When can MusicWorlds be visited?

The exhibition is open on November 8, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Where is the exhibition located?

MusicWorlds is presented in the rem foundation museums C4,12 of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in Mannheim.

How much does admission cost?

The regular admission for adults is 9 Euro. Discounts, family prices, and other rates are available.

Is there an audio guide?

Yes, the exhibition presents music with the help of an audio guide, surprising listening experiences, and extraordinary stagings.

Are there guided tours for school classes and daycare centers?

Yes, the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums offer accompanying guided tours for school classes and daycare centers.

Are there parking facilities?

There is an underground garage located under the World Cultures Museum of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in D5.

Discover MusicWorlds: Sound, Culture, and History in Mannheim's Fascinating Reiss-Engelhorn Museums

Name: MusicWorlds
Start: 2026-11-08T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-08T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, rem-Stiftungsmuseen

MusicWorlds: A sensuous journey through the sound history of humanity

The MusicWorlds exhibition at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums opens an atmospheric 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, visitors encounter extraordinary instruments and objects from different epochs and world regions.

Music as language, ritual, and community

The exhibition presents music not just as an acoustic event, but as a cultural practice, a form of communication, and an expression of human community. In the thematic fields of communication, community, movement, and transformation, it becomes visible how closely sound is connected to religious concepts, social relationships, dance, and ceremonial actions.

Instruments between materiality and sound

The examination of works leads from artistically designed musical instruments to ritual objects and historical sound engineers. Forms, materials, and surfaces tell of craftsmanship precision as well as of the cultural contexts in which music arises. Among the special exhibits are ancient American whistle vessels, instruments from Africa, India, the Far East, and ancient America, as well as an analog recording studio from the 1980s.

A collection of international significance

The foundation of the curation is the significant collection of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums, which includes more than 1,600 European and non-European musical instruments. It encompasses the largest collection of ancient American musical instruments outside the American continent. Thus, the exhibition connects music history research, ethnological perspectives, and cultural education into a multifaceted art experience.

Listening as aesthetic experience

An audio guide makes the exhibition immediately experiential through surprising listening experiences and extraordinary staging. Music from Africa, India, the Far East, and ancient America enters into an audible dialogue with rock, pop, and classical music. This creates a multi-layered exhibition atmosphere in which sound, spatial effect, movement, and memory intertwine.

Cultural education for different generations

MusicWorlds is aimed at individual visitors, families, school classes, and daycare centers. Accompanying guided tours open up access to the study of instruments, music ethnology, and the significance of music in various societies. The exhibition invites visitors to question familiar listening habits and rediscover music as a global form of human understanding.

Conclusion: Experience music history live

MusicWorlds combines scientifically based presentation with sensuous communication and makes the diversity of musical cultures immediately tangible. Those who want to experience instruments as art objects, music as a social force, and sound as part of human history will find an inspiring art experience in Mannheim. A visit enriches the aesthetic experience and opens up new perspectives on the cultural significance of music.