Annual press conference 2024 at Porzellanikon Selb

New exhibitions, museum projects and events for the coming year were presented at the 2024 annual press conference at Porzellanikon - State Museum for Porcelain. The event took place in the presence of the local media on Tuesday, 28 November 2023 from 11:00 to 12:30 at the Selb site. Museum Director Anna Dziwetzki and the museum's curators presented the programme for 2024.

New special exhibitions

"The world on 64 squares. Chess and porcelain", 16 March - 13 October 2024, Hohenberg a.d. Eger - Petra Werner, Head Curator of the Porzellanikon and curator of the special exhibition

Handcrafted beauty paired with mathematical composition is presented in the new special exhibition "The world on 64 squares. Chess and Porcelain" at Porzellanikon Hohenberg. Petra Werner, Head Curator of the Porzellanikon and curator of the new special exhibition, presented the special features of this chess exhibition. "Thanks to its links to European and Asian culture, chess established itself as a popular parlour game in the 18th century. Many porcelain manufactories made figures and chess sets from porcelain. We are therefore delighted to be able to show more than 100 different games and chess pieces in this special exhibition," says the porcelain expert. Political intrigues and class struggles, campaigns and military operations, mythical creatures, medieval figures, but also erotic subjects as well as virtues and vices come together on the chessboard. They depict unique world views and reveal not only great craftsmanship and attention to detail, but also the taste of the collector Dr Thomas H. Thomsen from Königstein (Taunus), the main lender of this exhibition. Over the years, the engineer from Hesse and former president of Chess Collectors International (CCI) has collected over 800 chess sets from all over the world. Some of these outstanding and mostly highly exclusive porcelain objects are now being exhibited to the public for the first time in the Porcelain Museum.

Studio exhibition by Šárka Schmelzerová, 28 June - 11 August 2024, Hohenberg a.d. Eger - Aleksander Szalapski, curator of the 21st century collection and digitisation

With the annual porcelain market in Hohenberg a.d. Eger, the museum not only draws attention to the young porcelain designers of today, but also honours the winners of the jury prize with their own exhibition. Aleksander Szalapski, curator of the 21st century collection and digitalisation at Porzellanikon, announced the studio exhibition of Czech porcelain designer Šárka Schmelzerová from Žlutice, winner of the 3rd Porcelain Market in Hohenberg 2023. The elegant table sets, jewellery and decorative items made of porcelain bring out the irony of the everyday in the artist's unmistakable style and will be on display in the studio show from 28 June to 11 August 2024.

4th Porcelain Market, 27 - 28 July 2024, Hohenberg a.d. Eger

Contemporary porcelain designs and young artists working with this material take centre stage at the 4th Porcelain Market in Hohenberg a.d. Eger. On 27 and 28 July 2024, 15-20 porcelain artists will present their craftsmanship. The experts on the jury will select their favourite. The winners will be given their own studio exhibition at Porzellanikon Hohenberg a.d. Eger.

Redesign of the permanent exhibition "Technical Ceramics"

Christoph Neeb, Head of the Education and Mediation Department and Curator for Technical Ceramics

Changes affect the "Technical Ceramics" exhibition area at Porzellanikon Selb. From the end of November 2023 until the end of September 2024, the permanent exhibition will be closed and completely rebuilt. Christoph Neeb, Head of the Education and Mediation Department and Curator of Technical Ceramics, announced the conceptual changes. "The exhibition will have a completely new concept. It will be entertaining and informative - an exciting museum experience for young visitor groups, but also for the whole family," explained the curator. With experiments and hands-on stations, the technical ceramics rooms in the museum will be given a new storytelling experience. The revised exhibition will arouse curiosity and imagination, but also raise awareness of the role of ceramic materials in our everyday lives.

Events and activities

Franziska Kick, Head of the Events and Tourism Department

Franziska Kick, Head of the Events and Tourism Department, provided information about the major events in Selb and Hohenberg a.d. Eger.

Wedding fair, 28 January 2024, Selb

With inspiration for bridal fashion and jewellery, decoration, catering and locations, the wedding fair in Selb offers a presentation area for many players from the region. As a valued venue for advice and specialist information, the event offers many ideas for future bridal couples.

Golden Evening, 26 and 27 April 2024 and 18 and 19 October 2024, Hohenberg a.d. Eger

A dinner evening with a 4-course menu is one of the most popular events at the museum. In addition to culinary delights and star cuisine at the highest level, the evening also promises cultural entertainment as part of a guided tour of the special exhibition in the museum villa in Hohenberg a.d. Eger.

Broom burning, 30 April 2024, Selb

Welcoming spring and driving away evil spirits is one of the oldest customs in the Fichtelgebirge. This takes place during the witches' night, the so-called broom burning. At nightfall, one of the largest bonfires is traditionally lit on the large fairground in front of the museum. Tasty food, drinks and live music create a lively atmosphere and a cheerful folk festival atmosphere.

Museum festival, 11 August 2024, Hohenberg a.d. Eger

The much-loved museum event is aimed at young and old and takes place in the beautiful open-air garden under the motto "Black and White". In addition to background music and culinary delights, visitors can also visit the special exhibition "The world on 64 squares. Chess and Porcelain" or the studio exhibition by Šárka Schmelzerová will also be on the programme next year.

New opening of the permanent exhibition "Technical Ceramics", 27 - 29 September 2024, Selb

The museum is celebrating the reopening of the permanent exhibition "Technical Ceramics" at the end of September as a festival of technology for the whole family, bringing fun and good humour to everyone. Specific details of the programme of events and planned visitor activities will be announced in subsequent press releases.As a cultural mediator in the region, the Museum of Porcelain will also be taking part in the celebrations to mark the Day of Franconia on 7 July 2024 in Wunsiedel, the Fichtelgebirge 2024 Summer Lounge on 1 August 2024 in Selb and the Porcelain Festival on 3 August 2024 in Selb.

Barrier-free museum visit to Porzellanikon Hohenberg

Petra Werner, Head Curator of the Porzellanikon, Head of the Department of Art and Cultural History of Porcelain

As part of the project, all inclusive options were implemented to enable disabled people to visit the museum. All texts have been changed and shortened accordingly and brought to the required background color. The texts in display cases are now also located outside in the rooms. All texts in the museum are also available in German and Czech. A floor guidance system has been installed throughout the building to make it easier for blind and visually impaired people to visit the museum. There are orientation maps and five tactile exhibits with Braille and pyramid lettering. The museum is currently working on media guides offering tours of the entire museum in German, English, Czech and in sign language in German, including a highlight tour with special objects from the individual rooms. Printed booklets in easy-to-read language will also be available for visitors in German, Czech and English. A call for tenders for the print shop will be announced soon.

Museum educational programs and guided tours

Nadine Zentgraf, Museum educator

Museum educator Nadine Zentgraf provided an overview of planned programs for museum guests in Selb and Hohenberg a.d. Eger. The museum has been offering costume tours since 2022. Their inclusion in the special exhibition "Luxury, Wellness, Porcelain - A Day at the Bohemian Spa" at Porzellanikon Hohenberg has proved very successful. "The costume tour with princess" will continue to take place at Porzellanikon Hohenberg on February 15 and March 28, 2024. The event is suitable for both children and adults and can also be booked individually. In her magnificent dress made by local dressmaker Regina Hörath, the princess talks about the role of porcelain in the 18th century. She also talks about table culture and manners, fashion and the "morning toilet". The guided tours are interactive - museum guests can stroll and learn dance steps.

Public guided tours are an integral part of the museum programs in Selb and will also be offered in Hohenberg a.d. Eger in 2024. They focus on the artistic development of porcelain and are called "Culture and Porcelain: Public Guided Tour on the Cultural History of Porcelain" and "Manufacturers' Villa on a Public Holiday: Public Guided Tour on the Cultural History of Porcelain". With objects from regional porcelain manufactories, these events trace the styles of porcelain from the 18th century to the present day. As every year, the museum also offers senior citizens' afternoons on various topics, as well as themed research and creative programs for young and adults.

Museum project "Window into the past" as part of the State Ministry of Science and Culture program "kultur.digital.vermittlung", 2023 - 2025, Selb

Kathleen Klötzer, Curator of economic, technical and social history

Kathleen Klötzer, Curator of Economic, Technical and Social History, presented the "Window into the Past" project, which was funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts and will be implemented under her leadership until 2025. "The focus is on the historic porcelain factory at the Selb site. In addition, the factory site, the exterior architecture and the neighboring workers' housing estate will be brought into focus as exhibits and thus integrated into the visitor experience," the curator explained her project. Augmented reality was to be used to make porcelain production in the past accessible. Visitors can use their smartphone or tablet to discover the production of porcelain as well as the everyday working life of the porcelain makers, allowing them to immerse themselves in the porcelain factory of the time. Based on the documented knowledge and images, the museum's outdoor areas and original architecture can be used as exhibits, enabling interactive experiences for all museum visitors, whatever the weather.

Extension of the special exhibition "Toilet & Co. Sanitary ceramics from the outhouse to the high-tech toilet", November 26, 2023 - April 7, 2024, Selb

Kathleen Klötzer, Curator of economic, technical and social history

Anna Dziwetzki, Director of the museum

The historical development of the toilet - from the ancient Romans to the most modern technology of today - is presented in the special exhibition " Toilet & Co. Sanitary ceramics from the outhouse to the high-tech toilet" at Porzellanikon Selb. "This exhibition deals with various aspects of human development and illustrates these using the example of the toilet. It is about energy and environmental policy, urban planning, architecture and, above all, the history of mentality. The show is entertaining, offers a lot of factual knowledge and is an absolute magnet for visitors. For this reason, we have decided to extend its duration," said the director.

Until April 7, 2024, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the special exhibition in Selb, which features over 200 different objects from all over the world. In addition to curator tours on January 14, February 11 and March 24, the museum is also organizing guided tours on January 28, February 4 and March 10 as well as a kangaroo tour for parents and their babies (in a sling) on March 5, 2024.