Forget dusty required reading — the Klassik Stiftung Weimar is lifting Goethe’s Faust from the bookshelf and transforming the literary masterpiece into a multimedia experience for all the senses at the Schiller Museum. The exhibition invites visitors to discover Faust’s quest for knowledge, his search for eternal youth and his confrontation with issues such as the exploitation of nature and capitalist power in a modern context. Thematic islands offer contemporary interpretations of gender roles, nature and the “Capitalocene”, while numerous objects from Goethe’s own collections emphasise the astonishing timelessness of his work.
Thanks to innovative forms of presentation — from expressive typography and a collage of Faust films to comics by renowned artist Simon Schwartz — the exhibition becomes a lively place of learning for all age groups. Children in particular can playfully encounter Faust, Gretchen and Mephisto at interactive stations, radio plays and comics. Visitors can expect a multifaceted encounter with Goethe’s linguistic art, which can last between 45 minutes and two hours and invites visitors to linger and reflect, especially on the upper floor. Whether a guided tour, a visit to the museum on public holidays or a browse in the museum shop: the Schiller Museum offers a cultural programme that makes you want to re-read Faust and think about the questions of humanity, knowledge and seduction.
