When can MusicWorlds be visited?

The exhibition opens on November 13, 2026, at 10 AM. The regular opening hours of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM.

What is the admission fee for MusicWorlds?

The regular admission for adults is 9 euros. Concession holders pay 7 euros, and children and teenagers aged 6 to 18 pay 5 euros.

Is there an audio guide?

Yes, the exhibition makes music immediately tangible through the use of an audio guide, surprising listening experiences, and extraordinary presentations.

Where is the exhibition located?

MusicWorlds can be seen at the Museum of World Cultures of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in Quadrat D5 in 68159 Mannheim.

Is the exhibition accessible by public transport?

From Mannheim Hauptbahnhof, the city rail lines 1, 3, 4, and 5 go to Paradeplatz. From there, lines 2 or 6 take you to the Rathaus or REM stops.

Are there parking facilities?

There is an underground parking garage located beneath the Museum of World Cultures in D5. For driving directions, you can enter D5 without a house number as the destination.

Discover MusicWorlds: Global sounds and fascinating instruments in the heart of Mannheim

Name: MusicWorlds
Start: 2026-11-13T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-13T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Museum Weltkulturen D5

MusicWorlds in Mannheim: Experience the history of sound sensually

The exhibition MusicWorlds at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums offers a fascinating access to the phenomenon of music. Between ancient American whistle vessels, fire dance masks from Papua New Guinea, and a completely analog recording studio from the 1980s, visitors encounter unique instruments and objects from different epochs and regions.

When sound becomes visible

The exhibition combines cultural-historical research with atmospheric staging. Communication, community, movement, and transformation form the thematic spaces where the relationship of humans to music is central. Shapes, materials, and traces of global music cultures make the diversity of musical expressions immediately tangible.

From ancient America to the analog recording studio

The exhibits tell of music as a social practice, ritual action, and technical medium. Whistle vessels from ancient America refer to early sound concepts, while fire dance masks from Papua New Guinea make the connection between music, movement, and ceremony visible. The analog recording studio from the 1980s finally leads to a more recent media history and makes the transformation of sound production comprehensible.

Listening as an aesthetic experience

An audio guide complements the artwork observation with surprising listening experiences and extraordinary presentations. Music from Africa, India, the Far East, and ancient America relates to related sound experiences from rock, pop, and classical music. This creates a cultural education that relies not only on the transfer of knowledge but also on perception, comparison, and personal discovery.

A museum experience for curious explorers

With around 230 extraordinary exhibits and a significant collection of more than 1600 European and non-European musical instruments, the exhibition leads through global sound worlds. The curation makes tangible how music creates community, accompanies movements, shapes identity, and designs transitions between everyday life, ritual, and art.

Conclusion: Discover music history live

MusicWorlds promises an intense artistic experience between ethnology, music history, and sensual exhibition design. Those who want to understand music not only as sound but as a cultural language, social force, and aesthetic experience will find an inspiring encounter with the sound worlds of humanity in Mannheim. A visit to the Museum of World Cultures is particularly worthwhile for everyone wanting to experience instruments, rituals, and media history from new perspectives.