City of Jena prioritizes future cultural investments

The city of Jena is setting the course for the future development of its cultural infrastructure. The background to this is the need to invest in central cultural facilities while at the same time having limited financial scope for action. The City Council has now been presented with a proposal for the prioritization of upcoming cultural investments for the meeting on 3 June 2026.

The core of the proposal is the decision to prioritize the general renovation and conceptual development of the municipal museums at the Göhre site. At the same time, the previous plans for a new rehearsal center for the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra are not to be pursued further. However, the operation and artistic development of the philharmonic orchestra should remain secured in the long term at the existing locations of the Volkshaus and the former eye clinic.

The decision follows a comprehensive technical and financial review. Both projects - museum modernization and rehearsal center - have been identified as important future projects in recent years. However, simultaneous implementation is not possible under the current and foreseeable budgetary conditions.

The focus of the prioritization is the acute need for action at the municipal museums. There are considerable structural and functional deficits at the Göhre site. Without refurbishment, there is a threat of long-term restrictions on museum operations and risks to valuable collections.

The planned realignment is intended to create a modern "Jena Museum" that conveys the city's history in a contemporary way and acts more strongly than before as an open place for encounters, education and cultural exchange. Among other things, new exhibition concepts, barrier-free access, digital and interactive offers and a stronger museum-educational focus are planned.

The former eye clinic will play a central role in this. It will initially be developed as an interim location for parts of the museums and, in the long term, as a new location for the Jena art collection. The prerequisite for this is to secure its long-term use beyond 2030.

Against this backdrop, the previous plans for an independent art museum will be discontinued. At the same time, the city sees the development of the area around the Volkshaus, Eye Clinic and German Optical Museum as an opportunity to create a new cultural focus with supra-regional appeal.

The decision on the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra's rehearsal center was also intensively examined. In addition to the financial burdens, the legal and funding conditions in particular have changed significantly. According to current estimates, the previously planned model would not be viable. Furthermore, additional permanent operating and infrastructure costs would arise, which could limit the financial scope for the orchestra's artistic work in the long term.

The city therefore expressly emphasizes that the decision does not mean a weakening of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra. Rather, the existing structures in the Volkshaus and the Eye Clinic are to be secured in the long term in order to maintain the high artistic quality of the orchestra in the future.

JenaKultur is planning a multi-year development in several construction and design phases until the early 2030s for the implementation of the museum measures. At the same time, funding is to be actively acquired.

Head of Cultural Affairs Johannes Schleußner explains:
"The present proposal provides an outlook on the difficult decisions still to be made by our city. It is thanks to the management of JenaKultur that it has presented a viable and responsible proposal for prioritizing investment projects in the cultural sector in these financially challenging times. This proposal secures the viability of our cultural institutions and at the same time opens up urgently needed perspectives, especially for our city museum and our art collection."

The directors of JenaKultur, Carsten Müller and Friedrun Vollmer, added:
"We are aware that this prioritization is associated with different expectations and also disappointments. It was therefore all the more important to propose a decision that is sustainable in the long term and combines both cultural quality and financial responsibility. By strengthening the museums and securing the Philharmonie at the same time, we are creating reliable prospects for Jena's cultural development."