In the Beginning was the Belt at Städtisches Museum Braunschweig: See history anew

A museum space that reinterprets Braunschweig's colonial collecting history

In the Städtisches Museum Braunschweig, the permanent exhibition In the Beginning was the Belt offers a precise view of ethnographica, souvenirs and colonial trophies. In the house at Löwenwall, the aesthetic experience of a Jugendstil building with light-filled corridors meets an exhibition that makes provenance, memory, and museum responsibility visible. The museum describes the house as an important place for art and cultural historical collections as well as international special exhibitions. ([braunschweig.de](https://www.braunschweig.de/tourismus/ihr-besuch-in-braunschweig/sehenswuerdigkeiten/eintraege-sehenswuerdigkeiten/_staedtische_museum.php))

Ethnological collection between object and history

The exhibition focuses on objects from the ethnological collection and inquires into their historical path to Braunschweig. The engagement with colonial historically burdened collections gives the tour a special depth: The museum's website explicitly refers to questions of provenance history and to a common ethical stance in museum work in the German-speaking world. Thus, there is not merely an object presentation, but a curated examination of origin, ownership, and interpretation. ([braunschweig.de](https://www.braunschweig.de/kultur/museen/staedtisches-museum/))

Spatial effect, light, and materiality

The house at Löwenwall itself is part of the experience. The Jugendstil building with floral ornaments, curved lines, and an impressive light court atmospherically frames the exhibition. Historical wall paintings and arches create a quiet, concentrated museum atmosphere, in which engagement with colonial objects unfolds particularly vividly. For art-interested visitors, this creates a connection between architecture, exhibition design, and cultural historical reflection. ([braunschweig.de](https://www.braunschweig.de/tourismus/ihr-besuch-in-braunschweig/sehenswuerdigkeiten/eintraege-sehenswuerdigkeiten/_staedtische_museum.php))

Education, mediation, and visitor experience

The Städtisches Museum sees itself not just as a collection place but also as a place of cultural education. Public and bookable tours, audio guides, and mediation offers accompany the visit. The exhibition is located in the house at Löwenwall; the museum also refers to its barrier-free accessibility and the possibility of discovering tours and events via its homepage. ([braunschweig.de](https://www.braunschweig.de/kultur/museen/staedtisches-museum/index.php))

Why visiting now is worthwhile

In the Beginning was the Belt connects Braunschweig's collection profile with the big questions of the present: How do things get into the museum, what stories do they carry, and what responsibility follows from this? Those who visit this permanent exhibition live will experience not just objects but a thoughtful, sensitive, and aesthetically dense engagement with history. A visit is worthwhile for all who appreciate museums as spaces of thought, wonder, and cultural education. ([braunschweig.de](https://www.braunschweig.de/kultur/museen/staedtisches-museum/))

Official Channels of Städtisches Museum Braunschweig:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staedtischesmuseumbraunschweig/
• Facebook: no official profile found
• YouTube: no official profile found
• Website: https://www.braunschweig.de/kultur/museen/staedtisches-museum/

Sources:

• City of Braunschweig - Städtisches Museum Braunschweig
• City of Braunschweig - Städtisches Museum Braunschweig at Löwenwall
• City of Braunschweig - Your Visit & Contact
• The Region - Event entry In the Beginning was the Belt
• City of Braunschweig - Events at the Städtisches Museum