How to do a cultural palace?

Reflections, Practice, and Vision

In cooperation with World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026

The Bolongaro Palace will open in 2027 as the new cultural center of Frankfurt`s western district. One year prior, the Historisches Museum Frankfurt will host a symposium that explores the design, use, and significance of the palace as a democratic cultural venue.
Programme Overview download

How can a democratic space function that unites diverse cultural offerings under one roof?

Ahead of the opening of the Bolongaro Palace as the cultural center of Frankfurt’s western district in 2027, the Historical Museum Frankfurt will host a two-day symposium. Together with residents of Frankfurt, cultural practitioners, and scholars, the symposium will explore cultural palaces on both local and global levels. Historical examples will be presented alongside contemporary approaches to practice. Cultural palace makers from around the world will discuss the challenges and potentials of such institutions.

The event will take place at two locations: At the Historical Museum in the city center, the focus will be on international and academic perspectives as well as workshop discussions. In Höchst, around the Bolongaro Palace, insights into the construction site and artistic contributions will help shape ideas for the future Palace of Culture. Once built by the wealthiest citizens of Frankfurt, the palace now offers an opportunity to negotiate and further develop democratic processes of shared usage.

The symposium is part of the framework program for the CityLab exhibition "Höchst tells it’s story. About the Museum at Bolongaro Palace" (2026-2027). This exhibition provides a preview of the new location for the Historisches Museum Frankfurt within the future cultural palace, while raising questions about what a city museum in the 21st century can and should achieve.

An event by Historisches Museum Frankfurt as part of WDC 2026. WDC 2026 is funded by the State of Hesse, the City of Frankfurt/Main and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain.

Thursday, September 17

13:00 – 13:30 Arrival and Registration

13:30 – 14:00 Introduction / Welcome / Program Overview

14:00 – 14:15 Welcome Address by Mike Josef, Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main

14:15 – 15:00 Keynote / followed by Q&A

15:00 – 15:30 Short break - Refreshments and snacks

15:30 – 17:00 Panel 1: Science, Theory, and History of Cultural Palaces
Four speakers with 15-minute presentations followed by a joint discussion.
Maite Álvarez (Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Oaxaca, Mexico), Hye-in Park (Artistic practice in South Korea), Lukas Vejnik and Carina Sacher (Adult Education Centres in Vienna, Austria)

17:00 – 18:30 Group Transfer to Höchst

18:30 – 19:15 Guided Tours of the Bolongaro Palace

19:30 – 21:00 Statements from Höchst/ Artistic Contribution / Music / Catering
Markus Grossbach, Eritrean culture club Höchst, Obedia Nonis (Ceylonilicous Sri Lankan Streetfood), Student Band of the Frankfurt am Main Music School (Region West), Amt für künstlerische Vermessung (AfkV)

Friday, September 18

09:30 – 10:45 Panel 2: Global Cultural Palaces
Two case studies and their practical approaches with 15-minute presentations followed by a joint discussion.
Juliette Pinard (Centquatre in Paris, France), Ana Druwe (Casa do Povo in São Paulo, Brazil)

10:45 – 11:00 Stage Changeover

11:00 – 12:30 Panel 3: Cultural Palaces and Discourses in Germany
Three case studies with 15-minute presentations followed by a joint discussion.
Kathrin Dröppelmann (Dammweg 216 in Berlin, Germany), Tülây Güneș (Post-Migrant Discourses in Frankfurt, Germany), Andrea Wieloch (Zukunftszentrum für Deutsche Einheit und Europäische Transformation in Halle (Saale), Germany)

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break / Catering

13:30 – 14:30 Workshop Discussions / Round Tables 
Four themes, four groups including speakers from Panels 1-3

14:30 – 15:15 Plenary Session: Compiling the Manifesto Building Blocks

15:15 - 15:30 Closing Remarks and Conclusion

Venue
Historisches Museum Frankfurt
Saalhof 1
60311 Frankfurt am Main

Bolongaro Palace
Bolongarostraße 109
65929 Frankfurt am Main

The guided tours of the Bolongaropalast and the evening programme on 17 September will take place at the Bolongaro Palace, Bolongarostraße 109, 65929 Frankfurt am Main.
All other events, including the opening on 17 September and the closing on 18 September, will take place at the Historisches Museum Frankfurt, Saalhof 1, 60311 Frankfurt am Main.

Registration
Registration is required to participate. 
Participation in the event costs €25 (reduced rate: €15), including meals. 
The evening event on Thursday, September 17, at 7.30 p.m. is free of charge. Please register in advance for this event as well, as space is limited.
Registration is handled by our visitor service team. 
T +49 69 212-35154,

The conference language is English.

Funding
World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026
Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain