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In the wake of the public debate over the location of the Museum Selma, an initiative called “Museum Selma bleibt” has been founded in Cologne. This initiative, which is independent of us and consists of dedicated citizens, is advocating for the national migration museum, which is being established in Cologne by our sponsoring organization, DOMiD.

The initiative has also addressed the public in an open letter - which was signed by numerous prominent initial signatories. 

These supporters are on board

Saša Stanišić, Writer

Dr. Navid Kermani, Writer, orientalist, and publisher

Feridun Zaimoglu, Writer

Dr. Lale Akgün, Psychologist and former member of the German Bundestag

Marica Bodrožić, Writer

Natalie Bayer, Director of the FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum (Berlin)

Karima Benbrahim, Director IDA-NRW

Wilfried Schmickler und Christoph Sieber, Comedians / cabaret artists 

Diedrich Diederichsen, Cultural studies scholar and author (Berlin)

Irene Franken, Historian and publisher

Prof. Dr. Ambros Gleixner, Mathematician, Berlin

Dr. Gregor Gysi, Member of the German Bundestag

Nedim Hazar, Musician, composer

Prof. Dr. Hiltrud Kier, Art historian and historic preservationist

Prof. Dr. Jochen Oltmer, Historian and migration scholar

Dr. Mark Terkessidis, Freelance author and migration scholar

Now, supporters of the museum can take action themselves: The initiative has launched an online petition on the weact platform to support our museum.

The petition calls for adequate funding for Museum Selma from the federal government, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the City of Cologne. It also appeals to the funding bodies to extend the deadline - which currently expires at the end of the year - for the existing grants awarded to the museum’s operating body, DOMiD. The petition makes a clear demand to the City of Cologne to “take action on the museum’s construction.”  

The construction of the nationwide migration museum, Museum Selma, must “not fail due to 33 million euros in additional costs,” the initiators state there. “For a project of such appeal and national significance, even 77 million euros is not too much money.”

The initiative operates independently of DOMiD, our museum’s governing body. We are grateful for the support our museum has received and appreciate the signatures on the petition. 

Die schematische Darstellung zeigt das Gelände des Osthofs in Köln-Kalk, wo das Museum Selma entstehen wird. Die Halle 70 als Standort des Museums ist zu 60 Prozent schwarz eingefärbt, der Rest ist grau hinterlegt.

Museum construction

A breakthrough for the Museum Selma in Cologne-Kalk: Here's what's next

— The Museum Selma has taken an important step forward: a new approach demonstrates how the project can be realized at the originally planned location in Hall 70 in Cologne-Kalk, despite rising construction costs. At a roundtable discussion with all stakeholders, this approach met with broad approval.

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Eine Person betrachtet einen Info-Flyer der Initiative "Museum Selma bleibt".

Museum construction

Petition launched to support our Museum

— Anyone who would like to show their support for Museum Selma can now do so in a very concrete way: The independent initiative “Museum Selma bleibt,” which advocates for our museum, has launched an online petition.

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This is what the Museum Selma in Hall 70 in Cologne-Kalk might have looked like.

Architecture, Museum construction

Redesign: DOMiD is considering a significantly scaled-down migration museum at the Cologne-Kalk site

— The Kulturzentrum am Neumarkt (KAN) cannot serve as the home of the Museum Selma . This is the conclusion reached following extensive assessments. As a result, the museum’s governing body, DOMiD, is now exploring the possibility of realising the Museum Selma at its original location, Halle 70 in Cologne-Kalk, within the allocated budget, by making significant cuts to the spatial programme.

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