ZEISS Becomes Founding Member of Deutsches Museum

“The Deutsches Museum is a place for learning and inspiration for kids and teenagers, and visitors of all ages enjoy the exhibitions. Here, science and technology become an immersive experience. Expressing knowledge of and enthusiasm for science and technology is also an aim that ZEISS is pursuing. That’s why ZEISS is supporting the Museum with a raft of modernization measures – particularly during this special year for ZEISS as it celebrates its 175th anniversary,” says Dr. Karl Lamprecht, President and CEO of the ZEISS Group.

“In order to shape the future, we need young people who can find solutions to current and upcoming technological and scientific problems. And the Deutsches Museum is a fantastic place to inspire people. The exhibits bespeak a pioneering spirit and the drive to develop in the respective field, and look to push the limits of what has been possible until now,” says Lamprecht. “For 175 years, ZEISS has been developing innovations that answer the question of how we can push the limits of our imagination. Supporting the Deutsches Museum is our way of making a contribution to society in order to encourage kids and teenagers to be inspired by science and technology.”

The Deutsches Museum and ZEISS have been partners for more than 100 years. “ZEISS has supported the Deutsches Museum at critical junctures time and again,” says general director Prof. Dr. Wolfgang M. Heckl. For instance, the planetarium at the Deutsches Museum would not have been built without the suggestion put forward by museum founder Oskar von Miller and the exceptional work of the team of ZEISS employees headed by Walther Bauersfeld. It became operational in 1923 as the world’s first projection planetarium.

Today, ZEISS donated several million euros when Dr. Karl Lamprecht and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang M. Heckl signed the foundation certificate, in the presence of the Bavarian State Minister for Science and Art, Bernd Sibler, in the Hall of Fame at the Deutsches Museum.
“The Deutsches Museum has been an exceptional partner in STEM promotion. In other words, in promoting young talent in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Here at ZEISS we believe it is important to do this. In our anniversary year, we want to make a statement for the future.” says Lamprecht.
The urgently needed modernization at the Deutsches Museum could only begin once the Museum had raised an initial sum of 40 million euros. A further donation to the tune of five million euros was received later on. ZEISS’ new generous donation will increase the Museum’s total funds to some 50 million euros. ZEISS is the newest founding member of the Deutsches Museum, a group that includes another nine actors and companies.

Bavaria’s Minister for Science and Art, Bernd Sibler, welcomed ZEISS’ support as a much-needed addition to the public funds released for this major project: “Big projects like the general overhaul of the Deutsches Museum unwaveringly rely on support from additional sponsors. That’s why I’m delighted that the ZEISS Group has now become a founding member of the Deutsches Museum. I would like to sincerely thank ZEISS and general director Wolfgang M. Heckl. I hope that we will be able to welcome many more sizeable and significant founding members like the ZEISS Group to our ranks.”

The first modernization phase is almost complete: toward the end of the year, the 19 new exhibits of the first construction phase are scheduled to be complete. “Several exhibitions will be completed by September,” said general director Wolfgang M. Heckl when announcing the ZEISS donation. “We’re close to finishing the first construction phase.” Half of the exhibition building has been completely overhauled, with 19 permanent exhibits being redesigned. ZEISS’ donation will be used to refurbish the physics exhibition. The design of the new physics exhibition was presented by curator Dr. Daniela Schneevoigt.

From the first projection planetarium to the scanning electron microscope, the partnership has been characterized by diversity. A key addition has been made today: the ZEISS microscope “Stand VIIb” from 1879 was loaned to the Deutsches Museum by Prof. Dr. Timo Mappes, founding director of the German Optical Museum in Jena. It will form part of the new optics treasure chamber at the Deutsches Museum that is currently being built as part of the modernization.