New wind in the Berlin City Museum: Sophie Plagemann takes over the management

New wind in the Berlin City Museum: Sophie Plagemann takes over the management

The change at the top of the Berlin City Museum marks an important moment for the cultural landscape of the capital. From September 2023, Sophie Plagemann will take over the position as an artistic director and board member of the foundation, as the cultural administration announced on Tuesday. This decision was made by the Senate under the leadership of cultural senator Joe Chialo (CDU), who has great confidence in Plagemann's skills.

"I am convinced that Plagemann will successfully advance the institution in a crucial transformation phase," said Chialo in a statement. In doing so, he refers in particular to the newly planned museum and creative district at Köllnische Park, which is due to open its gates in 2028. It is expected that this location becomes a central attraction for art and culture in Berlin that enriches the entire city.

biography and previous activities

Sophie Plagemann was born in Berlin and studied at the Humboldt University, where she has trained in more recent German literature, history, theater studies and cultural communication. Your academic knowledge, coupled with extensive experience in the museum area, made you a suitable successor for Paul Spies, who had announced his resignation last year. Spies had headed the city museum since 2018 and has now been dispensing with another term.

Since September 2020, Plagemann has been working as a division manager of the collection in the Stadtmuseum Berlin Foundation and has accompanied many important projects in this function. In October 2023, she temporarily took over the artistic management part -time, which demonstrates its suitability for the final takeover of the position.

The future orientation of the city museum

Plagemann's contract is limited by the end of August 2029, which gives her enough scope to realize your vision for the institution. The city museum is more than just a collection of exhibitions - it includes several important locations, including the Märkische Museum in Mitte and the presentation "Berlin Global" in the Humboldt Forum. This variety of locations and projects gives Plagemann the opportunity to develop innovative concepts and to address the audience in a new way.

The plans for the new museum and creative district are particularly exciting. Planned as a place that not only puts art and culture in the foreground, it will also offer space for creative risk -friendly work. Chialo emphasizes that the quarters should become a "great place for the whole city", which increases expectations of Plagemann.

The change in the artistic direction of the city museum takes place in a context that is shaped by changes for many museums and cultural institutions in Germany. New technologies and a changing audience require museums to be flexible and innovative. Plagemann's background in cultural communication and theater science could prove to be valuable capital to master these challenges.

an important step for culture in Berlin

The appointment of Sophie Plagemann could bring a fresh wind to the cultural institution and herald a new era for the city museum. For their predecessors, the management was a time of change, and the expectations of Plagemann are high when it comes to leading the museum in a new direction. The coming years will be decisive to show how it can implement her vision and whether it can transform the institution in a way that keeps pace with the developing landscape of Berlin culture.

The departure into a new time should not only understand the city museum as a place of remembering and preserving history, but also as a dynamic space for current cultural discourses. Plagemann has the opportunity to lead the city museum into the future and to make it a living part of the pulsating life in Berlin.

The role of Sophie Plagemann and her vision for the city museum

Sophie Plagemann brings an extensive experience and a clear vision into her new role as an artistic director of the Berlin City Museum. Her career at the Humboldt University, where she dealt with recent German literature, history and theater studies, reflects her extensive understanding of cultural contexts. Plagemann has worked as a department manager of the collection since 2020 and can look back on numerous projects that contributed to the realignment of the institution. Your Commission for Artistic Direction shows the trust that the Senate puts in its skills.

Plagemann plans to focus on the interactivity of the exhibitions and to deepen the relationship between the museum and the wider public. At a time when museums are increasingly required to reinvent itself, it wants to use new applications of digital technologies to address a wider audience and to promote dialogue about city history. Their efforts also include the stronger inclusion of different perspectives and communities in museum work in order to create a more inclusive cultural experience.

history of the Berlin City Museum

The city museum Berlin has a long history that intervenes deeply into the cultural development of the city. Founded in 1985 as a "city historical museums in Berlin", it served numerous generations to research Berlin and its multifaceted past. It combines various locations such as the Märkische Museum and the Nikolaikirche Museum, which enables a comprehensive representation of city history.

In the past, the museum was often the goal of redesigns and new directions, often in response to social changes or political challenges. The transition from Paul Spies to Sophie Plagemann is another step in this long tradition of transformation. Both directors stand for different approaches and perspectives on the artistic and historical review of the city.

The importance of the planned creative district at Köllnische Park

The development of the new museum and creative district at Köllnische Park is a central component of Plagemann's vision and could have a significant influence on the cultural landscape of Berlin in the long term. This project, which is to be completed by 2028, aims to combine various creative disciplines and create a place where the focus is on art and education.

The district will not only present the existing collections of the city museum, but also offer space for temporary exhibitions, workshops and interactive programs. This could become a meeting point for creative minds and interested parties, and thus contribute to the cultural diversity for which Berlin is known. By addressing new target groups, the initiative offers a way to increase the relevance of the city museum in modern society.

For more information about the city museum and its initiatives, visit the Official website .

- Nag