Nibelungen Museum Worms

The decision of the city council was made in February 1997 in favour of the concept of the agency Auber + Hoge & associés (A+H) in Paris.

According to archeological finds in the excavation area in early 1999, nothing was standing in the way of the construction of the estimated 4.5 million Euro total cost of the museum.

Additionally problematic passages in the history of the Nibelungen could be overcome with the help of distant comments but this was not in the interest of the founders.

The concept of new media artist Oliver Auber and the architect Bernd Hoge gives visitors insight into the medieval myth with the help of a fictional portrayal, in contrast to the old fortification.

Glowing pictures are attached to the ribs of the sparkling, golden spindle, representing the “Rütlin” (little rod), which is the talisman of the Nibelungen treasure.

Here, visitors can sit on audio chairs and listen to passages from the original song, spoken in Middle High German and translated simultaneously.

The “Myth Lab”, which is located in an underground room, provides visitors with the opportunity for quiet contemplation after the two-hour tour through the museum.

The entire text by the anonymous poet can be accessed again here, and the Rütelin, a 17,5m column of pictures located in the Tower of Vision, is graphically depicted and can be viewed from all sides and angles.

An internet search function is provided for student groups to research information for presentations or the like, and several flash movies and short documentaries can also be found there.

The invitations for both symposia were sent by the Goethe Institute and the two events encountered a huge media response in France, Canada, the United States and Japan: "A high-tech, cutting-edge interpretation of the Nibelungen myth…" Boston Digital Industry: Treasure of the Nibelungs (May 2001) "Au-delà de la performance technique qui sait se faire oublier, les auteurs ont réussi une œuvre d'une grande poésie…" Libération: Tragédies en sous-sol (December 8, 2000) "Sitôt que l'on y entre, en sentira son rhythme, sa joie ou ses tourments."

Frankfurter Rundschau (August 21, 2001) "The Nibelungenmuseum Worms virtually revives a piece of German world literature."