Here, visitors engage in conversation with the people behind the projects, discover issues that matter to Wiesbaden, and get to know their city from new perspectives. The project’s popularity shows that WerkRaum is being embraced as an open space for encounters, exchange, and collaborative creation. 

The project began with the idea of reimagining an existing space: a vacant department store in the heart of downtown Wiesbaden was to be transformed into a so-called “fourth place”—an open, consumption-free space for encounters, exchange, and social dialogue. The project was initiated by the Wiesbaden City Museum Foundation and architect and urban planner Sandra Düsterhus (POINT. Architektur). In collaboration with Prof. Jörg Waldschütz and students from the Communication Design program at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, an open space was created as part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 initiative—a place where people can meet, exchange ideas, collaborate, and discuss issues of the future. 

Since its opening, the WerkRaum has been in a state of constant flux. Exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and participatory events bring together culture, science, urban development, and civil society. Where people once shopped, they now discuss, create, learn, and experiment. The former sales floor has gradually come to life and become an open space where people can discover their city from new perspectives and help shape its future. 

“The fact that so many visitors are now bringing the WerkRaum to life shows just how great the need is for open spaces for encounter and exchange right in the heart of the city. The transformation of a vacant department store into an open meeting place for the city’s community also highlights just how much potential exists in existing buildings. For me, this is an example of how sustainable urban development also means repurposing spaces and bringing them to life together,” emphasizes Sandra Düsterhus, architect and co-initiator of the WerkRaum. 

Following the monthly themes of “Community,” “Living Spaces,” and “Summer in the City,” the WerkRaum is dedicating August to the topic of “City Stories.” The focus is on how history can help us better understand the present and shape the future. Historical perspectives intersect with current debates, inviting visitors to discover Wiesbaden from new angles. 

The City Museum on the Market Square is also contributing to the themed month with numerous events and will once again open its “Glass Museum” in the WerkRaum. Visitors will gain insights into the museum’s work, encounter objects from the city’s history, and experience how history is collected, researched, and told. To mark the tenth anniversary of the sam in the Marktkeller, Museum Director Sabine Philipp invites you to a lecture on August 19, offering a retrospective on the city museum’s development and its prospects for the future. 

Other highlights of the August program include the event “City History and Urban Structure” organized by the City Planning Office and the Building Inspection Department/Lower Monument Protection Authority on Monday, August 10, as well as thermal spring tours as part of the WDC project “SpotHot.” The program is complemented by lectures and readings on the city’s history, as well as the accompanying program for the special exhibition “Christian Dell – From the Silver Jug to Goldgasse.” These include, among other things, a workshop by the State Academy of Fine Arts in Hanau, where basic silversmithing techniques will be demonstrated live and participants can try them out for themselves. Open workshops, hands-on activities, and events organized by other Wiesbaden partners round out the diverse lineup of activities in August. 

“Because the WerkRaum opens onto the pedestrian zone, many curious people come inside. Conversations arise quite naturally in the relaxed atmosphere. People tell us their personal stories, share their memories and opinions with us, and show us which topics are important to them. Every day, we receive a great deal of encouragement and recognition for having created an alternative to shops and consumerism here. The themes that have shaped the WerkRaum over the past six months are closely linked to Wiesbaden, its history and development, as well as to the people who live here and have lived here. “Vibrant city history is already unfolding at WerkRaum,” says Sabine Philipp, director of the Wiesbaden City Museum Foundation. “The most common feedback we receive is: ‘Wiesbaden needs a place like this! It would be wonderful if you could stay here. And if the concept of this space could be combined with a new city museum, that would be ideal.’” 

For the past three months, the WerkRaum has been demonstrating how a former department store in the heart of downtown can become an open space for culture, exchange, and collaborative creation. Through the end of October, it invites visitors to help shape this process further through changing themes and events. 

The WerkRaum is a project of the Stadtmuseum am Markt. The WerkRaum Wiesbaden, located at Langgasse 5–9, is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and on Sundays by appointment. For more information about the WerkRaum in August, visit: WerkRaum Wiesbaden (opens in a new tab).