When can Music Worlds be visited?

The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Visit on October 7, 2026, is possible from 10 AM.

How much does the admission to the exhibition cost?

The regular admission for adults is 9 Euros. Discounts, family tickets, and other pricing groups are available.

Are there offers for school classes and kindergarten groups?

Yes, there are educational offers for school classes and kindergarten groups. A guided tour lasts a total of 90 minutes and must be booked in advance.

Where is the exhibition located?

Music Worlds can be seen in the Museum of World Cultures of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in Mannheim, D5, 68159 Mannheim.

Are there parking facilities nearby?

There is an underground garage below the Museum of World Cultures. The museum is also centrally located in Mannheim's city center.

Is the exhibition suitable for families?

Yes, the diverse instruments, masks, and sound objects provide families with a vivid access to music history and cultural diversity.

Discover Music Worlds: A Fascinating Sound Journey through Cultures, Times, and Spaces

Name: Music Worlds
Start: 2026-10-07T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-07T17:00:00+02:00
Location: Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen

Music Worlds in Mannheim: A Sensory Journey through the Sound History of Humanity

The exhibition Music Worlds at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums offers a fascinating access to the universal phenomenon of music. Between ancient American whistle vessels, fire dance masks from Papua New Guinea, and a fully analog recording studio from the 1980s, an atmospheric exploration of time, space, and cultural identity unfolds.

Instruments as Testimonies of Human Imagination

The presentation is based on the significant collection of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums with more than 1,600 European and non-European musical instruments. Each object tells a story of technical skills, religious ideas, social rituals, and human creative power. Whistle vessels, masks, and instruments are not seen as isolated exhibits but as material testimonies of vibrant sound cultures.

From Archaic Sounds to Analog Studio Technology

The exhibition connects different epochs and regions into a cultural-historical panorama. The tour leads from early sound objects and traditional musical instruments to the studio technology of the 1980s. Forms, materials, and staging clarify how music is created through breath, movement, wood, metal, electronics, and human interaction.

Exhibition Atmosphere and Aesthetic Experience

The atmospheric curation invites visitors to perceive sound not only as an acoustic event but also as a visual and physical experience. Colors, textures, shapes, and spatial effects complement the cultural-historical information. Thus, Music Worlds combines scientific precision with aesthetic experience, creating an impressive art experience for families, music enthusiasts, and culturally curious visitors.

Cultural Education for Different Generations

The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums complement the exhibition with educational offerings for school classes and kindergarten groups. A guided tour for groups lasts a total of 90 minutes and connects the examination of exhibits with age-appropriate explanations of musical and cultural-historical contexts. This makes Music Worlds also an inspiring place for cultural education.

Conclusion: Experience Music as a Common Language

Music Worlds shows how diverse people create, preserve, and pass on sounds. The exhibition combines ethnological perspectives, music history, design, and sensory exploration into a cultural experience that resonates long after. Those who wish to experience music as an expression of community, memory, and ingenuity should definitely visit this exhibition live in Mannheim.