WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?
Questions for the Eighteenth Century
Oct 18, 2024–April 6, 2025
Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin
The Age of Enlightenment, a transformative intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries, championed values such as reason, science, progress, and human rights, including individual liberty. At the same time, it challenged established power structures, particularly the monarchy and religious authority. Its ideas laid the groundwork for many of the democratic principles that continue to shape our world – and are still contested – today.
“What is Enlightenment? Questions for the 18th Century” critically examines the contradictions and complexities of the Enlightenment, shedding light on its key concepts and conflicts. While ideals such as equality and tolerance were central to the movement, the way we understand these values today differs considerably from how they were defined during the Enlightenment. Taking an international perspective, the accessible exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin explores contemporary issues related to the epoch and is designed with children, families, and school groups in mind.
The exhibition’s campaign features a wooden model of an eye – one of the key objects on display – which appears to return the viewer’s gaze. The model eye visualizes one of the era’s central aims within the campaign: dating back to 1700, it symbolizes the Enlightenment’s pursuit of knowledge and the growing popularity of research through experimentation, including studies of the human body. Behind the image of the eye is a gradient from light blue to vibrant yellow which evokes a sunset, a distinct design element that runs consistently across all communication media, creating strong memorability.
The “Enlightenment NOW” program is designed for teenagers and young adults from diverse social backgrounds. Its accompanying poster campaign highlights key themes, both historical and contemporary, such as freedom, truth, equality, knowledge, honor, and reason in various languages and scripts, styled like a festival line-up. The use of a contemporary typeface with rounded edges adds a friendly, modern touch, making these still relevant topics more accessible to a younger audience. While “Aufklärung NOW” is visually geared toward a younger demographic, the gradient from yellow to light blue ensures a clear connection to the main campaign. Two sections of the exhibition were co-developed with young adults from various educational institutions. These sections explore Enlightenment in today’s context, asking questions like: What is knowledge?
SERVICES
Campaign (Development and Design), Design of Print Media (Posters, Banners, Flyers, Advertisements), Visual Identity, Key Visual, Exhibition graphics, Illustrations
VISUAL SPACE AGENCY
Julia Volkmar, Anja Rausch
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Studio Bens
CLIENT
Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin
PRESIDENT
Raphael Gross
DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Ulrike Kretzschmar
HEAD OF PROJECT
Dorlis Blume
CURATOR
Liliane Weissberg
RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
Wolfgang Cortjaens, Saro Gorgis
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Harriet Merrow
EXHIBITION ARCHITECTURE
Hans Hagemeister, Marie-Luise Uhle
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Brigitte Vogel-Janotta (Head of department), Verena Bischoff, Claudia Braun Carrasco, Margot Desplanches, Miriam Finkeldey, Verena Günther, Rebecca Junglas,
Attila Magyar, Andrea Plamper, Norman Salusa, Lilja-Ruben Vowe, Max Wandel (Guides), Crawford Matthews (Outreach),
Anna-Lena Janako, Andrea Schenk (Booking service)
COMMUNICATION
Stephan Adam, Maria Altnau, Christina Behrendt, Ina Frodermann, Laura Groschopp, Jenny Jakubik, Daniela Lange, Alexandra de Léon, Tabea Lintzmeyer, Ilka Linz, Jana Nawrot, Nicola Schnell, Peter Schützhold, Oliver Schweinoch
VISUAL CONSULTANT
Mason Leaver-Yap
GRAPHICS PRODUCTION (Exhibition)
Digidax
DIVE INTO THE PICTURE!
Time Travel for Kids
June 2, 2024–Jan 19, 2025
Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin
The Age of Enlightenment, a transformative intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries, championed values such as reason, science, progress, and human rights, including individual liberty. At the same time, it challenged established power structures, particularly the monarchy and religious authority. Its ideas laid the groundwork for many of the democratic principles that continue to shape our world – and are still contested – today.
“What is Enlightenment? Questions for the 18th Century” critically examines the contradictions and complexities of the Enlightenment, shedding light on its key concepts and conflicts. While ideals such as equality and tolerance were central to the movement, the way we understand these values today differs considerably from how they were defined during the Enlightenment. Taking an international perspective, the accessible exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin explores contemporary issues related to the epoch and is designed with children, families, and school groups in mind.
The exhibition’s campaign features a wooden model of an eye – one of the key objects on display – which appears to return the viewer’s gaze. The model eye visualizes one of the era’s central aims within the campaign: dating back to 1700, it symbolizes the Enlightenment’s pursuit of knowledge and the growing popularity of research through experimentation, including studies of the human body. Behind the image of the eye is a gradient from light blue to vibrant yellow which evokes a sunset, a distinct design element that runs consistently across all communication media, creating strong memorability.
The “Enlightenment NOW” program is designed for teenagers and young adults from diverse social backgrounds. Its accompanying poster campaign highlights key themes, both historical and contemporary, such as freedom, truth, equality, knowledge, honor, and reason in various languages and scripts, styled like a festival line-up. The use of a contemporary typeface with rounded edges adds a friendly, modern touch, making these still relevant topics more accessible to a younger audience. While “Aufklärung NOW” is visually geared toward a younger demographic, the gradient from yellow to light blue ensures a clear connection to the main campaign. Two sections of the exhibition were co-developed with young adults from various educational institutions. These sections explore Enlightenment in today’s context, asking questions like: What is knowledge?
SERVICES
Campaign (Development and Design), Design of Print Media (Posters, Banners, Flyers, Advertisements), Visual Identity, Key Visual, Exhibition graphics, Illustrations
VISUAL SPACE AGENCY
Julia Volkmar, Anja Rausch
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Studio Bens
CLIENT
Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin
PRESIDENT
Raphael Gross
DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITIONS
Ulrike Kretzschmar
HEAD OF PROJECT
Dorlis Blume
CURATOR
Liliane Weissberg
RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
Wolfgang Cortjaens, Saro Gorgis
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Harriet Merrow
EXHIBITION ARCHITECTURE
Hans Hagemeister, Marie-Luise Uhle
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Brigitte Vogel-Janotta (Head of department), Verena Bischoff, Claudia Braun Carrasco, Margot Desplanches, Miriam Finkeldey, Verena Günther, Rebecca Junglas,
Attila Magyar, Andrea Plamper, Norman Salusa, Lilja-Ruben Vowe, Max Wandel (Guides), Crawford Matthews (Outreach),
Anna-Lena Janako, Andrea Schenk (Booking service)
COMMUNICATION
Stephan Adam, Maria Altnau, Christina Behrendt, Ina Frodermann, Laura Groschopp, Jenny Jakubik, Daniela Lange, Alexandra de Léon, Tabea Lintzmeyer, Ilka Linz, Jana Nawrot, Nicola Schnell, Peter Schützhold, Oliver Schweinoch
VISUAL CONSULTANT
Mason Leaver-Yap
GRAPHICS PRODUCTION (Exhibition)
Digidax