Architecture
The Museum Selma needs a new home
The Museum Selma will not be built at its planned location on the Hallen Kalk site. This is due to the huge rise in construction costs in Germany. One way of still bringing the museum to fruition is to consider a new location: the cultural centre at Neumarkt in Cologne city centre. Cologne City Council is due to discuss the matter later this week.
Unprecedented rises in construction costs in Germany have been posing challenges to private and public building projects for years: now the Museum Selma is also feeling the pinch.
Following expert assessments and planning, the construction of the national migration museum at the intended site in Cologne-Kalk cannot be realised within the existing budget. In addition to the skyrocketing construction costs, the condition of the hall intended to house the museum also plays a role: the former industrial hall on the Hallen Kalk site would require much more extensive renovation than had to be anticipated.
‘Using taxpayers' money responsibly’
Given the current price rises, this would mean that the entire budget for the museum construction would have to be diverted to the renovation of the hall. No funds would remain for the construction of the Museum Selma. None of the funding bodies could cover the estimated additional costs of 33 million euros due to the tight budgetary situation.
“DOMiD handles taxpayers’ money responsibly and must therefore pull the ripcord,” explains Robert Fuchs, Managing Director of DOMiD, the organisation behind the Museum Selma. “We would have loved to open the museum in Cologne-Kalk and support the cultural development of the Osthof Kalk with our presence on the ground. We regret that we cannot continue the good neighbourly relations we have built up with local stakeholders and remain committed to the jointly developed vision for the site.”
Strong support for the new site
Stefan Charles, Councillor for Art and Culture for the City of Cologne
“A museum dedicated to migration is a perfect fit for the heart of our cosmopolitan city, which has been shaped by migration. At the same time, we see great potential to further strengthen the cultural quarter at Neumarkt, with its museums, the city library and the adult education centre.”
Robert Fuchs, Managing Director of DOMiD
“The decision to give up the site in Kalk was by no means an easy one for us. We are therefore all the more delighted by the City of Cologne’s offer to explore the possibility of integrating our museum into the cultural centre at Neumarkt. We see great potential for all parties in collaborating with the other local cultural institutions.”
Ahmet Sezer, co-founder and board member of DOMiD
“We are grateful for the continuous political support in establishing a museum that adequately represents our migrant society. Thirty-five years ago, our dream began: to enrich Germany's history with the perspectives of the people who have immigrated here. Given the current rise of anti-migrant and anti-democratic forces, it is all the more important to tell the history of this country through a multitude of voices.”
Background: From funding approval to preliminary design
In 2020, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had allocated a total of 44.26 million euros in their budgets for the museum run by our organisation, DOMiD. The COVID-19 pandemic led to repeated delays in the years that followed, meaning that it was not until 2024 that DOMiD, equipped with fundings, was able to move forward the planning, supported by a project management team and a master planning team.
In a Europe-wide tender process, our sponsor commissioned the renowned Atelier Brückner, which specialises in cultural buildings, as the master planner in April 2025.
The project Museum Selma now gained momentum: within a very short time, a draft design and comprehensive plans were drawn up, and expert reports commissioned. In August 2025, the first cost estimate was available, which showed that the funds available were insufficient to realise the museum in Hall 70 in Kalk. The immense increases in construction costs over recent years are the reason for this. In addition, the extent of the renovation work required on the industrial hall was greater than had to be anticipated. Our host organization, DOMiD, immediately sought dialogue with the city, state and federal authorities.
After months of negotiations, it was clear: the estimated 33 million euros that would be lacking for thesite in Kalk cannot be raised by any of the parties involved given the tight budgetary situation.
What’s next for the Museum Selma?
Our potential new site, the Neumarkt Cultural Centre, is already home to two museums – the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum and the Museum Schnütgen – as well as the Cologne Museum Service and the FORUM of the Cologne Adult Education Centre.
Cologne City Council will discuss this potential new location on Thursday, 19 March 2026. Following a positive decision by the Council, the administration of the City of Cologne and the museum’s governing body could begin assessing the site. We will provide updates on all further developments here and in our newsletter as soon as possible.
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