German Optical Museum (D.O.M.) is a National Urban Development Project
German Optical Museum (D.O.M.) is a National Urban Development Project
As part of the networking event for all municipalities funded by the federal program "National Urban Development Projects", the certificates were personally presented to all 18 projects awarded in 2022 by Federal Minister of Housing, Urban Development and Construction Klara Geywitz in Berlin today.
The federal program "National Urban Development Projects" promotes outstanding projects with a special national signal effect and quality, with above-average investment volume or particularly high innovation potential. Of the 79 projects submitted, 18 were unanimously recommended for funding by a high-caliber jury. The federal government is providing a total of €75 million for these projects. The funds are allocated according to the Königstein key, i.e. depending on the tax revenue and population of the federal states.
Construction Minister hands over the funding
Federal Minister Geywitz congratulates Christian Gerlitz (Mayor of the City of Jena and Head of the Department for Urban Development and Environment as well as member of the Board of Trustees of the D.O.M. Foundation), Dr. Holger Becker (Member of the Bundestag for the Jena-Sömmerda-Weimarer Land 1 constituency) and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Timo Mappes (founding director of the D.O.M.) on the D.O.M.'s inclusion in the 2022 federal program.
The funding sum of €2 million will be used to support the planning and implementation of the new building to expand the historic optics school at Carl-Zeiss-Platz for the German Optical Museum in Jena.
"The aim of the project is to honor the selection as a "National Urban Design Project" and to create unique and identity-creating architecture," says Christian Gerlitz.
Thanks to the funding approval, the planning for the spectacular new building with barrier-free access to the museum and accommodation of museum function rooms and the processing kitchen for the operation of the neighboring Volkshaus will continue.
Stiftung Deutsches Optisches Museum will construct the building
The client is the Stiftung Deutsches Optisches Museum. The independent foundation is supported by Carl Zeiss AG, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the Ernst Abbe Foundation and the City of Jena. Jenoptik AG has also supported the operation of the museum since mid-2022.
The City of Jena, as the recipient of the grant, will work closely with the D.O.M. team. This very pleasing inclusion in the federal program "National Urban Development Projects" is an important signal to attract further funding providers for the complete implementation of the national flagship museum for optics and photonics.
Holger Becker adds: "With this funding, we are providing new impetus for Jena, our region and urban development policy as a whole."
Unique collection to be presented in a completely new way
The D.O.M.'s collection already includes a globally unique collection of optical instruments. The high visibility in specialist circles is reflected in donations of important collections or outstanding individual pieces from all over Germany. In the first half of 2022 alone, private donors from Bavaria, Berlin, Hamburg, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia brought over 50 optical milestones to Jena. It is only through the D.O.M. that they can be experienced by all visitors and are permanently available for research. The D.O.M. team is developing a good 80 hands-on stations for its guests to make optics tangible in the truest sense of the word.
"Our aim is to generate lasting enthusiasm for optics & photonics at the world's most authentic location and to impart knowledge in a fun yet solid way. This will be edutainment [= education & entertainment] at its best," says Timo Mappes.
In Berlin wurde die Förderung entgegen genommen.
© BMWSB / Reinaldo Coddou H.