Bremer Rundfunkmuseum e.V.

Description

THE BREMER RUNDFUNKMUSEUM (BREMEN RADIO MUSEUM)

In 1978, radio enthusiasts and collectors founded the Bremen Radio Museum in a building in the old slaughterhouse located on the "Bürgerweide". The facility opened its doors to the public for the first time on 12 September 1978.

The museum was first mentioned in the brochure published by the Senate Department for Art and Museums in Bremen and Bremerhaven in 1980 and has since been included in the regional Bremen museum directory, the German museum directory and many leisure platforms on the internet. The museum is also represented there via its constantly updated website ‘www.bremer-rundfunkmuseum.de’.

In 1987, the Bremer Rundfunkmuseum e.V. association was granted non-profit status. Its founder, Bernhard Budde, who passed away in 2012, ran the museum for 26 years.

The young museum gained public recognition through numerous activities. A notable highlight was the exhibition in the lower hall of the town hall to mark its tenth anniversary, combined with the ‘100 Years of Heinrich Hertz’ anniversary event in late summer 1988.

In the 1990s, space became increasingly tight. The museum’s growing reputation led to numerous donations of items, of which only the finest pieces could be incorporated into the permanent collection.

In January 2000, the museum moved to Findorffstrasse 22–24, with a significantly larger exhibition area. Since then, more than 700 exhibits spanning radio, television and video technology, sound recording, maritime radio and broadcast studio technology, digital audio technology, right through to today’s high-end equipment, have been on display across 400 square metres of exhibition space. Furthermore, special exhibitions offer excellent opportunities to attract additional visitor interest.

A particular highlight was the special event dedicated to the legendary Radio Bremen presenter Hans-Günther Oesterreich in spring 2002, as well as the opening in 2013 of the associated Radio Bremen presenter’s studio from the 1950s. Here, visitors can also see the first pieces of equipment used by reporters and for outside broadcasts, which came into use following the commencement of Radio Bremen’s official broadcasting operations in 1946.

The exhibits, many of which have been repaired by the in-house workshop and are fully functional, cover the entire spectrum from the early years of radio and recording technology right up to the present day.

Among the rarities is the Blaupunkt T2650W music cabinet from 1950. This piece of furniture, featuring a radio and record changer in a handcrafted veneer cabinet, belonged to the Bremen car manufacturer Carl Borgward. This ‘Borgward cabinet’ cost roughly a worker’s annual wage at the time and was donated to the museum by Borgward’s widow.

Also worthy of mention are the studio equipment of the legendary vocal group “Comedian Harmonists”, which was transferred to the museum in 1996; the original radio station from the coastal motor vessel “Jason”; a replica living room from the 1950s with period appliances; and a room for demonstrating the latest high-end and surround sound technology.

An attractive programme of events, such as radio drama evenings organised in cooperation with Radio Bremen and the museum’s own flea markets for private equipment collectors, as well as participation in exhibitions and local community activities, aims to spark the interest of both expert radio technicians and radio enthusiasts alike.