When can MusicWorlds be visited?

The exhibition opens on November 11, 2026, at 10 AM. The regular opening hours of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM.

How much does admission to MusicWorlds cost?

The regular admission for adults costs 9 euros. Discounts, family tickets, and other rates are available at the museum.

Are there tours and workshops?

Yes, there are bookable tours as well as tours with workshops for school classes and daycares. Registration with the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums' booking office is required.

What topics does the exhibition address?

MusicWorlds focuses on music as communication, expression of community, companion of movement, and instrument of transformation. The exhibition compares musical cultures from various regions and eras.

Is the exhibition accessible by public transport and car?

The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums are located in Mannheim's museum district. A parking garage is located under the Museum of World Cultures in D5.

How long does a visit to the exhibition last?

There is no fixed duration for the visit. For a detailed contemplation of works with audio guides and auditory experiences, ample time is recommended.

Discover MusicWorlds: Experience Melodious Cultures and Fascinating Instruments in Mannheim

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

MusicWorlds: A Melodious Journey Through the Cultures of the World

The exhibition MusicWorlds at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums Mannheim offers a sensual approach to the universal phenomenon of music. Between pre-Columbian whistles, fire dance masks from Papua New Guinea, and a fully analog recording studio from the 1980s, a cultural-historical panorama emerges that connects sound, ritual, community, and technological development.

Instruments as Testimonies of Cultural Identity

The exhibition is based on the significant collection of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums, which houses more than 1,600 European and non-European musical instruments. The exhibits tell stories of religious beliefs, social belonging, communication, and the relationship of humans to nature and the cosmos. A particular highlight of the collection is the largest collection of pre-Columbian musical instruments outside the American continent.

Music Between Ritual, Movement, and Transformation

In the thematic areas of communication, community, movement, and transformation, the curation traverses different eras and regions. Music appears as a means of communication with spirits and deities, as a unifying element of religious communities, and as a companion to dance, ceremony, and courtly representation. Shamanistic rituals and trance experiences simultaneously point to the transformative power of sound.

Audiovisual Experiences and Atmospheric Staging

The contemplation of works connects visible forms, materials, and ornamentation with immediate acoustic impressions. An audio guide makes the exhibition tangible through surprising auditory experiences. Music from Africa, India, the Far East, and pre-Columbia enters into a dynamic dialogue with related soundscapes from rock, pop, and classical music. This creates a vibrant exhibition atmosphere where aesthetic experience and cultural education intertwine.

Museum Education for School Classes and Daycares

The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums offer bookable tours and workshops for school classes and daycares. The offerings focus on music and religion, music as a means of communication, music from different cultures, and music as a signal. In interactive formats, children and teenagers can learn about, among other things, sound whistles and an Indonesian angklung. Tours and workshops are designed to be age-appropriate and are available upon registration.

Conclusion: Experience Music as a Shared Language

MusicWorlds combines music ethnology, cultural history, and museum staging into an impressive artistic experience. Visitors discover instruments as sound bodies, ritual objects, and historical testimonies of human creativity. Those who want to not only hear music but understand it in its cultural contexts will experience an inspiring contemplation of works with many sensory moments here. The exhibition invites visitors to take time for the sound worlds of the collection and to enjoy the museum experience live in Mannheim.