When can MusicWorlds be visited?

The exhibition is open on November 12, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The regular opening hours of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums apply from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

How much does admission to MusicWorlds cost?

The regular admission price for adults is 9 euros. Reduced tickets cost 7 euros, children and teenagers from 6 to 18 years pay 5 euros.

Are there educational offerings?

Educational tours are offered for school classes and kindergarten groups. A tour lasts about 90 minutes and requires a reservation.

Where is the exhibition located?

MusicWorlds is located in the Museum of World Cultures of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums at D5 8, 68159 Mannheim.

Are there parking facilities?

There is an underground garage beneath the Museum of World Cultures. The city center location also allows arrival by public transport.

Is the exhibition suitable for families?

Yes, MusicWorlds combines original instruments, extraordinary objects, and listening opportunities for a vivid museum experience for different age groups.

Discover MusicWorlds: Sound, culture, and fascinating instruments in the Mannheim Museum

Name: MusicWorlds
Start: 2026-11-12T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-12T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Museum Weltkulturen

MusicWorlds: A sensual journey through the sound history of humanity

The exhibition MusicWorlds at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums Mannheim opens an atmospheric approach to the universal phenomenon of music. Between pre-Columbian whistle vessels, fire dance masks from Papua New Guinea, and a fully analog recording studio from the 1980s, a cross-cultural panorama of musical expressions unfolds.

Instruments as testimonies of human culture

At the center of the exhibition is the significant collection of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums with more than 1,600 European and non-European musical instruments. The objects tell of craftsmanship, religious beliefs, social rituals, and the creative power of humans. Particularly impressive is the collection of pre-Columbian musical instruments, one of the largest outside of America.

Music between communication, community, and movement

The curatorial structure guides through the topics of communication, community, movement, and transformation. Music appears not only as an aesthetic form but as a social practice: It connects people, accompanies ceremonies, creates identity, and mediates between humans, nature, and spiritual beliefs.

From ritual sounds to pop culture

The exploration of works ranges from temple chants of Asia and monastic music cultures of Europe to court ceremonies, shamanic rituals, and modern trance experiences. Comparative listening examples bridge to rock, pop, and classical music. An audio guide and special presentations make the exhibition an immediate art experience, where sound, object, and spatial effect intertwine.

Aesthetic experience in the museum

Colors, shapes, materials, and the different dimensions of the instruments create a varied exhibition atmosphere. Pipes, drums, masks, and technical devices do not stand isolated next to each other but enter into a cultural-historical dialogue. Thus, MusicWorlds connects ethnological research, music history, and cultural education to a vivid installation about the connective power of listening.

Conclusion: Experience music as a global language

Visitors can expect a professionally grounded yet sensually accessible exhibition about music as a form of communication, community experience, and expression of cultural identity. MusicWorlds invites you to question familiar listening habits and discover the diversity of musical cultures with new ears. A visit to the Museum of World Cultures enriches the aesthetic experience and makes global music history immediately tangible.