Researching Frankfurt Now!
How the CityLab works

The first special exhibition of the CityLab was dedicated to the participatory work process of the last few years: How did the Frankfurt Model came into being? What is in the library of generations? And how is an CityLab-on-the-go exhibition created?

CityLab process

The CityLab process presented the tools and methods with which the CityLab works. The past projects as well as the presentation of future projects were in the foreground along with the methods. In the "future projects" section, we presented the next three CityLab projects: Inherited, Collected, Looted?, Places of Youth, and How Do People Live? and called for participation.

Library of Generations

The Library of Generations presented itself here for the first time with a new name and a new installation. Contributions by authors were presented in six showcases. A timeline on the door showed the development of the "Library of the Old" into the "Library of Generations".

Collection Check Migration

In the area "Collection Check Migration" the question was asked how a museum should collect migration. Which objects tell the story of migration? How do you document them? In a shelf installation, objects from the museum as well as from city lab workers were on display. In a participatory process, criteria for "migration objects" and the collection of migration stories were developed.

 

Digital CityLab

As part of the opening exhibition, the four large green machines were presented for the first time, bringing the Digital CityLab back into the exhibition space. Digital CityLab is an extension of the CityLab in digital space. Personal stories can be shared on a map-based internet platform in the form of video messages, photo series, audio recordings and statements. A first selection of contributions was shown in the exhibition. Online, people can participate here: stadtlabor-digital.de

 

Making of Frankfurt model

The "Making-Of Frankfurt-Modell" section showed the creation of the Frankfurt model. For this purpose, the museum team toured Frankfurt's 42 districts in the summer of 2015 and asked 1,166 residents about their views of the city. The artist Herman Helle built a living model from this and translated it artistically: He depicts the most important places on a larger scale, and some stories are told through allusions and found objects. Sounds and videos convey the liveliness of the perceived city.

In Frankfurt company

The exhibition was enriched with 80 photographs from the photography long-term project by Anna Pekala and Florian Albrecht-Schoeck "In Frankfurter Gesellschaft". They were presented in the windows of the new exhibition house. The photographes by Anna Pekala show portraits of Frankfurt residents in their apartments. They give an insight into their very private environment and show the diverse urban society.

Find out more 

The exhibition "Frankfurt jetzt Erforschen!" (Explore Frankfurt Now!) was a prelude to further cooperation with the people of Frankfurt to explore the city and to involve them as city experts in the museum's work. Furher contents can be found:
- in 'Frankfurt Museum – Guide to the Historical Museum Frankfurt' in the contribution 'Frankfurt Now! The city of today and tomorrow' by Susanne Gesser and Angela Jannelli (p. 93 - 108; to the store), 
- on the online platform www.stadtlabor-digital.de,
- under the hashtag #stadtlaborFFM.

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