"On one hand, you should be able to experience a full exhibition visit in the event of pandemic-related restrictions occurring in the future. For this purpose, a digital information desk in the outdoor area provides daily updated information on access regulations, events and admission prices. In order to improve visitor guidance and reduce waiting times at the ticket office, the online ticket system already in place for terra mineralia has also been extended to the Mineralogical Collection Germany," says Managing Director Andrea Riedel. "In addition, the headphones at the media stations are being replaced by new models that do not rest against the ear and also have surfaces that can be disinfected."

Experiencing the exhibition on- and offline

The media communication of the exhibition content is also about to be significantly improved thanks to the funding. "To this end, in a first step we are creating a WiFi network throughout the building and producing up-to-date photographic material," says Riedel. In a second step, new digital mediation services will be developed. This will enable visitors to prepare for and follow up on their stay in the Krügerhaus. On site, the offers support visitors in getting closer to the objects: "Our online mineral index provides information on all minerals presented in the exhibition. Together with the audio guide, this provides completely new insights into the outstanding exhibits during the tour." 

In addition, videos about collectors of the mineral specimens provide a deeper, personal insight into their passion for collecting. Connections between the minerals on display, the mining history of the region and the World Heritage region Montanregion Erzgebirge/Krusnohori are shown in a new video guide. The terra mineralia team plans to complete the modernization work by the end of June 2023.

Subsidies for terra mineralia and Krügerhaus from federal program "Neustart Kultur"

The expansion work is being funded with a total of 67,500 euros under the "Neustart Kultur" program of the State Minister for Culture and Media. After a successful project implementation in the framework of the funding program in the terra mineralia last year, implementation measures are currently underway in this year's follow-up project in the Mineralogical Collection Germany in the Krügerhaus. The aim of this collection is to collect and preserve outstanding German mineral specimens, to make them accessible to the public in the 500-year-old but extensively refurbished building and thus to preserve cultural assets.

With "Neustart Kultur," the German government launched a rescue and future program worth one billion euros in the summer of 2020 to maintain cultural operations and cultural infrastructure in the long term.