Bright, airy, sustainable: This is what the Museum Selma will look like
Where steel sheets were once cast and rolled, a unique cultural center is being created with the Museum Selma. A former industrial hall in Cologne-Kalk, which itself breathes migration history, will be transformed over the next few years into a nationwide migration museum, the Museum Selma. The character of the hall, which is over 100 years old, will be preserved while a pioneering museum building is created.
The Museum in the Making
The Museum Selma is currently in the planning stage and will take shape in Cologne over the coming years. We will continue to keep you updated on the planning process and subsequent construction phase on our Museum Construction page.
On this page, we will give you a glimpse of what the museum is set to look like. The images shown are an initial visualization of the museum’s design concept. The museum’s final appearance may still change as planning progresses.
60 Percent of the Floor Area, 100 Percent Museum Selma
The Museum Selma will be built on approximately 60 percent of the originally planned floor area. This is due to the rising construction costs in Germany in recent years and higher renovation costs for the hall, which have resulted in additional expenses. To remain within the specified budget, significant reductions to the museum’s special program are necessary. The design for the museum, which is shown on this page, will be revised by the end of 2026 to make this possible.
A first glimpse
The Entrance
The Museum Selma sees itself as a “third place”: a place where people enjoy spending time and that is not driven by consumerism. Large areas of the spacious foyer are freely accessible. This also applies to the open staircase on the left side of the picture, which invites visitors to linger, with views into the museum hall and the temporary exhibition space.
The Adjacent Hall 71 will be stripped down to its skeleton: Visitors will enter the Museum Selma through the so called “open-air hall”. This will also create open-air spaces in the entrance area that can be used in a variety of ways by the residents of the Köln-Kalk neighborhood.
Right in the museum’s entrance, first impressions are shaped by abundant natural light, sustainable wooden fixtures, and plenty of open space. The foyer extends along the side aisle of the hall. Visitors are guided through the building by the skylights. A “house-in-house” design will be used to build the museum within the hall. This allows for the maximum possible preservation of the industrial character of the over 100-year-old hall while ensuring energy efficiency.
The Exhibition
The permanent exhibition consists of a chronological display and six concept rooms. In the chronological display, migration is highlighted as a central part of German history. The concept rooms illustrate how migration shapes everyday life and society. The exhibition is based on a collection of nationwide accounts of firsthand migration history, that our sponsoring organization, DOMiD, has been building since 1990.
Intro and Outro
The Museum Selma reimagines German history and creates new perspectives: Visitors will be able to tell by the way they enter and exit the museum. What is on display there will not have changed during the visit – but the visitors’ perspective on it certainly will. The museum invites visitors to take on new points of view.
The Chronology
Visitors begin their tour in the welcoming entrance area, after which they can explore the exhibition along a free-flow route. The chronological section forms the spatial centerpiece of the permanent exhibition. It tells the story of Germany from the end of World War II to the present day. Visitors are invited to actively contribute to and update recent events.
The Permanent Exhibition: A Closer Look
A closer look at the permanent exhibition: Display cases featuring historical objects and artistic installations bring the history of migration to life. In the background, you can see the entrance to two concept rooms.
The Concept Rooms
The Concept Rooms show that migration is present in all aspects of everyday life and can be understood as a lens through which to look at history and society. One of the planned concept rooms is dedicated to the theme of love and, through love stories, illustrates how migration can shape personal life and love journeys. Migration is not treated as an isolated topic here, but becomes experienceable as a natural part of social history and human relationships.
We conceive the exhibition in conjunction with the architecture, as an overall scenographic experience that emerges from the exhibition’s contents and the history of the building. At the same time, we view the museum as an open space for the local community.
The Surroundings
The Museum Selma is being built in the heart of one of Europe’s most densely populated regions: the Rhein-Ruhr area, specifically in Cologne. In the heart of the Cologne-Kalk district, a site has stood vacant for years: the “Hallen Kalk.” In the last century, the Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz Group (KHD) used to manufacture engines here, but then came a long period of inactivity. Together with our partners, we are breathing new life into the “Hallen-Kalk” site.
Museum Selma
With the Museum Selma, Hall 70 is being transformed into a cultural space unlike any other in Germany. We are reimagining the history of migration in this country—and with it, its past, present, and future. Over the next few years, this former industrial hall will become a place for encounters and exchange.
Pflanzstelle (Community Garden)
Pflanzstelle is a self-organized public community garden. Dedicated volunteers grow organic vegetables and herbs here in raised beds. In addition to gardening, Pflanzstelle serves as a social and political space where workshops and events on environmental and social issues take place.
Hall 71
A feasibility study has identified potential uses for the building adjacent to the Museum Selma: Most of the roof will be opened up, creating a forecourt that will also serve as the entrance area to the Museum Selma. In addition, there will be green spaces and other recreational facilities.
Kunsthaus Kalk
Kunsthaus Kalk is a new inclusive project by the established artistic initiatives X-SÜD and KAT18. Artists with and without disabilities are already working together in a pilot project at an “Inclusive Academy” located in the corner building at Dillenburger Straße 67. In the future, one of the halls is set to house a production facility with studios and workshops, as well as the academy, which will serve as a new inclusive educational space.
CCCC – Creation Center Contemporary Circus
The Creation Center Contemporary Circus — CCCC — offers a space for the art of movement in Hall 63. Here, the boundaries of circus techniques as a form of expression are explored. The result is a blend of acrobatics, professional development, circus education, and audience participation — all through the unusual and unique mediums of contemporary circus.
Kulturhof Kalk
Kulturhof Kalk offers residents a self-managed space that provides neighborhood gathering places, low-threshold cultural activities, and easily accessible workspaces for people involved in social and cultural work. Both Hall 66 and a large open area provide space for concerts and events.
Abenteuerhallen Kalk
Abenteuerhallen Kalk (AHK) is a community center for children and youth that focuses on urban youth and active lifestyles: climbing, skateboarding, trials, BMX, mountain biking, and acrobatics. Spread across two indoor facilities and an outdoor area, AHK serves as a place for many children and young people in the region to connect and try new things.
Awarded
The architectural design for the Museum Selma was honoured with the prestigious German Design Award 2026. In its statement, the jury said the following about Atelier Brückner's design draft: „The consistent integration of sustainable materials and the respectful treatment of the existing structure characterize Museum Selma in an impressive way. Modular timber installations based on cradle-to-cradle principles create flexible spaces that preserve the industrial heritage and promote social diversity. Especially noteworthy is the authentic fusion of architecture, history, and participation, setting a powerful benchmark for excellent conceptual architecture.“
