Rescue of the Thuringian museums: Culture threatens to end in the state budget!

Rescue of the Thuringian museums: Culture threatens to end in the state budget!

In Thuringia there is an alarming mood among the cultural institutions! The recently presented draft of the state budget 2025 meets the museums of the federal state with drastic cuts that could seriously jeopardize the cultural diversity and heritage. The grants for exhibitions from 385,000 euros are to be reduced to an embarrassing 100,000 euros. These drastic cuts mean that many museums fear for their existence and a massive restriction of their offers.

Timo Mappes, Vice President of the Museum Association Thuringia, emphasizes that these financial cuts for many facilities would be “dying on guiding”. The plans for important projects, such as a special exhibition on the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus route in Dornburg, are on the brink. Antje Neumann, head of the Bauhauswerkstatt, expresses that the support of 12,000 euros already promised is now uncertain. "In the worst case, there will be a already financed catalog without the associated exhibition," she warns. This is an alarming situation for the art and culture scene in the region, which according to WDR urgently required for a rethink on the part of the state government.

criticism of budget planning

The planned cuts not only affect the budget for exhibitions, but also the funds for necessary restorations that are to be reduced by ten percent. In the Thuringian cultural landscape, the personnel shortage is already ruling, which can often only be collected through the commitment of volunteers. Museum director Gideon Haut from Heiligenstadt points out that without the necessary financing, museum work is becoming increasingly difficult. The Museum Association emphasizes the state government emphatically to revise the presented draft in order to counteract the impending cultural super-Gau. Otherwise, Thuringia could soon experience a dark side of his rich cultural past, such as thuringia.