ensure that our programmes hold their own. Museums need to address their target groups in a much more personalised way and also reach those for whom, for whatever reason, a visit to a museum is not part of their everyday life. Our audience wants to be won over. Not only through education, but also through smart, engaging and understandable exhibitions."

Visitor numbers to exhibition centres increased in 2017.

For 2017, the Institute for Museum Research once again wrote to exhibition centres that do not have their own collections but predominantly show non-commercial exhibitions of a museum nature. Of 477 exhibition centres, 367 returned the questionnaire (77%). Of these, 329 exhibition centres reported a total of 6,901,250 visits in 2017 (compared to 6,252,751 in 2016). This figure is not included in the total number of visits to museums. Around 90% of all special exhibitions in the exhibition centres were art exhibitions.

Further information and data on the German museum landscape in 2017 can be found in the 104-page publication "Statistische Gesamterhebung an den Museen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland für das Jahr 2017", which contains information on the individual federal states in addition to the presentation of museum visits by type of museum. The publication appears in the series "Materialien aus dem Institut für Museumsforschung", issue 72 (2017) and will be available for download at http://www.smb.museum/museen-und-einrichtungen/institut-fuer-museumsforschung/home.html from December 2018. A printed publication can be requested free of charge (Institut für Museumsforschung, In der Halde 1, 14195 Berlin, Tel. 030/8301-460, Fax: 030/8301-504).