Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Since its foundation in 1888, the Kölnische Stadtmuseum has been collecting artefacts on the history of Cologne from the Middle Ages to the present day. In March 2024, the museum will open a new, modern and unconventional permanent exhibition at a new location, the former Franz Sauer fashion house in the Minoritenstraße. In the long term, the museum will find a new location in the Historical Centre of Cologne, which is to be built in the area directly surrounding the Cologne Cathedral.

Photography is being collected since the museum was founded. The museums’s collection of prints and drawings therefore includes an extensive selection of photographs (including around 20,000 picture postcards), which make up around 20 per cent of that collection. Photographs from the holdings of the Historical Archive of the City of Cologne and the municipal building department were among the museum's first objects. Thus, the focus of the photographic collection is centred on cityscapes and architecture, including the Rhineland, at least until 1945.
However, it was quickly followed by portraits and pictures of traditional garments, i.e. pictures of unknown people of all genders and ages, which were collected because of their clothing. Another emphasis is on photographers from Cologne.

Until the middle of the 20th century, photography was mainly collected as a form of documentation. It was only with the purchase of August Sander's portfolio "Köln wie es war" ("Cologne as it was“) that artistic photography followed, naturally also in terms of the city's history, imagery, culture, architecture, etc. This continues to this day.

The invited artist can draw from this fund, be it on individual artist figures or on aspects of cityscape photography from 1853 to the present day, portraits, etc. This continues to this day.

More Information

Website Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Please refrain from direct inquiries about the Open Call to the participating institution.
Questions can be directed to opencall@photoszene.de.